I’ve been developing my blog for years, diving into choppy cyberspace waters with little understanding of what to do. Along the way, I made a WordPress and Wix website. While some features and moments are easier than others, building a personal platform to share my work has been a journey.
But the thing I would’ve liked a little more of was information about the programs before signing up and realizing what I wanted wasn’t available. My sites are simple in comparison to others, yet there are a few things that remain consistent and vital. So, here’s a look behind the curtain of hosting, managing, and designing a WordPress or Wix website.
Website Basics You Should Know
I went over some basics when talking about website design, but here’s the gist: wbesites are a filing cabinet that has folders (pages) that contain paper (posts). Posts and pages can be designed and featured on menus at the top and bottom for easy navigation. In WordPress, the overall site can be designed from the “Appearance” tab while menus, pages, and posts have separate tabs for ease of organization. Pages and posts are basically the same in Wix but can be given parent “pages” by sliding one under the other and linking multiple posts to a page. The blog features work more like WordPress, creating one page that holds all the posts.
Plugins are like apps on your phone; your phone has certain capabilities already installed and you have the option to add apps for more features. There’s a variety of plugins on WordPress for accepting payments, designing web pages, developing SEO, etc. Depending on what you want to accomplish, the plugins will change. I will say that I use the following to make my life a little easier: All in One SEO, Media Library Organizer, Kadence Blocks, and Otter Page Builder.
While the title says versus, I don’t think one site is better than the other. Regardless, here’s what I’m looking for in a website: SEO capabilities, easy formatting, publishing and scheduling, media storage, and security from hacks.
Search Engine Optimization… Catching People’s Attention
While working at a nonprofit company, I spent a lot of time in WordPress. I worked on posts and checked to make sure the SEO was as high as possible without changing too much.
Search Engine Optimization, or SEO, is how websites get noticed on Google. Ever wonder how a one word Google search can turn up fifty or more hits? That’s because bloggers decide on a keyword(s) they think readers will search and gear their post toward that word. All in One SEO for WordPress sets up your editor so you can see what needs to better reflect the keyword you selected. Headings, slug (part of URL), meta data, descriptions, and more are checked to ensure that one or more keywords are prioritized.
The issue with SEO is you have to guess what people are searching. There is a Google provided program that tracks frequent searches, but I believe it costs something (I also forgot the name of it sadly). I personally think about the root issue I’m trying to solve in my post and narrow it down to one word. Doesn’t work for all of my posts since my brain also likes a URL that makes sense, but it’s fine. The closer you get, the better (though I’m sure some people pay to get higher on the Google list).
I already mentioned SEO for WordPress. Wix recently added an SEO feature in their dashboard that runs through a checklist of information to have on each page. If you’re using the free version though, you can’t complete the SEO process. Their free version works similarly to WordPress, so don’t fret.
Ease of Formatting/Designing
Website design is your first impression to a new user. The flow of the page, spacing within, legibility, and so on will require tweaking as you test different designs.
The WordPress editor on its own is a simple click and add that allows a lot of flexibility. Once you select a theme, you can manipulate constants like font and color in the “appearance > customize” tab. My theme allows me to select a specific page as my home page while the rest are linked via the menu I created in the “appearance > menu” tab. Others have sidebar menus or floating blocks, but most of your designing happens in the editor. If you wish to repeat something across multiple pages, turn the block(s) into a reusable block that you can drag and drop anywhere. Plugins like Otter Page Builder create template blocks you can also manipulate if you don’t want to figure out how to build each element.
One plugin you should definitely get is Kadence Blocks. I’m not sure why, but WordPress buttons don’t have hover features. It’s urked me for so long, but I finally discovered a quick method to get buttons with hovers (hallelujah!). That’s Kadence Blocks. This plugin also has templates and special elements like Otter, but their buttons are super easy to work with.
While WordPress stacks its elements, Wix is free form. You can drag and drop elements literally everywhere. For my Wix site, I have corner cropped images that expand while hovering and link to pages with alternating layouts. Button hovers are ingrained into their system and just about anything is possible with a little exploring. Working with their grid can be a little tricky because spacing is based on nearby elements (you can’t drag down guides and craft symmetrical gutter spaces). Despite that, skies the limit if you have time and patience.
Publishing, Scheduling, Social Media
Publishing a website is simple when you have all the right tools. Wix handles everything from hosting to domain name within its system. If you’ve purchased a domain name, you can attach it to Wix within your dashboard (premium feature). Either way, when you’re ready to publish (free or paid account), you only have to hit one button to make your site live. Because my Wix site is a graphics portfolio, I’ve had no need to schedule posts. I’m sure you can do so within the blog feature, but the main pages don’t have that capability. Drafts can be saved before publishing.
WordPress requires a little more. To go live, you need a purchased domain name and a purchased web hosting plan with an additional company. I use Bluehost and it’s worked very well, but other companies exist to support your website. HostGator, GoDaddy, and Domain.com are some examples. Each will have services and perhaps alternatives to WordPress they’ll suggest, but the constants you’ll want are 24/7 support, website security, decent storage, and an SSL certificate (Secure Sockets Layer encryption; it means your site is secure).
There’s two kinds of hosting: shared and dedicated. It’s exactly how it sounds; shared means you’re sharing a server with other sites while dedicated means the company is giving you a whole server. Think of shared servers like cloud sharing. All your folders are separated from each other. Everything is held on the same account, but one folder doesn’t affect the other. On a shared plan, your site is your site. Everything you upload and create simply sits on the same hard drive as others. So please, don’t spend your money and get a dedicated. You’ll survive on shared.
The subhead has social media because of a WordPress plugin called Jetpack. Jetpack is a pre-downloaded extension in WordPress that files analytics and can post your content to social media. However, you only get to explore this option a few times before it asks you to upgrade to a paid plan. Leaving Jetpack on your WordPress site allows the free features to further secure your site and keep track of basic data. If you want all the features, then you can upgrade in order to post your media automatically.
Media
Uploading media to WordPress and Wix is super easy. Once in your media library, you can simply drag and drop. You can also upload while designing pages or adding feature images simply by clicking an image/gallery block and selecting “upload.” While both have editing capabilities, I highly suggest designing and cropping your media before uploading it to your site. It allows you more control and less work while designing your site.
Organization is a priority for me because I can get confused or lose something. Within the Wix media library, you can create folders and categorize media similar to any computer’s file explorer. Along with organizing, Wix let’s you edit JPGs and PNGs with crops, filters, and so on. I’ve also downloaded SVG shapes so I can create custom image crops. The free site storage maxes out around 500 MB (I only know cause I got a warning). Supposedly you can add a specific amount of media every month, but I’d stay on the safe side.
WordPress storage is based on your hosting platform plan, so consider the size and quantity of your media when selecting a plan. There’s no ingrained organization system, but the Media Library Organizer plugin provides a very basic categorization structure. In WordPress, there’s image blocks for adding images but also feature, or hero, images. These graphics appear at the very top. I highly suggest designing and cropping images for this section so everything looks cohesive and your page lengths aren’t affected greatly (400px high is what I use).
While 72 ppi (pixels per inch) is the traditional resolution for the web, the actual dimensions of your image will depend on where it’s going. Instagram posts are 1080×1080 px while my feature images are 750×400 px. Size will determine quality and the ratio of your width and height will usually determine how it sits in your webpage. Designing and editing for both is half the process.
Security
This’ll sound more generalized, but I’m not a tech genius. I honestly wonder if technology even likes me. Hence why 24/7 support is very important. If you run into issues, calling for help is the best way to go. Even if the problem is a disabled plugin (did that one time; felt really stupid after).
Each hosting plan will have a security software they trust and automatically attach to your website. This is paid for at the same time as your site and domain once a year. The level of security you pay for depends on what you’re handling on your site. A blog with pictures doesn’t require the same protection as a retail site handling credit card information. Evne if you work through a third party payment site, it’s best to get more security than less. Speaking with a representative about what you handle will determine what security you need (and where you can save a buck).
SSL is another encryption software denoted by a lock symbol next to the domain name. Sort of a visual way to show users your site is secure, but it’s only one level of security. I’ve got maybe three layers sending me monthly reports about blocked attacks. They also notify me of issues, which I then research or take to my dad who works in cybersecurity.
That’s all WordPress. I haven’t had issues with Wix, but I can’t say I know where their security is. My free site doesn’t give me warnings, or I’m simply not receiving them. If you’re developing an online portfolio or blog, the free version should suffice from a security perspective. If you’re buying and/or selling, I’d upgrade to be safe.
Payment
I don’t intend to ever get paid through either of my websites (too much hassle), but I met a friend who wants to create a retail site and thought it’d be good to add this point.
WooCommerce is a WordPress plugin for developing a shop. When I used it, the program created its own page that housed all the individual product posts when I created them. It felt like Etsy in that I could create drop downs and vary prices. I also got a PayPal in the process so I could take transactions. That was all with their free version; WooCommerce has other features and capabilities hidden behind a pay wall if you want to dive into those. I didn’t keep it for very long so I don’t have extensive experience on how it holds up over time.
For Wix, I did a little poking around. My site has options to add payment blocks and what not, but it seems the actual capability is only possible with a paid e-commerce site. There’s no third-party plugin; Wix handles credit and PayPal within their own system.
Behance and Adobe Portfolio
I did attempt using Adobe’s programs for my portfolio, but I preferred the accessibility with Wix. Behance is similar to LinkedIn; you post projects, live streams, and stories in order to build a following and look for work. It can be integrated with Adobe Portfolio which has a set of themes you can edit with personal content.
Got distracted with Behance while writing this post. Adobe Portfolio is good for a starter portfolio site, but I do think something like Wix offers more options for personalization with a friendly interface. The opposite of LinkedIn, Behance focuses on the projects rather than nitty gritty resume stuff. You can also build a following on the platform and direct them to other possible sites like your blog, social media, or free Wix portfolio. Project pages resemble WordPress and Wix pages with drag and drop elements, easy uploading, and seamless publishing.
However, this slight detour led me to a toll. Adobe Portfolio needs a paid plan in order to stay published, and I currently can’t get into my Behance. Seems fitting for the internet to rebel, but what can ya do? Not the biggest fan of Portfolio, though I know Behance is a big hub for creatives. Just be ready to fork over some cash.
Final Thoughts: Discern Your Purpose
A previous version of my site took transactions, but I later omitted it because my crocheting wasn’t selling. Shortly after I got on the phone with technical support in order to figure out how to save money on my site. Turned out I didn’t need the highest level of security because I no longer worked with personal information like credit cards.
The best way to select where you host your site, how you build it, and what you purchase is to first detail every function you want to include. I’d also structure your list based on priority (what’s necessary and what can be set aside). Based on those functions, research which services provide the best quality for what you want to accomplish. A simple blog can work really well on WordPress or Wix, while an online shop will need significant security.
Note: everything written here is personal experience so you have a rudimentary sense of the back end. Be sure to do a little research on the company sites and reviews. The best option is finding a friend who has a site that will let you scroll through the dashboard.
