The great thing about the democratization of the web is that anyone can build a smaller platform of their choosing. Most social media accounts are free, and you even have the chance to upload minutes of footage on public channels when needed. This is great for someone trying to achieve a new standard or get the message out there through launching a business or just putting together their local church website.
However, it’s true that the internet is more than just about social media platforms. There’s a great deal of variance out there. For instance, businesses looking to improve their own transparency will generally use tools like a block explorer if they want to integrate open-source platforms for their blockchain use.
But as you curate your small project and digitize it online for the benefit of its participants, it’s worth asking a question – what web-building utilities are most worth using for your project? If you ask this question now, perhaps you can avoid a difficulty or investment in redundant outcomes later on down the line.
In this post, we’ll discuss how you might achieve such an outcome. Without further ado, please consider:
Template Web Builders
Not everyone has coding skills or the budget for a custom website, and that’s fine, sometimes it’s not needed. Template web builders have become a nice middle ground for small projects and individual creators, and they work well. Platforms like Wix, Squarespace, and WordPress offer drag-and-drop interfaces that let you create professional-looking sites that actually function pretty well and won’t break under pressure for the most part.
They’re simpler, and you may need to pay for more advanced features, but the pre-designed templates that you can customize are usually pretty good, meaning you’re not starting from scratch. There are businesses running now just on the cheapest plans, and unless you want a more advanced storefront or many pages with integrations that are customized, then you may be fine with that, too.
Intro To Coding & Web Management Courses
Of course, just because you’re new now, it doesn’t mean you have to stay that way. If you’re interested in understanding more than just surface-level website creation, online learning platforms have made technical education incredibly accessible. Some even offer free trials or modules you can use at your own pace.
Websites like Udemy, Coursera, and LinkedIn Learning all offer such courses, and they range from basic HTML to full-stack web development. You might not need the full suite, but having it on hand to answer questions or refresh concepts you have been meaning to use can be invaluable.
These aren’t just for tech enthusiasts either which is nice to know, they’re also pretty practical for anyone wanting to understand how websites actually work. Perhaps you’ve run yours for a little while but have been asked to help another and want some more of those grounded concepts to hand so you can more easily help. That sounds worthwhile, too.
Managed IT Services (Modular For Easier Integration)
If you’re moving into a more commercial space or expanding your smaller operation, then managed IT services can be a decent and appropriate upgrade to keep up with. These services handle technical backend work, which means you can still direct the kind of web building you want or your server hosting and have that run for you, allowing you to focus on your core project.
The best of this type will offer modular solutions, meaning you can pick and choose services that fit your specific needs. This could include cloud hosting, security protocols, or integration with various platforms. Small businesses and organizations often find these services more cost-effective than maintaining an in-house tech team. If you’re committing to a particular important project, perhaps for a major event, these services can be worth the price of admission for the convenience alone.
Open-Source Collaboration Platforms
GitHub and similar platforms have revolutionized how people build and share web projects, and we mentioned the blockchain utilities in our intro, which are gaining more and more attention from hobbyist builders looking to integrate into that space.
Keep in mind that these aren’t just for hardcore programmers. The benefit here is that community-driven platforms allow you to access thousands of free tools, templates, and resources for considering and managing the architecture of what you’re trying to create. This means that with a little effort, you can fork existing projects, contribute to open-source developments, or simply learn from other creators’ approaches. For instance, you could create a web extension for use on desktop browsers that allows customers to order more easily on your website.
Cybersecurity & Privacy Tools
It doesn’t particularly matter how humble or refined your web building approach is, cybersecurity is going to be important. Of course, if you’re just running a local event and aren’t processing payments online, then perhaps you’re a smaller target. Either way, it’s important to conduct a full audit of your potential threats.
Look to the point of vulnerabilities if you can. If you manage accounts, then integrating a feature that allows for multi-account authentication is important. You may need to update your user policy and privacy policies to showcase exactly what safe conduct looks like and your right to cancel accounts that may be suspicious.
From there, free or affordable tools can help protect your project and its participants. This includes SSL certificates (many web builders now offer these automatically), privacy plugins, and basic security configurations. Some web-building platforms include these features by default, while others might require additional setup, and it’s worth checking before you enrol in them. Either way, this allows you to curate some good practices and also put together the documentation you need to be transparent about your security and commitment to privacy.
With this advice, we’re certain you’ll be more likely to build a worthwhile web-building utility to ensure your project, brand, small enterprise, hustle, startup, or even just online shop is more successful. It can be scary to dip your toe into this world but you need not worry, the right approach can make all the difference.