Marketers who were active in the early 1990s may recall constructing their websites, landing pages, and sales pages with Dreamweaver and other HTML page builders.
While a walk down memory lane may seem nostalgic, there is no denying that creating these web pages “by hand” was time-consuming, laborious, and painful.
At last… a breakthrough!
With the release of its WordPress-compatible page-building plugin in 2010, OptimizePress altered the landscape of online marketing.
This application made it simple and quick to generate attractive sales pages with just a few mouse clicks.
The increasing popularity of OptimizePress highlighted the need for page builders that simplify and expedite the creation of high-converting and aesthetically beautiful pages.
It was only a matter of time before similar page builders were made available by competitors.
There is currently an abundance of popular page builders to pick from.
These are some of the most popular:
BeaverBuilder
Samcart
The above page builders are all excellent… And while each has its benefits and cons, and some tools excel in certain areas, for the most part, they get the job done — enabling you to produce amazing web pages.
Finally, the page builder you use should be appropriate for you… and within your budget.
What do you require?
The page builder you use should include the necessary functionality (components) for creating pages.
For instance, price tables, testimonial boxes, video overlays, and so forth.
As the majority of page builders provide drag-and-drop capabilities, you may simply drag the elements onto your page and alter them. If the page builder you are using lacks the necessary functionality, it will be difficult to generate the page you desire.
When purchasing a page builder, you should ask yourself what you need it for and ensure it contains the necessary functionality.
If you're only creating landing pages or sales pages for a single product, you won't need a platform like ClickFunnels, which allows you to develop complete sales funnels.
A page builder such as LeadPages or OptimizePress is adequate. The more features you desire, the higher the price will be. This brings us to the next point…
What is your Budget?
Currently, the software mentioned above is offered as a service. This means that you will pay a monthly subscription fee.
ClickFunnels, for instance, costs $97 per month, whereas LeadPages costs $37 per month (billed annually) and OptimizePress costs $129 per year (Builder plan).
You might, however, use Elementor's free plan if you're on a limited budget… or it's an exceptionally affordable $19.99 per month Business plan.
Although Elementor lacks some of the more advanced capabilities seen in more expensive page builders, it provides enough tools for aspiring internet marketers to construct attractive pages.
After you are earning money online, you can get a more expensive page builder.
Note that some products, such as ClickFunnels and LeadPages, demand a monthly subscription fee. After you stop paying, the pages you've created will be deleted.
This essentially means that you are “kept captive” by these platforms, as your hard work will be lost if you cancel your subscription and these pages disappear.
Thus, you must continue to pay… you get the point.
If you use a page builder such as OptimizePress, Elementor, or Thrive Architect, the pages you create on your WordPress site will remain “live” even if you cancel your subscription. Since you are paying for support and updates, this is the case.
As a general rule, if you develop your pages on a platform that is not your own, they will be taken down after you cancel your membership. This is the disadvantage of building on rented land.
Despite this, many marketers continue to utilize these tools since they are fantastic and the sales generated by having these pages justify the monthly charge. The fruit is worth the effort.
You have the option of using a plugin like OptimizePress or a platform like LeadPages. There is no correct or incorrect response. Just be informed of the benefits and drawbacks prior to buying.
10 Considerations Before to Buying
Following are some considerations to keep in mind while selecting a page builder. While the majority of professional page builders will include these capabilities, their options may differ. So, you will need to conduct research to determine which option is most suitable.
Templates
You may design landing pages and other pages in minutes using templates. You need only utilize the template and modify the page's parts and text. It is considerably simpler than starting from scratch.
Various page builders will offer various templates, however, most will cover the fundamental pages including:
Opt-in pages
Newsletter Sign-Up Webinar Registration
Mini Course Sales Page
Free Guide Page
This is the Welcome Page
While OptimizePress has more than 400 templates, Elementor has more than 3,300. That is a tremendous difference… While Elementor's selection is excellent, it can be difficult to choose a template that you like. Although some individuals may appreciate diversity.
In any case, you will need to join up for a free plan or trial in order to view the templates. Frequently, you will be shown which features are included in the paid edition of the tool… You may be able to preview them as well.
Drag-and-drop functionality
The ability to drag & drop the various page elements will accelerate the page-building process. By building a page using blocks, it will be easier to rearrange the blocks, make changes, and get the desired layout.
As previously stated, some functions of one tool may be absent from another.
OptimizePress offers over 50-page builder blocks, whereas ClickFunnels has only 18.
Examine the offerings of the various page builders to determine which one offers the functionality you require.
Compatibility
If you're using a page builder plugin such as OptimizePress, Thrive Architect, or Elementor, it must be compatible with your other plugins. Because they were designed for WordPress, the vast majority of page builders are compatible with it.
Problems may emerge if the page builder breaks due to incompatibility with a third-party plugin, such as a contact form plugin or an analytics tool you may employ, etc.
The most effective solution to circumvent this issue is to host your landing pages, sales pages, and other pages on a distinct domain (or subdomain) as opposed to your main website. This will ensure compatibility, as you will only require a page builder plugin on the domain.
User interface
Some page builders offer an interface that is more complex than others. This will result in a steeper learning curve, but it depends entirely on your tastes. Some users find Thrive Architect more user-friendly than OptimizePress, while others find the latter to be more intuitive.
Again, you must determine for yourself which option you prefer. By utilizing the free trials, you will be able to test out the software and determine which one best suits your needs.
Speed
It goes without saying that pages must load quickly if conversion rates are to be high. You can test site/page speed using any of the following three tools:
https://tools.keycdn.com/speed
Most page builders are ‘heavy' with code and can hinder your website's performance. This emphasizes the significance of installing a page builder on a distinct site/domain.
While developing a specialty website, page load time is a search engine ranking factor. If your page builder slows down your entire website, it can negatively impact your SERP rankings.
Having a dedicated page builder for landing/sales pages, etc. is therefore prudent. Get a page builder that is NOT code-heavy and loads quickly.
Flexibility
The degree of freedom a page builder provides will determine the extent of your page creation capabilities. Some page builders are severely constrained.
Despite its somewhat high pricing, LeadPages does not work well with HTML code. This will significantly limit you, as integrating PayPal buttons and other codes will be cumbersome.
It is also more cumbersome to utilize and restricts your ability to reposition items.
OptimizePress, Elementor, and other page builders support HTML code with ease and offer elements that make adding code simple.
You'll also have significantly more freedom when designing pages, as you'll be able to modify margins, column widths, and more.
Select a page builder that provides you with as much versatility as possible so that you may freely express your creativity.
Mobile Responsiveness
The majority of page builders will be mobile-friendly… HOWEVER… even the finest can occasionally experience difficulties.
For instance, the purchase buttons on your website may not be responsive… or another element appears strange in responsive mode.
See how your page appears on a mobile device… and make adjustments until the page looks fantastic.
Tools such as OptimizePress, Elementor, and Thrive Architect enable you to view your page on several devices.
If your page builder does not offer this feature, you can test your website at various screen resolutions on this page: https://responsivetesttool.com/
Integrations
You should ideally have your page builder integrated with your autoresponder.
This is particularly crucial when designing landing pages.
The majority of page builders integrate with popular autoresponders like ConvertKit, Aweber, GetResponse, MailerLite, etc.
Check if your page builder can be integrated with your autoresponder if you're utilizing a less popular, self-hosted autoresponder.
You may want the page builder to link with Zoom, payment gateways, and/or your webinar hosting platform, in addition to email marketing tools.
You must be aware of how you will use the page builder and consider what else must be in place for everything to function properly.
Then, determine if the page builder supports all integrations or if you'll need to use a third-party service like Zapier to make it work.
Assistance and upgrades
The vendor of the page builder must have a support team that can assist you by ticket, email, phone, or live chat.
Due to the fact that you pay a monthly fee for the service, subscription-based page builders typically offer updates.
If you cancel your annual subscription for plugins like OptimizePress and Thrive Suite, your pages will remain ‘live,'
but you will lose access to support and software upgrades until you renew your subscription.
If you require continuous updates or assistance, you may need to renew your subscription, despite the fact that it may not appear to be a problem if your website and/or pages are running properly.
It is essential to choose a page builder that receives regular upgrades and is supported by dependable customer service to guarantee that your pages do not malfunction and everything runs properly.
Security
Your chosen page builder should be secure and not represent a risk to your website.
This again demonstrates the importance of keeping your page builder on a distinct domain.
Be mindful of the disadvantages!
While page builders are a tremendous time-saver and allow you to develop pages competently, you should be aware of a few disadvantages.
As previously said, if you are developing your pages on someone else's platform, you will be required to continue paying to participate.
After you quit playing, the game ends and your page count decreases. Even attempting to export the pages may result in mistakes and broken pages.
If you are on a tight budget, the cost may also be a drawback. When you're just starting out, you should avoid page builders with expensive monthly fees. Be prudent with money.
Some individuals may find these page builders to be too complicated for them.
In most situations, they have not spent sufficient time experimenting with the program.
Typically, credible page builders include video instructions in their knowledge bases, and you can find several instructional films on YouTube that demonstrate how to utilize these page builders.
Spend time studying and utilizing the instrument to comprehend its operation. After three to four days, you will be shocked at how simple it is to create sites that appear professional.
In conclusion, the page builder you choose should not only be within your budget, but should also have the features you require, be compatible, have solid support and integrations, and be compatible with other platforms… in addition to meeting all the other standards listed above.
Determine which page builders are the most popular by conducting research. Then, do due diligence and evaluate a handful of free trials/plans.
After you find one you like, acquire it and become proficient with its use. Ready to be surprised by the speed and simplicity with which you can create beautiful websites.
Click the button below to see the Page and Funnel Builder I use and recommend!
