Website Platform is a loosely used term that refers to the software operating system, structure, framework, access of FTP, programming languages and more that put together your website. Website platforms can include a variety of programming languages as well as content management systems (CMS.) Your website platform may determine and limit how your site can be modified as well as performs. With hundreds, if not thousands of choices, making considerations at the beginning stages of your website may save from unwanted realizations later down the road. For example, many people do not know why their five page site does not rank organically and have traffic. One factor in page rank is the amount of content on the site as well as specific content per page. If your site is limited to five or ten pages, your site traffic will also be limited.
All Website Platforms are not created equally
Some website platforms do not give you access to edit or customize the CSS, HTML or other languages of the templates that are used. This may not be an issue to start but if you want to add features, functionality or just customize the look, you may be stuck paying a higher rate for customization than you would if you had a system that were more friendly. Do-it-yourself site builders can be a great tool to get a decent looking site up quickly but when it comes to adding functionality this platform can be one of the most limiting. A WYSIWIG editor is great for someone who doesn’t know how to work with and position elements but if this it is the only option for adding or editing content, you are seriously limiting the potential of your website. Should you ever want or need to edit source code, even the WYSIWYG editors that allow for HTML editing are subpar quality for any serious editing. Some hosting plans are tied to a limited site builder where the number of pages is limited or available for an additional fee. These platforms may seem quick, easy and affordable but often turn out as a way to get the least out of your website for higher price comparatively.
What to consider when choosing a website platform
If you want to add or edit content yourself without having to learn how to code, you will most likely want to consider a CMS with a WYSIWYG feature. You may want to ensure that the code of your website be accessible to a developer should you ever need assistance or add tracking code features for example to use Google Analytics. You may want to choose a system where support can come from more than one source. WordPress comes up in almost every recommendation for the top website platform because it is has features for more advanced developers but also has a user interface that is possibly the easiest and most intuitive for users with little or no coding experience. Other things to consider when choosing a platform would be the support for the technology. Do you have someone to call if your site is hacked? Will the quality of code be easy for an a developer who inherits the project to read and understand. Does the code represent the latest in coding standards and technology or is the system already a dinosaur that would be cost prohibitive to update? Is the software open source so that yourself or anyone could learn and work on with out having to purchase additional product?
What is my website platform
If you are not sure what your website platform is you could answer as many of the following questions as possible.
Who is your web hosting provider?
What hosting plan do you currently have?
Are you using any Template builder or CMS?
If you are using a template site builder, is it proprietary to your host?
Has your website been build from scratch, and if so, what languages are used?
Being able to give information about your website platform is a great help when soliciting help from a web developer, designer or S.E.O. expert. Whether its tracking the goals of your site, adding a bootstrap button or making a change to the CSS, getting a quote will be more accurate if you can provide some basic information on your website platform.