Webflow is a low-code visual platform for creating web sites, landing pages, blogs, and online stores. It enables people to construct web sites without having to code, as Webflow generates a big a part of that code itself.
Small disclaimer: it doesn’t mean you never must code, we use Webflow just as a basis to code faster and develop more complex web sites. This makes it a beloved tool inside the no-code and low-code movement, where technology is used to simplify the creation process.
Webflow offers the pliability to construct almost anything you wish and is very customizable, allowing you to design and construct web sites exactly as you envision them.
A Few Features of Webflow
- An enormous template library for various sectors – Webflow offers paid and free templates (we don’t use them ourselves, but perhaps they may come in handy for you).
- Integration with After Effects, allowing for complex animations and micro-animations.
- Mobile-friendly and fast loading times, which contribute to higher website positioning performance.
- Webflow University and fast support: every technical challenge we ever had, we could immediately solve via the university or with the assistance of support.
- Native CMS with localization which allows for simple and effective content management. Whether you’re small or large, the probabilities scale with you as you grow. It can also be integrable together with your back-end.
Why We Use Webflow
We select Webflow since it allows us to translate designs directly and accurately into functional web sites. This direct translation ensures that the unique ideas and visions of the designer are preserved throughout the transition from design to realization.
Our efficiency and speed in project development is a crucial advantage, and with Webflow, we will deliver high-quality results in a brief timeframe. This is as a consequence of the user-friendly interface and the powerful tools that Webflow offers. Webflow enables us to create custom solutions that are usually not feasible on other platforms as a consequence of their limitations in adaptability.
Finally, we teach our clients learn how to use the CMS of Webflow, in order that they can independently manage and update their website, even after the completion of the project. This increases their independence and reduces the necessity for ongoing support.
Custom Code vs. Webflow
When Custom Code Wins
If you’ll be able to code, these limitations are usually not relevant. If not, then you definitely are limited to the usual features of Webflow.
- Recurring costs: Webflow works with a subscription model. Those costs can add up depending in your usage. Unlike Webflow, pure code doesn’t incur recurring costs. You mainly invest in a very good code editor and a few tools like hosting.
- Flexibility: Pure code offers the pliability to integrate any tool, platform, or service together with your website as needed. Although Webflow has many possibilities, it doesn’t all the time support every third-party tool. However, their API offers increasingly more possibilities.
When Webflow wins
- Coding without coding: in Webflow, the designer places blocks on a canvas, after which the appliance robotically generates the code. This generated code will be exported and used on other hosting platforms. It concerns valid W3C code, which ensures fast loading times and makes it easy for developers to work with, unlike the code from other tools.
- Cost saving: although Webflow subscriptions will be pricey, it remains to be significantly cheaper than hiring an in-house front-end developer.
- Speed: fully manually coding a web site is time-consuming, including designing, coding, testing, and perfecting details. Webflow significantly quickens this process.
Webflow vs. WordPress
Webflow offers more speed, functionality, ease of use, and security in comparison with WordPress. WordPress was long the usual, but Webflow has overtaken it in these areas. Websites built with Webflow are sometimes faster as a consequence of optimized hosting and don’t require theme or plugin updates, which advantages security. Because Webflow doesn’t use plugins, your website doesn’t unnecessarily break. However, depending on the use case, there are benefits and drawbacks between each options.
Ease of Use
- Webflow: offers a user-friendly visual editor and various options for adjusting content. Hosting is included together with your account.
- WordPress: famous for its quick setup process, but requires you to seek out your personal hosting provider. The dashboard interface is easier but requires more clicks to achieve different tools.
Design Options
- Webflow: in addition to professionally designed templates, it offers the flexibility to establish a custom design at lightning speed.
- WordPress: uses a block editor and offers an in depth collection of themes, each free and paid, but may require additional plugins for a comparable visual effect.
Search Engine Optimization (website positioning)
- Webflow: offers an integrated approach with tools for creating mobile-friendly pages and robotically generated sitemaps. As a result, you generally rank loads easier in serps.
- WordPress: has fewer built-in website positioning tools but offers control over website positioning via plugins.
E-commerce and Costs
- Webflow: eCommerce is directly built into Webflow with monthly subscription costs, however it offers limited integration with payment providers for the Dutch market. Platforms equivalent to Molly are integrable.
- WordPress: is free to download and versatile, but requires payment for hosting, domain name, and other elements. WooCommerce is a preferred e-commerce option for WordPress, which is free, but may require more setup
Converting a Website to Webflow
Converting a web site to Webflow is feasible and will be advantageous for those who need speed, flexibility, and security. This is particularly useful if you need to switch from platforms like WordPress.
Advantages of Low-Code Solutions Like Webflow
Low-code solutions like Webflow make it easier to quickly design and construct high-quality web sites without in-depth technical knowledge. This lowers the brink for creating skilled web sites and saves money and time in the event process.
Although Webflow offers a variety of flexibility, there are some technical limitations. For more complex functionalities equivalent to search bars, sliders, and advanced animations, additional knowledge could also be required. Also, adjusting exported Webflow code on external hosting will be difficult. Fortunately, now we have quite a little bit of friendly knowledge in-house to support you in this.
When You Better Not Use Webflow
Webflow will not be the perfect selection for web sites that require heavy user data collection, equivalent to personal logins or order histories. This is because you’re mainly depending on other applications in these cases.
However, when using tools equivalent to Airtable, Wized, or Shopify, you’ll be able to arrange a workable product. These applications integrate seamlessly with Webflow, for those who don’t mind having multiple vendors.
In addition, it may possibly be a challenge to construct modular web sites where content editors wish to arrange pages themselves since you then must access the design view as a client. This can potentially result in errors or bugs.
We construct the CMS for you in such a way that you could do what you need to accomplish that that you will have the liberty and adaptability from the CMS tools.
When Webflow Comes in Handy
Webflow is especially suitable for visually heavy web sites with a high ‘wow’ factor, equivalent to sites that make wealthy use of design and motion, page transitions, and micro-animations.
It can also be ideal for content-rich sites, prototyping, and projects with a smaller budget. Webflow’s fast loading times and the flexibility to simply manage content without affecting the design make it a very good selection for marketing.
Together determine whether or not you make a Webflow website? Contact our digital design studio aardig.
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