Are you looking for website builders in South Africa?
You are in the right place. In this article, I will reveal the top 5 creator tools you can use now to design a website for free.
See, when it comes to creating a website, you have only two options: hire a web designer and pay thousands of rands, or create it yourself.
Often, people settled for the former, and we all know how that turns out.
You hire someone to work on your project, and instead of delivering your dreams, he starts giving you headaches. Pushing back and forth and not getting anywhere. Then, in the end, you don’t have a website you wanted and there is a dent in your bank account.
That is a little sad, but it is a reality. Just ask around and people will tell you.
With all these, you are left but to wonder, is there a solution? Is there a place where you don’t have to worry about tying your budget with the quality of the website?
As it turns out, there is still hope in the world; website builders in South Africa.
What is a website builder?
A website builder is exactly what it sounds like; a tool used specifically to create websites. See, not so long ago, you had to dig into the code to come up with a web page you want.
You had to handle things like HTML and CSS to create a web page. But that is long gone by now, thanks to website builders who have eliminated the need for coding knowledge.
There are two types of website builders in South Africa, and I will cover them just in brief.
a) Offline website creators – these are page builders that don’t require an internet connection to create a website. All you have to do is download and install the program. From there, you can use it anytime you want.
b) Online website creators – unlike offline builders, these require a reliable internet connection for it to function well. They mostly come in form of web platforms, but there are those that are applications you can install on the device.
In this article, the builders will be looking at falls into the latter category.
Do you really need a website builder?
If you are asking yourself the above question, I have only a couple of questions to ask you;
a) Are you tired of working with web designers who end up ‘robbing’ you and not delivering on their promises?
b) Do you want a professional and beautiful website but do not have deep pockets or coding knowledge?
Well, if the answer is yes, then you need website builders in South Africa.
How To Build A Website in South Africa
A website is the most important tool for any business. It is the first impression that you make with your customers. A website is also the first place where people go to find out more about you and your company. When it comes to building a website, there are many things that you need to consider before starting.
In this section, we will cover some of the important steps you need to take to build a website in South Africa.
Why Build a Website in South Africa from Home?
South Africa has a lot to offer in terms of business opportunities. The country’s economy is growing and it is one of the most stable countries in Africa.
But, there are still a lot of people who don’t know about the opportunities that South Africa offers.
If you are thinking about starting your own business or looking for a job, it is important to build your own website from home. There are three benefits that come with having your own website:
a). It gives you credibility and authority
A website is a great way to build credibility and authority because it gives you the opportunity to share your thoughts, ideas, and expertise with the world.
When it comes to building a website, there are many ways that you can go about it. You can do it yourself or hire someone else to do it for you. If you’re going to do it yourself, then make sure that you invest in a quality website builder.
b). It helps you get more leads
It helps you get more business leads, converts more visitors into leads, and increases your brand awareness.
Having a website can help you get more business leads by providing useful content for your target audience.
By focusing on a particular niche, it is easier for you to get relevant traffic to your site in South Africa. A website also helps increase brand awareness by providing an online presence that is easy to find and share with others.
There are two types of websites: personal and commercial websites. One type is designed for personal use while the other one is designed specifically for business purposes.
The difference between these two types lies in the design, layout, navigation, and content of the website as well as how they function in terms of marketing strategies and advertising campaigns
c). You can sell 24/7
You can sell 24/7 on your website. You don’t need to be present in-person to sell your products.
This is possible due to the fact that there are a lot of different ways for people to buy online in South Africa and you don’t have to worry about long lines or the hassle of traveling.
Your own website is like a sales machine that works 24/7. It is an easy way for you to make money while you sleep, work, and play.
How to Build a Website in South Africa – Step-By-Step Guide
Step 1. Choose A Niche
Picking a niche is the most important step in your online business in South Africa. It helps you to decide what type of content you should create and also helps you to determine the best keywords that will help you rank on search engines.
You can start by looking at your interests and passions, or just brainstorming ideas with friends and family members. Then, try to narrow down your ideas into one or two niches that are related to each other but not too similar.
Some people choose to start a website that is focused on a niche. For example, if you want to start a blog about fashion, you can choose to focus on fashion-related topics and write about your personal experience with fashion.
Once you find a niche, it’s time for Step 2.
Step 2. Establishing Your Brand Identity and Domain Name
The second step on how to build a website in South Africa is registering a domain name
It is important to pick the right domain name for your business. It will help you build a brand identity and establish your online presence.
Picking the best domain name is not an easy task, but it is not impossible either. There are some simple steps that you can follow to ensure that you get the best domain name for your business.
When choosing a domain name for your business, you want to make sure it is memorable and easy to spell. It is a common practice to purchase a domain name that sounds similar to the company’s existing brand.
However, there are some simple steps you can take before making your purchase that will ensure you get the best domain name for your business.
Step 3. Creating Your Website Content & Layout
Now that you have picked a domain name, it is time to choose the best website builder to help you create a website.
Choosing the best website builder for your project is important. It will help you get the most out of your website, especially when it comes to content and layout.
You can search for one that has all the features you need and that has great community support. You can also use our tool to see which website builders are recommended by other people in the industry.
There are many different types of websites, so there’s a lot of variety when it comes to choosing a website builder in South Africa. You should think about what kind of site you want to create before deciding on one, or if you have an idea for something else entirely then go ahead and choose!
The list we have provided about the best website builders in South Africa should help you make an informed decision.
Step 4. Publishing Content
Once your website is up and running, go ahead and start publishing content.
When it comes to publishing content on the website, there are a few things that you should keep in mind.
First, make sure that your content is relevant and up-to-date.
Second, make sure that your audience is targeted properly and that they will find your content interesting.
Third, make sure you have a good design for your website so that it looks appealing and professional.
It’s important to keep in mind the three key elements of website content: relevance, target audience, and design. When making website content for a business or brand, it’s important to understand what people are looking for from their online experience.
Step 5. Promoting Your Website in South Africa
With content created, the next step on how to build a website in South Africa is promoting it to generate traffic.
Luckily, there are many strategies that you can use to generate traffic back to your website.
There are three main ways of promoting your website: SEO, social media marketing, and paid advertising.
You should consider the type of content that you have on your site and how it is relevant in the market before deciding which strategy will be best for you.
The most important thing when it comes to driving traffic back to your website is consistency. If you want people to see what you have on offer then they need to see it more than once.
#5 popular Website builders in South Africa
1) WIX
Yes, wix.com opens our list of the best website creators in South Africa. You might know them by that popular commercial where featuring Gal Gaddot and Jason Statham, movie stars of this century.
While they are clearly splashing millions on advertising campaigns, their product actually does a great job of delivering a beautiful website in less than 10 minutes.
Since its inception, Wix has come a long way to be where it is now. Leading with technological innovations, the platform does a better job of giving you the power to create a website you need without touching code.
Wix features
Well, there are a ton of features that come with the Wix website builder. In fact, some of them you actually have to try them yourself to get the feel, because words cannot capture the experience.
For example:
The Wix ADI tool.
It is an exquisite innovation ahead of its time, aimed at reducing the time it takes to create a fully functional website by half.
With the tool on your hands, all you have to do is answer a few questions and you have yourself a website within minutes.
Also, the Wix comes with a ton of templates. These are pre-made websites you can just plug and go. With it, your work of creating a website is reduced to editing.
Why Wix?
Again, there is a lot to be said about the Wix website builder tool in South Africa. But what captures attention most is its drag-and-drop tool.
With it, creating a website comes down to dragging elements and dropping anywhere you want to create that perfect page as you had imagined.
Additionally, Wix has striped its platform to a bare minimum. Everything is clear from the start, making it easy to use even for complete beginners. Even if you get stuck on the way, there are a ton of tutorials online to illuminate the way.
2) OLITT
OLITT maybe a new kid in town, but its presence is already being felt across the industry. With revolutionary page-building tools, Olitt gives you everything you need to take that leap into the online world.
Created with you in mind, this free website builder in South Africa comes with a ton of website templates to help you make that initial step faster than you can say ‘go.’
OLITT features
Again, just like Wix, we can go on and on about OLITT features. But here is something amazing about this free page builder.
Besides its easy-to-use drag and drop feature, the tool gives you complete control of the site feel and look.
With a ton of elements, you can easily create a dream website in under 5 minutes without touching code.
Why choose OLITT?
This is interesting:
While other website builders in South Africa give free plans, meaning you can create a website for free, OLITT takes it to another level no one else can.
With the free plan, you can actually connect a custom domain!
Yes, you read that right. You can create a website completely free and actually connect a custom domain instead of having the extension.
For example:
If you are building a fashion website on the free plan and want to call it fashionweez, OLITT gives you two options;
One, use the free domain extension given that is .olitt.com (fashionweez.olitt.com). It is cool and free.
Alternatively, you can buy the fashionweez domain and connect on the free plan.
Also, you get insanely discounted domain name prices you cannot get anywhere else.
Don’t believe me? Go try it now.
3) Shopify
Shopify has carved a unique niche within the website building industry as one of the best store builders in South Africa.
With the tool, you can easily create an online shop complete with product pages and payment gateways.
The great thing about Shopify is that they have dedicated themselves to helping online store entrepreneurs start and run their businesses.
For example:
Shopify comes with a complete package of creating a custom domain for your business, reporting capabilities, and logistics tools so you can track parcels directly from a central point.
As such, if you have dreams of building an online store in South Africa, consider Shopify.
Why Shopify?
Besides what we have already mentioned, Shopify unlike other store builders doesn’t restrict your annual sales. This means that you can make as much sales as you want, without worrying about the ceiling on your store sales.
While all these are true about Shopify, you can’t help but worry about its ability to create other types of websites.
Having fixated its tools and resources to creating amazing stores, Shopify may not be a perfect tool to create other sites. Either way, it is a good thing for online store owners.
4) Squarespace
Among the many website builders in South Africa, Squarespace comes out as the go-to page builder for blogging.
If you want to create a beautiful blog to express your passions and build a loyal following online, Squarespace is your tool. With hundreds of templates and elements, you can easily come up with a fabulous website whether you are an expert designer or just starting out.
Why Squarespace?
One thing stands out with Squarespace in South Africa, and that is unlimited storage space and unlimited bandwidth.
With such resources, you have less worry when scaling your blog of maxing out resources and potentially forcing you to upgrade to higher packages.
5) Weebly
According to their own words, Weebly empowers you to ‘build a website that grows with your business.’
With more than 12 million users, you can easily start to see why their statement may be true.
Just like the other website builders in this list, Weebly is so easy to use and you don’t need any programming knowledge to get started.
Why Weebly?
Just like Olitt and Wix, Weebly comes with a free plan. This means that you don’t need anything to own a website.
Also something worth noting;
Weebly gives you full control and access to your site’s HTML and CSS. With this alone, you can be sure to get everything you ever dreamed of without breaking your bank account.
Wrapping up website builders in South Africa
To this point, you clearly understand what you need to do; ditch those web designers, and take matters into your own hands and build your dreams.
What to do next?
Go ahead and try Olitt.com for free.