Wix allows for the hosting & creation of stunning professional websites with the help of their click, drag, & drop website editing software.
Start building a website within minutes with a robust selection of elements and tools to give your site a polished look. Publish your site completely free or upgraded to get even more access to told to help design your site exactly as it fits your need.
Their Drag and drop technology lets you move things around your site however you’d like. Every design element is customizable. Resize, recolor, rotate and align elements to make it look just the way you like. Then choose from 1000s of intuitive tools and built-in features to create a professional web presence. (View: Table of Contents)
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What is Wix?
Wix is a website-building platform that offers 100s of free ready-to-use templates, unlimited pages & top-grade hosting FREE. I know sounds crazy but it's true, they offer their service (though limited and bogged with Wix ads throughout) free to create and build, or you can upgrade to Premium and get even more features to utilize.
Wix is integrated with art Intuitive technology that allows you to seamlessly build clean, eye-catching webpages within minus of opening the editor. Build with the help of lots of native Wix apps to help grow your website effectively as well as a large selection of third-party apps that offer both free & paid options to choose from.
Wix Pros 👍
Easy-to-use back-end that’s perfect for beginners
Quick setup if you want to start selling as soon as possible.
Lots of customization options if you want to use Wix to stand out
Wix's app market offers access to various forms of functionality
Wix offers fantastic value as one of the most affordable stores around
Support for both digital and physical goods
No sales fees to worry about (or commission requirements)
Calculations in real-time help with planning shipping
Various advanced features on premium plans
Wix Cons 👎
Some issues with limited loading speeds
Fewer tools than some other dedicated eCommerce solutions
Some customization options are missing or need bugs worked out sometimes (From our own personal experience working with them to develop our own websites, Note* that they are often responsive and very helpful in finding solutions to common problems within Wix.)
Table of contents:
Business Setup Checklist
Pricing & Features
Standard Website Plans (upgrades)
Displayed prices are for yearly subscriptions*
Yes, you 100% can sign up, create and publish on Wix for free without the need for a credit card. I do however want o go over the reason why you should consider upgrading to a premium plan as you will gain access to a larger selection of tools and apps that will make the chances of the success of your page much greater! These packages are ideal for websites in need of supplying or collecting information, Blogs, portfolios, and growing a community. For E-commerce such as dropshipping, the sale of goods or services, and POS services see Business Solutions.
Custom Domain (www.YourWebsite.com)
As you can see the very first thing you get with a premium subscription is a free year subscription to any custom domain name of your choice. Having a dedicated URL instead of the long YourWebsite.wix.com/Home link they prove for the free version. Scoring clean .com or .org websites tend to look best and will boost the credibility amongst your viewers increasing the conversion of whatever your subject to your page is.
Aside from the custom URL, you will automatically have all Wix-related promotions removed giving you're page a much more professional and polished look. Branding is key to a successful business, which is why removing those unattractive Wix ads is very important if you want to take your page to that next level, this will take a small investment but is well worth it
Choosing a name:
Choosing a name is made much easier with the integrated search feature within Wix. Simply write the chosen phrase (no need to write .com "unless you wish"). If your domain name is available, Wix will prompt you with the ability to purchase. If no you will be given variations to choose from.
Business Plan (upgrades)
Displayed prices are for yearly subscriptions*
Looking to open an eCommerce store, or are you possibly selling tickets to your events? Wix has you covered with their business solution packages. Depending on your website goals, you might need a business solution upgrade, no matter the volume of your website's traffic you might need, Wix has three plans the help develop your online presence. Sell your product or services online with secured online payments or create plans for recurring payments so you can charge subscriptions. Get a free customer Domaine as well as a free years subscription and a lot of those same pers you gain access to upgrading through the other plans for None-Business Solutions.
Complete eCommerce Platform
Their Complete eCommerce Platform allows you to easily add, sync, update stock, and publish products directly to your site, seamlessly integrated with supporting apps to help you sell even more making you more! If you're looking to open an online store, this is what you'll wanna get to give your site everything necessary to sell products online through wix.com.
With tools like abandon cart recovery, automated sales tax, social sales channels, and so many more helpful tools. Your main focus can be marketing with less time wasted behind a desk and coding out a website to sell your products online. Wix eCommerce solutions that come with their business solutions are a must! To help fast-track your business, just click, drag, and drop your components to your site and be selling in no time!
Online Booking Platform
Want to sell services like hair, makeup, massage appointment, etc... Wix's online booking platform makes the process of booking your appointments a breeze! With a dedicated appointment booking portal, calendar syn, SMS notifications, and a bunch of tools to keep you on track with all your business appointments keeping you super organized. If set up correctly, can save a lot of headaches over missed communication and loss of appointments.
Scheduling Tools:
Group Sessions & Appointment Scheduler
Sell Services
Calendar Management
Secure Payment Solutions
Memberships & Packages
Staff Management
Client Management
Reports & Analytics
Customizable Mobile App
Ticket & Event Management
Building a website for a comedy club or maybe a music venue or possibly an art gallery exhibit. Wix offers ticket & event management through their business solutions. Track, email, offer mobile tickets and streamline the process of running our venue no matter the event.
Creating a customized ticket system corresponding directly with how your events are structured. Guests are given a confirmation email that provides their e-ticket in PDF form.
Customize everything with a detailed description of the event so everyone knows exactly what to expect. Supplying a detailed breakdown ensures you even run as smoothly as possible with as little confusion as possible.
Even build a fully interactive seating map of the venue allowing your guest the ability to reserve seating in their favorite spots in your venue! Delegate which sections are "General Admission" (GA) or which are "Standing Room Only". The option is yours or you can choose to forgo the seating chart altogether as this is an optional selection within the Wix Events.
Take Orders Online
Restaurant owners can simplify their digital presence with online orders, reservation management for easy guest list management, and the ability to create customized menus for any of their restaurant's needs.
Offer detailed descriptions and eye-catching display photos of your restaurant's menu items to give your guests the best opportunity to select something they'll truly love from your restaurant's establishment.
Enable the online ordering system so you can begin to offer pickup or delivery with the added option of having contactless delivery as well as additional advanced features.
Create a restrictive map to prevent your restaurant from becoming over-barred with too many orders and from orders being placed from too far resulting in potential chargebacks from unhappy consumers who might receive cold food (Placing orders being unaware of how far the location is, protect yourself from this problem with this simple solution.)
Advanced features allow you to fine-tune your site, giving you greater control of the overall feel and function of your Wix online ordering system.
Manage Hotel Reservations
Manage your hotel completely through Wix with their integrated hotel management solution. Allow for easy online booking, list your rooms for the rate you choose, and delegate specialized prizing with advanced room pricing for that penthouse suite you offer!
Complete Pro Fitness Solution
Creating a fitness brand has just become a lot more simple, what gym rats want to be stuck behind a desk when they could be making gains and helping clients? Offer scheduling services for your coaching or classes. Host online sessions of the class you offer virtually allowing you to make money from a virtual fitness studio! Offer your clients membership or packages so they can enjoy your service with a selection of different options giving you an additional opportunity to capitalize on the opportunity.
Monetize Your Art & Content
digital creators and artists are now set up to sell their digital art or music and video content directly on their sites! with Straming and content sale integrations, capitalizing on your music is simplified and gives you control of the sale of your artistic content!
Sell with ease by giving your fans a place to buy, rent or charge a streaming subscription and let them have instant access to a collection of your content... you're in control!
Select between paid or free access to view content and a rented one with restrictions on the available set length of time to view the content. The other option is to charge for the ability to fully purchase content giving the ability to own the right to view the content permanently.
Or charge a subscription to view all your content as long as their subscription remains active just like your favorite streaming services!
Add your art to products and seamlessness sell merch alongside the content to your site as an additional option integrated into the Wix Monetization feature for artists. Place on to mugs cup prints, t-shirts, hoodies, and much more with a print-on-demand integration.
Enterprise Business Solutions (heavy web traffic)
Call for Quote*
When you need more support for your website's business solution needs, Enterprise is the route you're going to want to take. This is for a high-volume traffic site that requires fine-tuning and added support for a seamless website design, catered to your exact company need with the e help of the business solution team specializing in the development of enterprise-level business websites.
"Showcase your brand with limitless design capabilities - Let design teams explore their creative limits and build exceptional websites for your brand without taking up dev time and resources."
Start by indicating whether or not this site is being created for you or if you are creating this site as a Wix web developer on behalf of a client. Most users will select "Get Started".
Wix Signup:
Sign up using an email of your choice or simply sign in using your Google or Facebook account.
Choose what kind of site you plan on developing... this isn't too important when first starting your site journey but having an idea will help the Wix system offer you (within the initial setup), the option to add additional elements that correspond to your site's goals (Things like whether your website will need a blog or if you will need an Event Ticket system integrated for a venue). This helps Wix get you set setup faster by prompting you with options for implementing what you need to get your site up and running before they generate your site editing dashboard.
Site Categories:
Choosing a category is simplified with a selection of existing choices that populate when typing or simply skip this step and choose later by adjusting your site category within settings.
Pro Tip: "Unsure what to choose as a catogry... Get an idead by simply typing a single letter into the taxt box to see what choices automatically genorate (exmp- typing "b" pulled up Blog, Enterainment, Motivational, etc).
Website Name:
Naming your site is pretty important, it gives your site its individuality and is the foundation of how people identify your site. Having a name that works with our site goals should be planned and thought through. Need a little help in seeing what names are available... Wix has the ability to tell you if a domain name is available or not and will give alternative suggestions similar to your requested name. There are also a number of helpful tools available to help you brainstorm ideas for your site name. Tools like DomainWheel.com offer the ability to filter unavailable domain names, available instantly giving you only what options are up for grabs.
Finding a site domain is simplified using Wix's domain search. Select "Buy a new domain name" or "Connect a domain you already own" (if you purchased one from another site or are migrating to a new platform, forward your existing domain name to Wix by following their domain transfer instructions.)
When buying a new domain, seeing what's available is made easy by domain suggestions. Wix will tell you what names are available for purchase or if there is a variation (.org, .shop, etc.) Start typing to see what names come up and if yours is available. This is not an initial requirement to publish your site through Wix but having a dedicated, unique domain name will set your brand website apart and give your page an easy identifier making it easier for people to find your website.
Site Goals:
Setting up your website's goals helps Wix further dial in recommendations that could fit your site's overall functionality, further building out your customized Site Dashboard.
Quick Add Elements
Finalize your sign-up by choosing from a curated selection of key elements to add to your site so you can quickly get building within the Wix Editor. Add components like the ability to book rooms directly from your site or install the dedicated Wix Blog app and begin sharing our thoughts with the internet faster!
Sign-up Complete - Head to your Dashboard!
Site Dashboard: Controlling your Site
Once signed into Wix, you will be presented with your site dashboard. this is the main hub of how you control the backend functionality of your site. Here where you can edit your site's detailed information, correct business details, add apps, run ads, create a social post and so much more.
Use the left panel to navigate throughout the dashboard. Access your site activity to view the site's latest activity. Select Blog to get an overview of your blog performance, view posts, change categories, and add writers if applicable. View your subscriptions and manage all recurring payments coming to you from Pricing Plans, Stores, and Invoices. Use contacts to sort and keep track of the people who interact with your site, Create segmented groups to organize your site's contacts. If you enabled the Members feature, you have access to site members to view and manage as needed. Create a workflow process to streamline repetitive processes like tracking leads, contacts & orders on a simple board! Create Task 7 Reminders, and access Automations like email marketing to engage customers with automated emails, tasks, and more, you're in control here! View financials, apps, settings tools, and more!
Site Actions & Costomize Site:
To the right of the dashboard are the Site Action & Customize Site. These two panels are very important. Site action once selected will drop down a menu for further selection.
This menu houses important tools like renaming your site or seeing a preview without going into the editor to simply view the page ( Note: this option will be changed to "Rebuild on Editor X" at some point after you have developed your site) The ability to start a site transfer is also done from here if there is ever a need to do so ( if you change Wix sites for example;e or if you are a web developer, this is how you will transfer the site to the new owner. You can add collaborators by inviting people to your site as well (this may change from "Invite People" to "Invite Collaborators"). Duplicate your site, move to trash or create a new site with the tabs at the bottom of the Site Actions menu
Business Setup Checklist:
These are options but I do recommend you go through and complete the remainder of the steps in the checklist as they are all fundamentally important to the success of whatever kind of website you're developing. To complete some of the items in this checklist you might need to upgrade to one of the premium Wix subscriptions which are required for things such as purchasing or connecting a domain and accessing some of the functions as well as some apps that require a premium plan.
Dashboard Tools:
Utilize this navigation panel of tools and resources to further grow and develop your page. Access SEO tools from here, Post to social media, VIew financials, go to the Wix App Market, Runs ads, make logos, touch on emails and so many more resources to get your page indexed on all major search engines (Exp: Google)
Customizing Site:
This selection will bring you directly into your Site Editor
Site Editor Quick Prompts: (asked the first time when accessing your site editor)
"You can skip both these prompts in the bottom right corner"
Complete any missing info: Add your logo, Site Name, Email, Address, Phone & Socials.
Pick a Theme: Wix will apply colors & text schemes that can be edited at any time.
Site Editor: Creating Your Site
This will be where you develop the look, feel, & functionality of your website. This click-drag-drop system allows you to create stunning websites withing minus without any coding needed. Set with gridlines and a number of system checks & balances gives you control without the risk of improperly coding something creating a huge number of people within the function of your site.
Add Elements:
Access the elements tab by pressing the pulse (+) to be presented with a list of tools to create with! This will be how you add everything you'll need to develop a professionally polished site your viewers will defiantly appreciate when exploring.
Add Sections:
Create welcome banners, to introduce yourself to our new audience. Build about me sections to let everyone know what you're really about and all the things you stand for! Create contact forms, and add services, subscriptions, testimonials & client tools. Add a store to your page, accept bookings and so many more options for you to build exactly what fits your site's needs.
Site Page & Menu:
Customize your navigation menu to give your views the exact experience while interacting with your page. View and edit your blog pages from here and start designing how you want to share your thoughts with the web!
Site Design:
Here is where you will plan out the overall look and feel of the color and text scheme of your site. Choose between how the site's background is set as well as how your banners, boxes, Decorations, contact forms, etc... are created each time you add something to a page on your site...
Colors & Text Themes:
Pick from a set of themes already build into the Wix editor and sync the colors instantly with your site or open your site's theme and adjust each color manually to give your site a dedicated color scheme that fits your brand exactly, streamlining the creation process!
Customizing Text Theme:
These settings will sync how you format your text for all your titles, paragraphs & elements throughout your entire page... it will pull the format from this every time you add elements.
Pro Tip: It very important you take time time to choose a font and format the size & colors.
This could cost you a lot of time to fix if you attempt to edit this after you've built your site.
Wix App Market:
With over 500 different applications to integrate with your page, there are many ways to interact with your audience. from restaurant ordering systems to MLS integrations build for real estate sales... Wix most likely has you covered in the Wix App Market.
My Business Setting:
This is a quick access panel suited for getting into applications quickly so you can efficiently leverage your time without searching for important components of your site. Many of these tabs are assessable elsewhere but are placed here to give you quick access to these tools.
Wix Media:
Wix media is your hub for all the content you need access to for your site. Uploading files is made simple either by uploading from your computer or accessing them through Facebook, Instagram, Google Docs, or Google Photos. Everything you upload is made available in "Site Files" but if you need something else, you can easily scroll to access a ton of resources. Utilize the Photo Studio or Video Maker to create photos & Videos directly within the Wix platform (Note: There are many helpful features but is still slightly limited compared to other editing software but does great for basic editing needs while within the Wix editor.)
Continue scrolling in MEdia and be met with a bunch of free and premium paid options for content you can use for building your site, free from any form of copyright infringement so you know you're not breaking laws by googling some random photo. Between Wix content and Shutter stocks selection, I'm positive you'll find exactly what you need to build out your website!
Content Manager:
The Content Manager is a central hub to store and manage all of your site's content.
Takeaways:
The key to creating dynamic pages, so you can use one layout to display lots of different content.
A secure way to allow others to collaborate on content in an environment you control.
The tool allows you to capture content and information from site visitors.
The Content Manager lets you manage content in one central place, and then display it on many pages. You can display your content in elements such as repeaters, with the same design and a variety of content. This approach is ideal for listings, portfolios, recipes, services, and more.
With your Content Manager, you minimize the amount of effort to build and manage your site. At the same time, you maintain your SEO standards. As a result, you keep visibility in search engines such as Google, no matter how much content you have.
*Note: There might be some slight variation to your side panel depending on which apps you have installed on your website. (*Exp: Ascend Business Tools by Wix)