The Best SEO Companies Across the World | How to Do SEO Your Blog Post

 

The Best SEO Companies Across the World

Search Engine Optimization is no longer a do-it-yourself project unless you have a solid decade or so handling digital marketing and the latest Google algorithm changes.  Making websites and web pages more relevant, authoritative, and mobile-friendly is now an essential part of any overall business plan.

Search Engine Optimizing produces better rankings on all search engines. The focus is mainly on Google because 92% of all web queries happen on Google. Followed in much smaller percentages by Bing, Yahoo, Baidu, Yandex, and Duck Duck Go. Google is still the King.

Companies seeking to compete in today’s marketplace need to understand that making websites and web pages more relevant and authoritative is now an essential part of their overall business plan. Gone are the days of taking shortcuts and using misleading titles and junk links to improve search engine rankings.

Current algorithms rely heavily on activities and accumulative quality information from billions of internet users. Google changes its algorithms daily, which is another reason to bring digital marketing and SEO professionals onboard to track and adjust to regular changes.

You know it goes much deeper than picking five or six keywords and stuffing your content with those words. Keyword stuffing is an exercise in awkward quantity over true quality. It doesn’t fool today’s search engines, algorithms, or potential customers. 

As you know, there is a lot to remember when considering SEO for your website. This is why bringing in the best SEO company with the latest trending SEO services for your website is crucial to your success.

What is an SEO company, and how can they help?

An SEO Company will improve your organic traffic from search engines. More than a trillion questions are put into search engines each year. If you want to capitalize on this, you’ll want the best agency to help you stand out above your competitors.

SEO can be very complicated, but you won’t have to guess what’s working and what isn’t because a quality SEO company will be able to measure and report to you about each optimization strategy and how it is performing. From there, the agency will be able to adjust and improve its plan to get you higher rankings, increased website traffic, and a growing number of users.

Agencies that provide SEO services for your website take on multiple tasks, including ensuring your site loads quickly and contains all clean code with quality content that is the most effective at landing web searches onto your site.

Many global SEO agencies are out there, and you have probably heard of some from this list. You will want to pick the best one for your company’s goals, your industry, the country or countries where you want to attract clients, as well as whether you need better marketing, backlinks, or you need help to understand exactly what steps you need to take to grow your company and make it more profitable.

Here’s who can claim the title of “the best,” according to customers and industry experts.

 List of best SEO companies across the globe  RankZ

❖ About the Company: Possibly the very best SEO company out there. RankZ goes on to provide a full array of services. It gets high scores from customers for positive client experiences and measurable positive results. The RankZ team has exceptional experience with winning strategies for e-commerce, small businesses, and start-ups. This company also offers outstanding tools for clients who like to stay hands-on in optimizing their site or content.

❖ Services: Search Engine Optimization, Content marketing, pay-per-click, web design, blogger outreach, infographics marketing

❖ Pricing – Pricing starts at $1000 and can go up to $10,000 mo based on the competition and the number of pages. 

 OutreachZ

❖ About the Company: Ranked as one of the best link-building companies in the market. OutreachZ is an international agency with a client list of more than 1,000 start-ups, brands, and digital agencies. It also maintains a guest posting marketplace with robust 5,000+ connections with experts in their various fields. Also on offer for clients is the premium managed campaigns feature. The team delivers the right publishers for each client based on their requirements. An excellent tool for gaining powerful links.

❖ Services: Link building platform to take control of off-site SEO. There’s a guest posting marketplace connecting to authoritative publishers. The agency handles prospecting, blogger outreach, content production and placement.

❖ Pricing: Average Link Building budget is usually $500 but can be lower or higher depending on your goals.

WebFX

❖ About the Company: A leading digital marketing agency. Customers get a full range of services with an individual strategy tailored just for them. Growth strategies are developed for each customer based on their particular goals and needs. Along with award-winning digital marketing services, WebFX has its own proprietary technology platform. This agency focuses on successful digital marketing campaigns to increase leads, customer calls, transactions, and qualified website traffic. Company offices are all located in the United States.

❖ Services: SEO, link building, PPC, media buying ad spend, website call tracing, SMM and web design.

❖ Pricing: SEO prices per month are $1,000+, and the average hourly rate is $150-$199/hour

Webimax

❖ About the Company: WebiMax can back up its promise “Remove the negative, promote the positive!” This award-winning reputation management company delivers year after year. This agency is results-driven. Every month SEO results are shared with clients to be communicative and transparent.

WebiMax founders say they want clients to feel they’ve gained a strategic partner to help the business grow, not just hiring an outsourced vendor.

❖ Services: Reputation management, search engine optimization, pay-per-click marketing, social media marketing, lead generation, website design and online public relations

❖ Pricing: Bespoke pricing. 

 OuterBox

❖ About the Company: OuterBox offers a suite of web services while focusing on helping companies expand and increase online sales. Its PPC management and pay-per-click services have a proven high rate of return on investment. It offers an array of digital marketing and SEO packages tailored to each client. OuterBox values the team approach and promises a cohesive approach to online marketing strategy to improve business.  

❖ Services: SEO, paid search, digital marketing campaigns, web development, web design, eCommerce

❖ Pricing: SEO prices per month are $1,000+ and average hourly rates of $100 – $149/hour

SeoTuners

❖ About the Company: One of the best specialists in digital marketing. Also prized by clients for business development strategy. This company pledges never to use black hat SEO techniques. Instead, its experts promote web resources using ethical SEO. SEOTuners focus on building powerful websites to provide an increasingly successful market presence. The agency pledges an ethical approach to all work toward getting positive ranking results in search engines for client websites.

❖ Services: SEO, branding, e-commerce development, PPC, conversion optimization, SMM, and web development

❖ Pricing: SEO prices per month are $1,000+ and average hourly rates of $150 – $199/hour

Blue Fountain Media

❖ About the Company: Blue Fountain focuses on modern and emerging technology to develop successful business growth strategies. SEO changes fast, presenting new challenges almost daily, whether algorithm changes or the impact of voice search and Blue Fountain strives to stay at the head of the pack. In addition to optimizing content, this agency optimizes the technical side with reviews of wireframe mockups and redirects.

❖ Services: Website design, digital marketing, mobile app design, website development, strategy, branding and experience design

❖ Pricing: Minimum project size: $50,000

Delante

❖ About the Company: Experienced in helping B2B and B2C businesses create and manage internal SEO strategies. They’re open to even the smallest start-up clients. Their client list includes businesses in the e-commerce industry as well as finance, automotive, SaaS, IT, cosmetics, healthcare, fashion, wellness and more. Delante’s clients enjoy higher website visibility and rankings on the first pages of Google results. The team specializes in long-tail SEO to bring in more users ready to buy.

❖ Services: SEO, link building, SEO consulting

❖ Pricing: Minimum project size: $1,000

Mayple

❖ About the Company: One of the best SEOs for small businesses. It also offers SEO solutions to major brands. Marketing results and managing content are among Mayple’s forte. Each client receives a plan of action specific to their company and goals. The team is made up of experienced marketing experts with exceptional knowledge in specific fields to serve their clients. Mayple drills down to the client’s industry, target audience, and KPIs for measurable positive results.

❖ Services: Business consulting, digital strategy, SEO

❖ Pricing: Minimum project size: $1,000

iSynergy

❖ About the Company: Top-of-the-line programmatic advertising, inbound marketing, and SEO campaigns are all included as part of available marketing services. The focus is on data-driven design with marketing technologies. iSynergy team members take a creative approach to creating a data-driven strategy. They promise well-built websites that develop the client’s brand story by creating memorable digital experiences. The company’s strategy is quality over quantity to give website visitors the information they’re seeking without creating content overload.

❖ Services: SEO, web design, conversion optimization

❖ Pricing: Minimum project size: $5,000

What services do SEO companies provide?

Here’s what you need to know to find the best SEO agencies globally.

The best International SEO firms in the world will masterfully promote your site to ensure prospective clients and customers find it. In addition, an agency can provide a holistic approach to making your company visible and valuable by putting an experienced team to work for you. Therefore, hiring a highly rated agency ends up being cost-effective at the front end and ultimately profitable.

In addition to search engine optimization, a talented SEO Agency will create a content marketing strategy and position your company to benefit from pay-per-click marketing on multiple search engines and popular social platforms while ensuring a good return on investment (ROI).

You’ll want to ensure the SEO company you’re considering hiring is genuinely one of the best by finding out how they capitalize on the fertile ground of user intent. Of course, keywords and phrases remain important, but user intent is a recent SEO star on the scene.  

User intent means your content reaches people using search phrases similar or related to your keywords even though they’re not an exact match. Think of it as creating excellent content that touches on your potential customer or client’s wants, even if they’re not using your specific keywords to find the information.  

Qualities of the best SEO company

Having an exceptional SEO Company plan and carry out your web content optimization efforts isn’t an exercise in “set it and forget it.”

Markets change, and customer priorities change, as do Google algorithms. To be successful, your SEO must respond and change, too.

People on your SEO agency team should check how things are going every day by viewing keyword position analytics as well as website performance numbers. An SEO expert should also review where the heaviest website traffic originates to see what’s getting you the best results and getting your company the most attention.

Keyword research should be a regular activity. Algorithms may change, but keyword ideas won’t fluctuate as much. Your SEO expert should keep a close eye on search volume and relevance to the questions people are asking and ensure the right words and phrases are correctly placed.

Optimizing content goes beyond researching and using high-value keywords. Members of your SEO team need to ensure your site contains quality metadata with super-clean code structure and proper internal linking. This process of bringing different strategies together simultaneously gets you to a higher ranking.

Top tips for choosing the best SEO agency

The best SEO agency for your small, medium or large business will customize services to meet your goals. Ask to see specific numbers showing how they’ve performed for other clients. Ask for references and check with agency clients. Find out whether the agency feels like the right fit for you.

A quality SEO agency will be able to provide examples of their success for other clients in the form of page loading speed, number and quality of incoming links, keyword phrase usage, HTML and schema mark-up, mobile optimization, and domain authority.

The best SEO firms in the world explore the client’s goals, needs, and expectations. The best don’t take a cookie-cutter approach; each client gets their own customized plan.

The SEO agency you’re considering should be able to explain how they keep an eye out for any changes or updates to techniques and how they stay agile to tailor new information to optimize your website pages better. Identifying the most valuable long and short-tailed keywords, capturing user intent and expert placement of excellent coverage are important pieces of the puzzle.

When an SEO agency is pitching to you, it shouldn’t feel like they promise magical results. Instead, it should be happy to share its strategies and examples of past successful campaigns for other clients.

You need to know who will be on your team within the SEO company. The very best SEO agencies encourage their employees to improve their skills constantly. Find out how often the SEO company employees conduct research specific to understanding changes in the algorithms Google and other search engines use. An expert-level company will also provide in-house training specific to new SEO tools and the ways digital media influences the overall market.

You should also be able to check out the SEO agency’s investment in tools and technology to harness best practices for its clients.  

SEO for business growth

SEO gives you the power to answer the questions people ask, specifically those in your field. This increases your visibility, potentially on a global stage. As a result, the amount of traffic to your website and pages should grow. As the number of visits to your pages goes up, you become an authoritative voice in your part of the market. People will trust that voice more and more and therefore trust your brand and products or services.

Identifying relevant keywords and providing quality content (not clickbait) is essential. The meta-text is vital so search engines can hit on those as valuable content.

General SEO and local SEO

There’s general SEO and local SEO. SEO agencies best for small businesses will help hyper-focus local content to grab “in city” or “near me” searches. The beauty of great rankings from local SEO is that the majority of users who conduct city, region, or state searches are ready to do business and ready to pick a company. That’s a solid reason to anticipate higher conversion rates.

Providing specific, uniform information about your company is important in local SEO. Your business name and contact information is a simple place to get gains using Google My Business along with website information. Be sure the company name, address, phone number, and contact email address are exactly the same wherever they’re used.

Research shows that including photos on your site has been found to result in 30% more visits and higher. Active blog posts also improve rankings. Also, schema markup, which is a vocabulary of tags or microdata that can be added to the HTML to improve the way search engines read and express the page in the SERPs because schema helps algorithms recognize how pieces of content relate to each other.

You may find that the SEO agency you hire will submit your site to online directories to make your URL easier to find. For example, you may hear reference to GMB (Google My Business). This can be valuable because it gives you a peek into how users interact with your business profile and the most popular content there.

Invest in quality content creators. The content you put on your website is a service to current and potential customers. It sets the tone for your company’s professionalism and abilities. Consider blog content, videos with written text content to go with them, and photographs because the more people access your different types of content, the more heavily search engines will point to your page rather than competitors.

Hiring one of the best SEO agencies for your company means putting affordable web design and search engine optimization to work for the most profitable results.

Top 10 core elements of SEO

An SEO specialist must have significant knowledge about a wide variety of activities to push a client higher on Google search results pages.

When considering which SEO agency is the best for your business, consider these top ten activities, which are the most important to you, and which agencies have the best reputation for delivering quality:

1. Build an SEO strategy with on-page and off-page SEO
2. Research and identify relevant keywords
3. Competitor website research
4. Identify gaps in competitor strategy which can be used to boost your online presence.
5. Technical audits on load times, status codes, and crawl errors
6. High-quality link building
7. Create a cooperative plan to optimize both search engines and visiting users
8. Daily review of algorithm updates, change strategy as needed and use ethical techniques.
9. Regularly monitor results of SEO campaigns with an eye for how to improve
10. Manage necessary digital tools, including Google Search Console and Analytics and SE ranking software

 On-page SEO

The code and content of your website and web pages that you control are called on-page SEO. It includes text, headings, links, and photos or videos.  

On-page SEO is the vital foundation for improving search rankings. It’s what a quality SEO company will craft for the best business results, including title tag, images, keyword research and placement, description meta-tag, optimized URLs and sitemap.

On-page SEO comprises standard technical procedures that can be studied and implemented to boost rankings.

Off-page SEO

Off-page SEO is all the things that do not originate on your website but help your site get higher search rankings.

The primary focus of off-page SEO is getting valuable backlinks, which are links that point to your site from other high-quality websites. Off-page SEO is an open-ended process requiring creativity by the SEO specialist to make your content valuable enough that another site wants to refer its visitors to you.

Evolution of SEO

The internet became available to the public in the summer of 1991. Right around six years later, the notion of Search Engine Optimization came on the scene.  

Search engines are behind almost every online destination, and they changed how we find information and answer our questions.

In modern times search engine optimization mainly orbits Google. The industry has seen other search engines come and go, but Google continues to reign supreme.

At the start, ranking high up on search engines was essentially directory-driven. Slap “AAA” at the front of your business name and see the gains.

The eternal goal of being number one soon moved beyond ranking based on domain names, on-page content, and alphabetical directories to complicated metrics and algorithms. For example, Google’s PageRank algorithm is notable for making history in the arena of information retrieval.

Social networks exploded onto the scene in the 2,000s. YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn would spark many similar sites. Experts suspected social signals could impact search rankings, and it did by helping SEO and also driving additional traffic to websites boosting brand awareness and loyalty. 

The next steps brought improvements in detecting user intent and a new algorithm that advanced conversational searches.   

Mobile phones changed the SEO world again in 2015 when mobile searches topped the number of Google searches performed on a desktop for the first time.

SEO strategies

Start with the basics by knowing which industry you’re competing in and who your target audience is. Then it’s time for keyword research further evolve into content that satisfies user intent behind the search terms.

Accurate reporting is a necessary strategy to hit on successful SEO. Absent correct reporting results, you and your team are not able to make precise adjustments and improvements.

Google’s mobile-first index is aimed at making sure websites look professional and perform well on mobile devices. That functionality must be in addition to, not instead of, laptop and desktop search optimization.

Employ excellent contract creators either within your SEO agency or possibly bring one or more writers directly on board. These experienced professionals will easily skip over the pitfalls many lesser creators make. Mistakes that will hurt you include keyword stuffing and spammy or click-bait content. Your site loses credibility and may anger visitors and potential clients, so aim for blogs and articles that may go viral simply because the information and writing are just that good!

Linking to high-quality web pages is nearly as valuable as getting backlinks because your content is so good. Always double-check that links are working. Error 404 messages can derail your best efforts.

Beyond on-page and off-page SEO, there are good guys and not-so-good guys in the SEO world.

White hat SEO

White hat SEO follows a solid strategy that adheres to search engine rules and best use guidelines.

There’s no trickery in white hat SEO. Truly solid content and coding are used rather than attempting to manipulate or fool a search engine or the user. Think no spam, no clickbait, no loading links that point everywhere but leave the user with very little usable information.

You may also hear it called ethical SEO. It follows accepted rules and is intended to produce long-term positive results. Not just a quick hit that will fade back to or below previous sales levels.

There’s a reward for following the rules and not trying to get around regulations or trick the system. Namely, following proper policies and guidelines will push your site higher in search engine results. Combined with engaging authoritative content, you may even find yourself in the top rankings.

Black hat SEO

Then there is black hat SEO which is considered rather dirty dealings.

Black hat SEO employs techniques specifically intended to manipulate or deceive search engines and users. For example, it may try to trick a search engine’s algorithm to get good results and higher rankings without doing good content and code creation work.

Such unethical methods go against search engine guidelines and could completely remove your site from the engine’s database index. So the risk is certainly not worth any possible short-term reward.

A deeper dive will show that a black hat SEO strategy may produce a sudden rise in organic listings, but the search engines will soon sniff out the rule-breakers bringing penalties to your door.

If an SEO agency proposes any of the following strategies, know they’re talking about using black hat SEO:

● Doorway pages

Pages with no real value are built only for ranking specific keywords, but ultimately the homepage or other doorway pages are basically useless.

● Hidden links or hidden text

This sneaky technique camouflages certain text or links by making them the same color as the background color.

● Cloaking

Cloaking presents a web page to search engines that are different from what users see. Cloaking tricks search engines into displaying a page; it would not show up if proper keywords and user internet were used.

● Link farms

Link farms are intended to create a large number of sites whose sole purpose is to point back to your site through links. However, this artificially inflates the number of backlinks which can throw a search engine off in the short term by masquerading as an authority site.

● Keyword stuffing

One of the original ways to attempt to spam search engines into ranking sites higher. Increasingly it’s completely ineffective because it can’t stand up to ever-changing algorithms. Seeing the same word or phrases all over a page to the point it’s completely unnatural usage; the page has been stuffed.

It’s always a bad idea to attempt to manipulate search engines with the intention of misleading users. Sooner or later, your site will be found out for using unscrupulous methods, and search engines can ban your site altogether on the basis of it using any black hat tactics.

Link building for SEO

Backlinks are a coveted SEO ingredient. They’re links from other authoritative sites that point back to you and your content by linking their web page to yours. It’s pretty difficult to fake, so having another web content creator decide to pass their visitors along to you is incredibly valuable.

Backlinks are also called one-way hyperlinks. Link-building strategies include public relations, email outreach efforts, broken link building, and content marketing.

The goal is always to improve search engine visibility. 

The future of SEO

Mobile optimization, ensuring your website works and displays well on mobile devices, is now the metric that helps push your site higher in search engine results. Optimization has to include both Apple and Android products. 

It’s one more thing to monitor regularly and course-correct as needed. You must still ensure your website view for desktop and laptop computers remains optimized.

SEO rankings continue to get more competitive. This is because Internet users are becoming savvier at spotting quality content and sites over those trying to beat the system for ranking.

Now SEO tactics have to evolve and improve continually. In addition to mobile optimization, matching user intent is now required for success. The idea is not just to give users a bunch of links but to actually assist them in finding the information they want.

Machine learning is now built into all of Google’s products, including Ads and Gmail. The impact of machine learning can be seen with Google’s RankBrain, which now runs on every search. In addition, intelligent searches now have to cater to visual and voice searches, chatbots, and personal assistants such as Siri and Alexa.

SEO specialists will have to keep up with all the technological advances to keep their skills and services top-notch.

Final thoughts on choosing the best SEO agency

The best SEO companies’ reputations boil down to whether they deliver demonstrable results. Clients are right to expect realistic results and good communication about what is happening if they’re going to include hiring an SEO agency in the budget.

Among expected results from a well-run SEO campaign include increases in your website’s visibility and results that show improvements in brand awareness. The bottom line should improve with increases in sales. It should help you compete successfully against businesses very similar to yours. New customers should be getting in touch with you to buy your products or services. You should see a higher return on investment (ROI), including higher conversions and ultimately more sales. And an agency’s deliverables shouldn’t be a short bump in traffic and sales. Done right, you should be getting long-term results, including long-term increased revenue.

Having a solid and respected online presence is the lifeblood of a successful business these days. Brick and mortar locations simply are not enough for today’s consumers.

Warning signs of SEO companies that talk a good game but may not deliver valuable results are those with aggressive self-promotion methods and aggressive marketing strategies meant to land new customers. SEO success can be measured and reported, so it’s a big red flag if a company balks at showing you their record with other clients.

SEO specialists have to juggle many tasks, even at agencies where different colleagues focus on different portions of an SEO strategy. However, most of the skills complement each other, so you can expect dependable service from any team member when you need it.

We hope this guide has been helpful in finding the right SEO company, especially with so many SEO agencies in the picture; finding the best one that fits your needs could be overwhelming.

New on Search Engine Land

About The Author

RankZ is an online marketing agency with a focus on search engine optimization and content marketing.

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25 Best SEO-Friendly Alternatives To WordPress Websites

There’s a reason why WordPress is so popular: it’s relatively easy to use, offers a lot of functionality, and gives you many customization options. And it can be great for SEO, too.

If you know what you’re doing, you can use it for structuring, managing, and publishing content in a way that generates traffic.

It’s a sort of a one-stop shop for blogging, content management, ecommerce, and website building. And maybe best of all – it’s free.

But, running your own WordPress site isn’t without its drawbacks.

For one thing, you’re responsible for your own updates, security, and backups. Click the wrong box in the settings section, and you could be vulnerable to hackers.

And you will be dealing with frequent updates because it relies so heavily on plugins to provide the functionality you want.

It can also be problematic for web developers. If you have a high degree of skill in creating websites, you may find WordPress’ templated approach restricting.

On the other end of the spectrum, you may struggle without drag and drop functionality if you don’t know how to code.

Finally, WordPress is a jack-of-all-trades type of platform. It does many things well but is not exceptional in any area. This means you may want more functionality in an area that’s important to you.

In this piece, we’ll look at 25 SEO-friendly WordPress alternatives separated by primary functionality and give you a quick rundown of each, so you can make the best choice for your needs.

Ready to get started?

Web Design Platforms 1. Wix

If you’re looking for an easy, all-in-one, fully customizable platform that doesn’t require third-party sites and plugins, look no further than Wix.

This option houses everything you need within the Wix platform, from hosting to handling structured data. Their step-by-step guide helps beginners create a beautiful website without any prior experience.

Key Features:

Full hosting solution.

No software to self-install.

Drag-and-drop visual builder.

Extensions are available.

Optimized for mobile.

Blog module.

Ecommerce store.

Social media tools.

Pros:

All-in-one website builder and platform.

Free version available.

Premade designs and templates.

Free subdomain available for all plans.

Free custom domain available with paid plans.

Customer support.

Cons:

No option to retain full control of your site as you can with WordPress.

No access to source code.

2. Squarespace

This all-in-one option allows you to easily create a website on Squarespace’s fully hosted platform. You do not need prior experience to use this intuitive site builder.

Squarespace hosts all its features in-house, meaning you can’t install third-party extensions or use custom coding.

It’s a great solution for hobbyists and small businesses to build a professional site themselves, although it can be an expensive solution if all you’re doing is running a basic website.

Key Features:

Full hosting solution (including video).

No software to self-install.

Drag-and-drop visual builder.

Extensions are available.

Optimized for mobile.

Blog module.

Ecommerce store.

Social media tools.

Pros:

All-in-one website builder and platform.

Free version available.

Premade designs and templates.

Free subdomain available for all plans.

Free custom domain available with an annual subscription.

Customer support.

Cons:

No option to retain full control of your site as you can with WordPress.

No custom coding.

No access to source code.

No third-party extensions.

3. Weebly

If you’re looking for simple and affordable, Weebly might be up your alley.

This site builder takes an all-in-one approach to make website creation accessible for everyone, not just programmers and web developers.

Weebly is revered for being user and SEO-friendly, but if you’re on the free plan, your website will be limited to only five pages.

Key Features:

Full hosting solution.

No software to self-install.

Drag-and-drop visual builder.

Extensions are available.

Optimized for mobile.

Blog module.

Ecommerce store.

Social media tools.

Pros:

All-in-one website builder and platform.

Free version available.

Premade designs and templates.

Free subdomain available.

Inexpensive premium plans are as low as $6.00 per month.

Free custom domain available with premium plans.

Customer support.

Cons:

No option to retain full control of your site as you can with WordPress.

No access to source code.

The free version restricts you to a maximum of five pages.

4. Google Sites

Google’s webpage and wiki creation tool, Google Sites is a free and easy way to build a website.

Because it was developed by the search engine giant, it integrates smoothly with all other Google products, including Gmail, YouTube, and Fitbit.

It is free to build, host, and maintain with a Google account, with no web hosting fees.

However, if you want to link your site with Google Apps, it costs $50 per user per year.

Key Features:

Creator has full control over page access and permissions.

Tools can be accessed anywhere.

It can be used as a basic project management program.

Plenty of web development and deployment options.

Real-time editing.

Uses website speed optimization tools to minimize loading times.

Pros:

Fast to get started and easy to use.

Free to use.

Integrated with other Google products.

Cons:

Limited functionality compared to other website builders.

It may not work with non-Google apps.

Limited customization options.

No SEO tools and you can’t edit metadata.

It cannot integrate Facebook pixels.

5. Jekyll

Jekyll was designed to be a lightweight alternative to other website creation platforms, including only necessary components so you can run your website without database access or other additional software.

It’s an open-source platform that allows you to quickly create and launch a website.

Key Features:

No programming involved.

SEO is built-in.

GitHub manages redirects.

Easy setup of custom domains.

Pros:

No server maintenance.

Very fast.

Secure.

Free hosting.

Free SSL certificate.

Works with GitHub as CMS.

Cons:

It can’t create contact forms.

No dynamic content options.

Posts cannot be scheduled.

Does not include image manipulation functionality.

6. Hugo

Billing itself as “the world’s fastest framework for building websites,” Hugo is an open-source platform for creating static sites.

It can generate most webpages in under one millisecond, with new pages built every time you create or update content.

Its goal is to provide an optimal viewing experience for users and authors.

Key Features:

Can build most websites in seconds.

Cross-platform with easy installation.

Allows you to host your site anywhere.

Customizable URLs.

“Minutes to Read” and “WordCount” functionality.

Integrated Google Analytics and Disqus comment support.

Pros:

It easily integrates with Google Calendar and other apps.

Easy to use with responsive customer service.

Multilingual capabilities built-in.

Extendable as needed.

Cons:

It can’t create one-off tasks.

It can be confusing upon initial use, particularly in templating syntax.

No plugins are available.

Limited text formatting features.

7. Webflow

Webflow is a responsive tool for web design that lets you create websites without the required coding knowledge.

It includes a visual designer, which lets you see the changes you’re making in real-time and includes significant versatility.

You can create nearly any website you need, including ecommerce, blogs, and business sites.

Key Features:

More than 100 templates to choose from.

Design is prioritized, with animation, interaction, and parallax scrolling options.

Offers automatically generated sitemaps and customizable 301 redirects.

Multiple payment options for ecommerce sites and automatic tax calculation.

Pros:

Affordable, with plans ranging from free to $235 for top-tier ecommerce plans.

Free starter plan.

Numerous learning and help resources.

Good range of templates.

Good security.

Cons:

Steep learning curve.

Integration with social media can be frustrating.

Advanced capabilities aren’t built-in and require integration.

Content Management Systems (CMS) 8. Joomla

Like WordPress, Joomla is an open-source content management system (CMS).

Joomla is free, but you have to pay for your web hosting.

Joomla’s appeal is its broad range of functionality that allows you to run any type of website – blogs, ecommerce, portfolios, informational websites, and more.

The downside to Joomla is that it isn’t ideal for beginners, so it’s best if you have some experience.

Key Features:

Almost 6,000 extensions are available.

Traditional content editing (no drag-and-drop visual editor).

Optimized for mobile (depending on the template).

Blog module.

Ecommerce store.

Social media tools.

Pros:

Free, open-source software.

Premade designs and templates.

Access to source code.

Cons:

No free subdomains or custom domains are available.

No customer support.

Requires a PHP-enable server to run.

Fewer templates and extensions than WordPress.

9. Drupal

Like WordPress and Joomla, Drupal is a CMS platform. The software is free, although you’ll have web hosting fees.

Drupal is one of the most technical and powerful CMS options on the market, but it requires more skills to tap into Drupal’s full potential.

This site-building option is best suited for advanced users.

Key Features:

Content Management System (CMS).

Over 47,000 modules are available.

Traditional content editing (no drag-and-drop visual editor).

Optimized for mobile (depending on the theme you choose).

Blog module.

Ecommerce store.

Social media tools.

Pros:

Free, open-source software.

Premade designs and templates.

Access to source code.

Strong security and data encryption.

Cons:

No free subdomains.

No customer support.

Requires a PHP-enabled server to run.

10. DataLife Engine

DataLife Engine, often referred to as DLE, is a multifunctional CMS. Primarily designed for mass media websites and blogs, it allows you to manage news, articles, and users. 

Flexible and customizable, it can be used to create websites that can handle high levels of visitors with minimal load on your servers.

DLE emphasizes SEO and security, which has led to its adoption by more than 100,000 organizations.

Key Features:

Content Management System (CMS).

Designed for multiple users.

SEO-focused.

Tracks statistics.

Automatically filters words in comments.

It supports an unlimited number of categories.

Low server load.

Allows plugins.

Pros:

Stores data using MySQL.

Excellent user experience

Websites load quickly, even on low-end servers.

Excellent for publishing news and blog posts.

Cons:

No free version licenses vary from $79 for basic to $199 for unlimited.

English users are a secondary focus.

A limited number of plugins and themes.

The lowest license doesn’t include customer support.

11. Sitefinity

Progress’ Sitefinity is a CMS and digital experience platform that allows you to create multi-channel marketing experiences.

Sitefinity allows you to create, store, manage, and publish content on your website. It lets you operate across departments, units, locations, and brands from one platform.

Key Features:

Manage multiple sites from one location.

Sync assets across pages and sites.

It makes personalization simpler.

Integrated analytics and optimization.

Four versions include basic, marketing-focused, PaaS, and ecommerce.

Multilingual capabilities.

Pros:

Low-cost license compared to other CMS.

No setup fee.

Minimal coding is required for integration.

Flexible deployment time shortens time to market.

Options for marketing automation.

Cons:

Free trial, but no free version.

Setup and administration can be challenging.

No mobile interface.

12. Hubspot CMS

Hubspot is one of the biggest names in marketing software, so it should be no surprise that they also have a CMS tool.

Combining website creation with a customer relationship management (CRM) tool lets you cover the entire buying journey from one place.

And because it was built for cross-departmental use, it doesn’t require extensive development knowledge.

Key Features:

Cloud-based.

Includes SEO recommendations.

Includes numerous themes and responsive templates.

Fully integrated CRM.

Drag-and-drop webpage editor.

Built-in security.

Pros:

Adaptive A/B testing helps you identify the best page layout.

All-in-one publishing tools.

Built-in SEO tools.

Supports smart content with personalized rules.

Mobile pages supported with Google AMP.

Cons:

Steep learning curve.

Does not support ecommerce.

No automatic backup and recovery.

13. Contentful

Contentful is a backend-only CMS. Intended to allow users to create content at scale, it integrates various tools, giving you the freedom to publish across channels.

A cloud-native platform, it has a clean interface and was designed to be API-first, which provides serious flexibility.

Features:

RESTful API gives you full control over assets, translations, and versions.

Customizable interface and framework that works across third-party component providers.

It provides regional autonomy, so pieces in multiple languages and time zones can be published globally.

Content modeling allows you to structure content by channel.

Single sign-on and secure access.

Pros:

Focus on integration simplifies the technology stack.

User-friendly with a clean interface.

Free version for up to five users.

Good scalability.

Cons:

Expensive for an upgraded version ($489/month).

Poor internal search tools.

Modeling content can be tricky.

14. Adobe Experience Manager

Combining the functionality of a CMS with a digital asset management (DAM) platform, Adobe Experience Manager is intended to be an all-in-one platform for building websites, managing marketing content, and overseeing media libraries.

It offers cloud integration and plays well with other programs, including its own flagship creative suite.

Key Features:

Comprehensive marketing platform.

End-to-end digital document solution.

Enterprise-level security.

Analytics included.

Intelligent search.

Scalable to your needs.

Pros:

Streamlines workflows by keeping everything on one platform.

Authoring and publishing can be handled by individual marketers.

Easy authorization of workflow.

Can handle massive content loads.

Can manage multiple sites at once.

Cons:

Steep learning curve.

Requires different sign-ins to access different areas.

Doesn’t integrate well with external DAMs.

Not ideal for communities and forums.

Ecommerce Platforms 15. BigCommerce

If you’re looking for scalability in an SEO-friendly WordPress alternative, BigCommerce might be the right option for you.

It features strong SEO support and smooth multi-channel integration, and there are no platform fees or commissions.

However, customer reviews weren’t overly favorable regarding setup, and this ecommerce-targeted platform isn’t the best for small businesses or stores with tight margins.

Key Features:

Full hosting solution.

No software to self-install.

Drag-and-drop visual builder.

Extensions are available.

Optimized for mobile.

Blog module.

Ecommerce store.

Social media tools.

Pros:

High level of customization options.

Over 100 themes to choose from (including some free).

No platform commission fees.

Free subdomain available.

Customer support.

Cons:

No free version is available.

No access to source code.

Pricing is based on revenue, which isn’t great if you have tight margins.

16. Shopify

One of the most popular ecommerce platforms on the market, Shopify, is designed to help you sell products.

That gives this option a major edge in the post-COVID digital shopping era, especially if your Shopify site is optimized for SEO.

Although Shopify can handle blogging and other niches, it isn’t the best solution for anything outside of ecommerce needs.

Key Features:

Full hosting solution.

No software to self-install.

Drag-and-drop visual builder.

Extensions are available.

Optimized for mobile.

Blog module.

Ecommerce store.

Social media tools.

Pros:

All-in-one website builder and platform.

Premade designs and templates.

Free subdomain available.

Customer support.

Cons:

No free version is available.

No access to source code.

Platform commission fees.

17. Magento

Magento is an ecommerce-based platform with more bells and whistles than Shopify.

And while it offers a ton of business features especially suited to large-scale enterprises, it’s not the easiest platform to use.

Magento specializes in ecommerce and not much else. If you want a website that capitalizes on different features, your investment in Magento probably isn’t worth your time.

Key Features:

Option to pay for Magento Commerce for a full hosting platform or download the free, open-source software to install on your own web server.

Drag-and-drop visual builder.

Extensions are available.

Optimized for mobile.

Ecommerce store.

Social media tools.

Pros:

All-in-one ecommerce platform or open-source ecommerce software package.

Free version available.

Designed for large-scale ecommerce.

Premade designs and templates.

Free subdomain available (mainly for setup and testing purposes).

Customer support (paid version only).

Access to source code with the downloadable version.

Cons:

No blog module, although you can add it as an extension.

Not optimized for web projects or website purposes outside of ecommerce.

The steep learning curve for inexperienced users.

A large investment for small-scale ecommerce.

18. Prestashop

Prestashop is a freemium open-source ecommerce platform that allows you to set up stores on your host or via the cloud. 

Available in 65 languages, it offers a powerful interface that is responsive to mobile users.

Prestashop has a variety of add-on features and provides a reliable online shopping solution.

Key Features:

Customizable to your needs, including themes and features.

Includes backend tools like payments, shipping and data.

Community of translators for multilanguage digital stores.

Secure payment modules.

Scalable.

Includes demographic assistance.

Pros:

Free version available.

Open source, so you can customize your site to your needs.

5,000+ themes, modules, and services are available with the premium plan.

Excellent user experience.

Cons:

Limited scalability.

No support team.

Initial setup requires some programming knowledge.

19. OpenCart

A PHP-based ecommerce solution, OpenCart is free to use. Flexible and customizable, it comes with access to a dedicated community to help you troubleshoot.

Because it’s open source, there are extensive add-ons and modules for just about anything.

Features:

The administrator dashboard gives you information at a glance.

User management allows you to assign permissions and separate access.

Allows you to run multiple stores from one dashboard.

Customizable variables let you include options for sizes, colors, or anything else.

Pros:

The platform is completely free, as are many add-ons.

Extensive metrics and reports provided.

Works with your current payment gateway.

Comes with dedicated technical support.

Flexible.

Cons:

Often creates duplicate pages, which can cause SEO problems.

Not all extensions, modules, plug-ins, and add-ons work well together.

Checkout can be slow, particularly if you have numerous plug-ins.

Can be difficult to import a list of inventory.

Requires some degree of technical ability for optimal use.

Blogging Platforms 20. Medium

Rather than joining the others on this list as a site builder or web software, Medium stands alone as a publishing platform with its own community and user base.

This is a great solution if you’re a blogger looking for an inexpensive way to publish content.

But remember that you don’t have customization options, meaning you can’t brand your own website.

If you need a unique website with design control, Medium isn’t going to suit your requirements.

Key Features:

Full hosting solution.

No software to self-install.

Optimized for mobile.

Blog module.

Limited social media tools.

Pros:

A community site for blogs.

Free version available.

Medium Partner Program to earn revenue.

Customer support.

Cons:

No extensions.

No ecommerce stores.

No premade designs or themes.

No free subdomains.

No third-party extensions.

No access to source code.

21. Ghost

This platform is a WordPress contender for blogging, but Ghost’s capabilities are limited for anything more.

Ghost is a simple and straightforward platform to suit your needs if you’re in the right niche.

But if you know your website might grow, remember that Ghost isn’t designed to scale a blog up into a business website or complex project.

Key Features:

Option to subscribe through Ghost’s hosting platform or download the free open source software to install on your own web server.

Basic drag-and-drop visual builder.

Extensions are available through integrations with other tools.

Optimized for mobile.

Blog module.

Ecommerce store (subscription only).

Social media tools.

Pros:

All-in-one website builder and platform.

Free version available.

Premade designs and templates.

Free subdomain available with the paid version.

Customer support.

Access to source code.

Cons:

Not compatible with all third-party web hosts.

Highly specialized with limited capabilities beyond blogging.

Not built to scale up into a business site or complex website.

22. Tumblr

Tumblr is a unique blend of social media and microblogging.

Like a traditional social media platform, it allows you to post status updates and share images, as well as re-blog posts your audience may find relevant.

Customizable to your needs, it has a unique tagging system that helps you accurately target an audience and build a community.

Key Features:

Features strong social media functionality.

Customizable.

Google Analytics Integration.

Unlimited storage.

Ad-free blog themes.

Free SSL certification.

Pros:

Free to use; no upgrades are required to access all features.

Free web hosting.

User-friendly and easy to set up.

No storage limits.

Can post audio, video, images, gifs, and more.

Cons:

Daily posting limit (250/day).

Files must be under 10 MB.

No plugins.

Safety and security leave something to be desired.

Unsuited to long-form content.

23. Bluehost

After Typepad stopped accepting new signups in 2020, EIG began directing people to Bluehost for their web hosting needs.

Bluehost supports over 80 open-source projects beyond WordPress, including Drupal, Joomla, and phpBB. It’s currently used by more than 2 million websites.

Key Features:

Domain names can be purchased through Bluehost.

Versatile hosting options let you choose what works best for you.

Dedicated servers and virtual private servers are available.

A variety of plans are available based on your needs.

Comes with customer service chat options.

Pros:

The first term is inexpensive.

Lots of storage and unlimited bandwidth.

Good uptime.

Free SSL certificates.

Cons:

Extra features come with added costs, which can get pricey.

High renewal rates.

Speed could be better.

All servers are U.S.-based.

24. Blogger

If you’re going to name your company “Blogger,” you better be good at blog hosting; it shouldn’t be surprising that Blogger delivers.

Acquired by Google in 2003, Blogger is more than just one of the oldest blogging platforms; it’s also a CMS.

Free to use, it lets you publish everything in your own personal space, whether it’s a business blog or a series of posts about your favorite Harry Potter characters.

Your site can be hosted at yourname.blogspot.com or your own domain.

Features:

Clear analytics.

Included layout/themes.

Monetization options, including Google Adsense integration.

Uses Google security.

Unlimited storage.

Pros:

Free to use.

Extremely user-friendly.

Free SSL security.

Good uptime.

Cons:

You don’t own your website.

Fewer options and control over design.

Limited support.

Hard to port to a different platform.

Community Management 25. vBulletin

If your site’s primary purpose is to create a community and host forums and message boards, vBulletin may be the right choice for you.

Easily installed on any web hosting service or run from vBulletin’s cloud, its primary focus is on community websites, though it does include tools for content discovery and site management.

It comes with various templates, graphics, and styles, so you can customize your forum to your brand.

Key Features:

Built-in SEO and security.

Includes a chat app.

Easy to get started.

Built-in applications.

Optimized for mobile users.

Blogging functionality.

Fully customizable.

Pros:

Frequent patches and bug fixes.

Customer support.

Easy to install and get started.

Designed to host forums.

Includes templates.

Cons:

No free option.

Limited features compared to some other platforms.

Requires some tech skills to take full advantage of the functionality.

It can’t customize code for the cloud-based version.

Which One Is Right For You?

Including WordPress, you have 26 options for building your website.

So, how do you know which one is right for you? It comes down to your needs and what you want your website to accomplish.

If you’re looking to create a website that is ecommerce-first, you’d be well served to pick from one of the options listed in that section.

On the other hand, if you’re primarily interested in blogging, you’ll want a platform that focuses on that.

And if you want one that does everything, well, there are a few on the list.

Hopefully, by reading this, you’ve gained a little insight into which platform will work best for you.

More Resources:

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