Let's fire Jeff, Bill, and Stacey from the development team, train our designers in Webflow and cut our revenue in half.
The (incredibly tough!) transition to the "age of no-code" for web development
"WordPress, it's not you, you just happen to be a victim of a paradigm shift". First of all, this is not really about WordPress and also not really about the better alternatives that I'll cover. It's about a paradigm shift from having to relate to code, servers, plugins, security updates, development environments, and all that headache, to the “age of no-code”.
“No-code” web development refers to working with platforms that generate the code for a website automatically in the background, while the website builder offers visual tools to create the structure and content. So writing HTML, CSS, and JS is not required. But it’s often possible to add custom code in a no-code website builder to add functionality that is not included out-of-the-box.
Being both a developer and a designer myself, I made an educated decision about six years ago to gradually steer away from the old school ways of making websites. Since then, content, design, and user experience has gotten the focus it deserves, while the code has been written automatically in the background. The age of no-code is absolutely amazing. There's just no turning back.
I'll get into a couple, but I will argue that the best visual no-code website builder out there is Webflow. They have been kicking ass for about nine years. A few years ago they raised a $72M Series A round of funding, and they are ramping up to let people build better websites and even web applications visually. If you're in the mood for some inspirational eye candy, check this "Welcome to the age of no-code" :)
How does the transition to no-code web development affect the business?
Imagine for a minute you manage a successful web agency. You have three designers and six developers, all WordPress experts. One day, you come across Webflow. You realize that you can make 80% of the sites you're selling to your clients in half the time at half the price. No code, bugs, server management and optimization, none of that - it's all automated. Ok great! We save time. The client saves money. Let's fire Jeff, Bill, and Stacey from the development team, train our designers in Webflow and cut our revenue in half. Fun times! No wonder most WordPress agencies are going to keep convincing themselves and clients that WordPress is the way. They have to double down. The alternative is unthinkable for most.
Been there done that
I'm speaking from experience. Tough, tough, really tough experience. During 2016-2019, I took my agency from a lucrative business based on code, servers, and all that, through a rough transition to the age of no-code. Our revenue went down drastically, and we have had to downscale our team. It hurt, but honestly, I can't sell our clients the wrong thing, just because it's easier for me.
Time to evolve
About six years ago, I had a chat with my full-time frontend developer Peter, who had mainly been working on HTML/CSS and WordPress/Craft CMS. "Your line of work is gradually going to fade away in the coming years, so it's time for you to start acquiring new skills." He went both directions. Deeper into code, to be able to work on frontend Javascript-based applications, and further away from code, becoming a Webflow expert. The transition is not over, but it has played out how we predicted. Coding a business website from scratch was our bread and butter business 5-10 years ago, and now it almost doesn't happen at all.
It's not always going to be pretty, but it's time for many WordPress developers and agencies to pivot before they become obsolete. Even if it may be an almost impossible choice to make. We have seen many other forward leaning agencies make the same move from WordPress to Webflow, like Tension Design (click here to read their article).
...we turn down 100% of web projects where WordPress is a requirement.
You don't need to be responsible for the server, code, SSL certificate, and all that heavy lifting.
8 of my main concerns with WordPress
Here are a few of the concerns I have with WordPress, that I typically raise with potential customers to guide them toward a brighter future.
01
WordPress is not very user-friendly from an editors perspective. To show you an example, I searched for “WordPress content editing” and actually laughed out loud watching this person making a very hard and non-intuitive process of editing the footer of a website sound super easy and fun.
Now compare that to my video example of content editing in Webflow or this example of content editing in Squarespace. On-site editing is far easier than navigating the WordPress admin dashboard, which is totally detached from the website and the content in its natural context.
There are some plugins that add similar in-line content editing for WordPress, but most editors will relate to the detached front and back of the platform.
02
Issues related to plugins, updates, and compatibility. If WordPress is updated, a plugin can stop working. And if a plugin is updated to a version that does not support the current version of WordPress you have installed, the site can also break down. It's not uncommon for a WordPress site to break down every few months.
03
WordPress has a LOT of unnecessary code for your specific website. It is a bloated all-in-one monster that will likely leave you with a site that is heavy and slow to load, unless it's set up by a "WordPress speed expert". And a slow website will leave your users frustrated and hurt your Google ranking. Want proof? Below this list you'll find a speed test of the same site made in WordPress and Webflow, further described in the “12 reasons why Webflow is the best no-code website builder in 2024” section later.
The above shows individual speed tests of the SAME WEBSITE made in WordPress and Webflow. Speed testing was done with Pingdom Tools.
04
WordPress puts heavy constraints on creativity. To work creatively, you basically have two options. You can either design, prototype and then write your own HTML/CSS/JS and WP-template. Or you can find the closest WP-template to what you want to build, and then push it around until you reach your goals or lose your hair. Also, it may end up costing you more time and money than building it from scratch.
05
There are significant challenges with security, and WordPress requires continuous upgrades and patching. Since it is the most common CMS, it is also the one most hackers give their attention. So many WordPress websites are left outdated and easy to breach.
06
Unstructured and messy code can cause a lot of unexpected bugs. It is so hard to maintain and keep clean. Open-source can be great, but when a host of developers are involved, it can also lead to a mess of disparate code styles. We have experienced a lot of pain when inheriting a WordPress website, so as of now, we turn down 100% of web projects where WordPress is a requirement.
07
WordPress has no dedicated support. So if something is not working, you need a developer to look into it. Comparing the constant issues we have with self-coded and hosted websites, to the smoothness of Webflow - it's just two different worlds.
In the last six years of using Webflow, we have experienced a bug that affected one of our sites a single time, and their support team fixed it in a flash.
08
WordPress has too much freedom and possibilities, and too little structure. As a rule of thumb, a platform that solves "everything" is not solving anything optimally.
Last but not least, more often than not, it’s just no point hosting a website yourself in 2024. You don't need to be responsible for the server, code, SSL certificate, and all that heavy lifting. With modern web development tools and services like Squarespace and Webflow, you no longer have to. Unless of course, you have specific requirements that are not met by these no-code alternatives.
Through all my years managing web teams at Represent, technical infrastructure and maintenance have been what kept me up at night.
The smarter, no-code way of building for the web changes everything
Again, this post is not really about specific platforms. It's about the paradigm shift from code to no-code web development. But anyway, I'm going to tell you about my favorite no-code platform. Webflow is the best tool to transform the way we build our websites right now, in my opinion. The platform is 100% hosted, meaning you never touch any code. The code for the website is produced automagically in the background, while we keep our focus on that matters; amazing content and user experience!
Bye-bye code, servers, development environments, deployment scripts, security updates, ...HELP!
Through all my years managing web teams at Represent, technical infrastructure and maintenance have been what kept me up at night. I had been keeping a close eye on Webflow for years. It represented a potential savior from the hassle that comes with building and hosting with platforms like WordPress. And when they finally launched CMS functionality (clients can log in and edit content right on the page) late 2015, I couldn't be more excited!
We hand-built the Represent website a few years ago. We probably spent 100+ hours in the process using custom markup and a traditional CMS. Then Webflow came along, and I made the same site in a fraction of the time, CMS and all!
Since then, we have built almost exclusively on Webflow, gradually replacing old sites and shutting down servers at Rackspace and AWS. And life keeps getting easier and easier :) Also, our clients couldn't be happier. Even our developers finally admit Webflow is a fantastic tool, despite "coding" in a visual interface a lot of the time.
"Content first" web development is a total game-changer
With Webflow, we can build websites content first. No joke, we often have clients working with real content in the CMS only a few days after our initial startup workshop. The client adds CMS driven content while we are shaping the structure around it.
Build from scratch at lightning speed, or start with a template
We have only done a couple of Webflow sites based on a template, but there are hundreds of great free and paid Webflow templates to choose from. So, we can have your amazing business website ready in about an hour based on a template, and tune it from there. Or like we most often do, develop a solid strategy for communication and content, then develop the ideal solution in a matter of days.
Webflow offers hundreds of free and paid templates.
It's worth mentioning that a Webflow template is not like a WordPress template. It does not have a fixed set of options, and if you want something different, you have to fiddle with code or plugins. It's more like we get a starting point, and we can still build and edit as quickly as when building from scratch without touching code.
Building in Webflow from scratch requires a basic understanding of HTML/CSS principals
If you are building your own business with no cash to spend on a website, Webflow might not be for you. If you need a clean and simple do-it-yourself website, go with Squarespace. Or, if you have some time and want to build your site exactly how you want it, do the Webflow 101 crash course. The course is a series of 42 videos (1h 58m total) that also includes fundamental HTML and CSS principals.
We usually tell the client we can deliver 80% of their dreams for 50% of the cost.
You log in, and then navigate your site and click on any text or image you want to edit!
12 reasons why Webflow is the best no-code website builder in 2024
I'm not married to a single platform, but again, Webflow is my #1 no-code website builder as of now. It’s worth mentioning that Webflow is not a “drag-and-drop” website builder like Squarespace, Wix, and Weebly that lets you build your website with readymade blocks without any prior knowledge of how to structure websites with HTML and CSS. You need to know basic HTML/CSS, as you're building websites using similar techniques as coding. The huge difference is that you don't have to write code, rather create the elements and styles from a graphical user interface, like Photoshop.
So I guess you could say that Webflow has smaller building blocks that you have to know how to piece together, while Squarespace has large blocks that anyone can figure out how to build with. That said, it is super easy for a developer to build with Webflow and shave 50-80% off their development time. And for a designer, you should be able to get by after a couple of hours of training - start with this Webflow 101 crash course.
If you are a business owner without any experience designing or developing for the web though, I would recommend reaching out to a designer or developer you know and request Webflow specifically. Or, build a site yourself in Squarespace with less freedom and control, but doable on a lower do-it-yourself budget.
Ok, let’s get into why Webflow is awesome. Note: I have no affiliation with Webflow, I just freaking love it :) As do all the designers and developers I have introduced to the platform.
01
Automated programming = Focus on content, design and user experience
The most obvious upside with a no-code web builder like Webflow is that the platform is building the code for you automagically in the background. You don't ever have to see it, but you can if you want to. You can even download it and use it elsewhere.
You can easily view and export the entire code for you website from Webflow. That said, I never do that because I don't need it.
The no-code approach cuts down the development time of any custom designs, animations, interactions, and CMS setup significantly. And most of the time, we still have all the tools available that we do in traditional development. We usually tell the client we can deliver 80% of their dreams for 50% of the cost. If you're upfront about that, a limitation here and there is not an issue. Also, Webflow is investing big to push that 80% closer to 100%.
02
Create AMAZING designs and user experiences without template restrictions
It’s ridiculous how awesome you can make your site look and feel using Webflow’s advanced tools for interactions and animations. Just give this page a scroll. And this one. It just feels so good. And those kinds of user experiences are fast and straightforward to do!
Creating rich animations is quick and easy with Webflow.
03
Ease of use for content editors
It is so incredibly easy to edit content in Webflow. You log in, and then navigate your site and click on any text or image you want to edit! Content and presentation are not decoupled like it is in WordPress and other CMS's. Here is a video where I demo some simple content editing in Webflow from the editor's perspective (please don't mind the Norwegian captions).
Intuitive Editor in Webflow with on-site editing tools.
Also, several editors can work on the site at the same time, and you'll see who is doing what and where. Read more about the Webflow editing experience here.
04
Staging / Test version of the website on a different URL
Webflow comes with a staging (test) version of the website at your-site.webflow.io where you can experiment and showcase your work before pushing any changes in content or design to your live site. If you're running a WordPress website, chances are you don't even have a staging server and site setup. Any mistakes made go live on your website. Pray for a backup!
Easily publish your Webflow site to a separate "staging" domain for testing before publishing.
05
Backups
Speaking of backups - every time you make a change in Webflow, a new backup is created. The backups can happen with a 5-minute interval if you're busy working on your site, so if anything unexpected happens, you can get right back to safety within seconds. Preview and easily revert to a previous version of the site from the Webflow control panel.
Frequent backups - easy to preview and restore.
You can also easily duplicate a Webflow website. It is free until you connect it to a custom domain. A duplicate site can be useful if you want to create a new website based on one of your existing ones. Or if you want your current website available on a different URL while you build and launch a new version. In any case, you can duplicate an existing Webflow website in seconds.
06
Affordable hosting, maintenance, and upgrades
Hosting with Webflow starts at $23 / month for a CMS driven site. The platform is automatically and continuously upgraded without more than notifications about new features for you. And if you need to change or upgrade anything regarding design or structure, it is super fast. What we used to spend hours on developing, testing, and deploying, is usually done in minutes in Webflow.
Webflow hosting plans.
07
Superior performance and speed!
I cannot overstate the importance of performance and speed. If your site is slow, both users and Google will be very unhappy. The speed you get with Webflow is INSANE! At my agency, we have been working tirelessly for years to try and perfect servers and code for performance and speed. We have spent thousands of dollars on servers and countless hours tweaking all that can be tweaked. And we haven't even been close to what Webflow gives you out of the box. When your site is on Webflow, you are enjoying their world-class global server infrastructure and CDN (Content Delivery Network). Read more at https://webflow.com/hosting.
The above is a side by side comparison of the same website made in Webflow vs Wordpress, tested with Pingdom Tools. This alone is a reason to rush from Wordpress to Webflow. You can see Roman Kremianski break this down and more on his transition from WordPress to Webflow in this video.
In the above image, you'll see the Wordpress version of the site loads WAY more resources (requests) than the Webflow version. It is a result of Wordpress being a bloated platform with so much stuff that is not used by your website. The page size is almost 3 times that of the Webflow version and the load time more than 3 times longer.
08
Custom e-commerce
Webflow recently released its own built-in e-commerce. So now you can build out totally customized webshops all the way through the checkout, with the same ease and speed as other website pages. For now though, if online sales is your main business, a platform like Shopify will most likely be a better fit.
09
Safety (SSL)
Webflow sites come with free SSL certificates (https://). Nothing to set up, it just works. Better for user experience and Google rankings.
10
CMS API and custom code
We have access to an API (Application Programming Interface) for the Webflow CMS, that allows us to get content out of and push content into the CMS. This can be used to pull content into other applications or to push content into Webflow every time something happens in a different platform.
The screenshot above is from the site settings, where you can add custom code in the header and footer site-wide.
We are also able to include custom code blocks onto pages or websites as a whole. We have used this to populate a container with customer names and logos, pulled from a client's API, to give you one example.
Custom header and footer code on an individual page, in this case for filtering a list of design agencies for the Norwegian Designers Association using Isotope.
11
A safe bet
Webflow is a safe bet. They have been around since 2013. They have about 1000 employees. They are profitable. There are millions of designers and developers using Webflow to create websites. In 2019 Webflow closed a $72M Series A round of funding and in 2021 they closed their Series B at $140M. Webflow hit a $4 billion valuation in March 2022 nearing $100 million in yearly recurring revenue.
12
Simple SEO
Using the Webflow Editor, you have access to the basic SEO tools you need. From page titles and meta descriptions to Open Graph (Facebook and such) settings to easily optimize your pages for site search and social sharing.
Easy to use SEO tools.
13
Webflow limitations
Hey, wait! You said 12! Yes, but I can't be that one-sided so here are the current Webflow limitations too, as the “lucky number 13” on our list.
- You can't change the website code, other than to download it. You can, on the other hand, add custom CSS and JS with custom code blocks on webpages and in the header/footer globally. You can also add classes, ids, and attributes to elements to reference them from custom code. But if you want to tweak something on the backend, there is no way. So we typically do an initial evaluation to determine future needs. If any backend integrations are required, we usually have to go with another platform.
- Webflow may not be a fit for content-heavy sites that require a lot of reorganizing and building out pages and structure. At least not from the Editor view. But we can train someone on your team for a couple of hours, and they will be good to go in the Designer view aswell.
- UPDATE2024:Webflow has finally released native localization that allows you to create your website in multiple languages with ease.
- We hope Webflow will add “repeater” fields. So when you are building a page or article from the Editor view, you can add in “content blocks” of different types in whatever order you want. You can build pages any way you want from the Designer view where you build the website. But in the Editor mode that the content editors work from, you are restricted to the fixed content fields in the content type you are editing.
How I pitch Webflow with its current limitations
When I help my clients evaluate Webflow, I lay some truth upon them: We will be able to make 80% of your dreams come true, using half the time and money. Are you down? Also, that 80% will keep growing. Whenever we meet a roadblock in Webflow that is not mission-critical, no problemo - they were warned and prepared :) As long as we have done our research and planning right, we will avoid mission-critical surprises.
...those with in-depth experience with all the platforms, generally leave WordPress on the losing side.
WordPress vs Squarespace vs Webflow
I have personal experience with all these 3 platforms, but honestly, I can’t be bothered to write a detailed comparison between the 3 right now. There are plenty of other good side-by-side comparisons out there, so I’ll rather link you to what you’ll find in the top of the search results :)
- Wordpress, Squarespace or Webflow? - #1 Webflow, #2 Squarespace, #3 WordPress
- Webflow vs Squarespace - #1 Webflow, #2 Squarespace
- Webflow vs Wordpress - #1 Webflow, #2 WordPress
- WordPress vs Webflow - #1 Webflow, #2 WordPress
To conclude, those with in-depth experience with all the platforms, generally leave WordPress on the losing side.
You can also have a look at the (obviously very biased) comparisons Webflow made themselves vs Squarespace and WordPress.
