Website design software

There are lots of types of website design software available to help you manage and create your website. From simple packages that hide the technical aspects, through to advanced systems that you’ll need web design expertise to use, you should be able to find one that suits your business.

Simple website design software

Simple web design software allows you to create your website without ever having to see or understand the complicated HTML code which makes up web pages.

There are two main types of simple web design software:

• Template-based editors. These include pre-designed, pre-coded website templates to which you can add your own content. Template-based web design software often forces you to stick to a rigid design, but can be the best way to create a reliable website with little or no technical knowledge.

• What you see is what you get editors. WYSIWYG (“wiss-eee-wig”) website design software makes editing web pages just like editing other documents. WYSIWYG software does not always handle complex pages well or generate HTML code that functions in all web browsers, so it’s best for simple pages. 

Of these two options, template-based editors are most foolproof. They can be surprisingly flexible and have one big benefit: because you can’t mess with the underlying code, you can be sure your pages will work properly.

WYSIWYG editors do offer more flexibility, but ultimately you still need some HTML knowledge to use them properly. And you should definitely avoid creating your website using software which isn’t specifically designed for editing web pages.

Some office suites and desktop publishing software packages can open and save HTML, but often generate pages which display poorly, and really don’t deal with complex designs well.

Expect to pay up to £200 for a really good template-based package or WYSIWYG editor. Packages can be considerably less depending on what features you need – and open source web design software is available too.

You might also wish to consider website builder packages from web hosting companies. These allow you to create a template-based website, but simplify the process because there’s no need to spend extra on web hosting or work out how to upload your site. Website builders start at £10 a month.

Web design software for experts

If someone in your business has a good understanding of HTML, you may prefer to use an HTML editor to view and change your website’s HTML code directly.

These packages allow experienced web designers and developers to build up websites from scratch. They offer enormous flexibility, but you need detailed knowledge of HTML to use them properly. 

Many professional web design software packages combine HTML editing and WYSIWYG functions. This allows experienced designers to build a page quickly, then tweak the code so it works well in all web browsers.

Professional website design software with all the bells and whistles can cost up to £300.

Other ways to create your website

Your choice of web design software will largely depend on the web design expertise in your business. If your company employs a web designer, they will be able to use a professional package to create your website from scratch.

Conversely, if your company lacks in-house web design experience, it may be better for you to rely on a template-based package.

Finally, remember that advanced websites with database-driven features like online shopping, product catalogues and booking systems take enormous effort to create. For this sort of project, it’s often best to work directly with a web design agency so you benefit from their knowledge and expertise.