Website ABCs >
8) Advanced Content and Functionality
Advanced content and functionality includes:
- Forms and Form Processing
- Public and Private Page Management
- Database Related functionality
- E-Commerce Applications
- Blogs
- Advanced Security features
- Scalability
1) Forms and Form Processing
Weebly, one of the most basic website builders includes two default forms with their free websites. They include a contact form and an email subscription form. Form handling is an advanced concept in old school website design and while the forms weren't overly complicated, as soon as it came time to store the data in a database online automatically, the complexity factor skyrocketed. As of now, I believe these forms only convert information to email form and forward it. The biggest potential growth area with these website builders will be a step into the database management field with form creation modules... I have no idea where they are with that right now, if anywhere.
And then from a totally separate direction there is Google Forms. Google forms enables the creation of custom forms that can be hosted in an Iframe on your website and the data gets stored directly into a Google Sheet. Ultimately as these website building tools and google services progress, there may be little need for the website building companies to offer full database solutions as Google is right on the cusp of some very great developments that can be integrated into any website. (This type of 'database application' I'm speaking of is simple. More complex applications will require formal database backend systems for many years to come).
So, as of today you can in fact create an online form with Google Forms, embed it in your weebly website with an iframe and capture form submission in a google sheet, and you can have google sheets send you an email when a form is submitted, and that's all pretty cool stuff and fairly simple to setup -- and that is not the case any other way.
And then from a totally separate direction there is Google Forms. Google forms enables the creation of custom forms that can be hosted in an Iframe on your website and the data gets stored directly into a Google Sheet. Ultimately as these website building tools and google services progress, there may be little need for the website building companies to offer full database solutions as Google is right on the cusp of some very great developments that can be integrated into any website. (This type of 'database application' I'm speaking of is simple. More complex applications will require formal database backend systems for many years to come).
So, as of today you can in fact create an online form with Google Forms, embed it in your weebly website with an iframe and capture form submission in a google sheet, and you can have google sheets send you an email when a form is submitted, and that's all pretty cool stuff and fairly simple to setup -- and that is not the case any other way.
2) Public and Private Page Management
Weebly, one of the most basic website builders currently includes the ability to manage membership groups and page assignments for different membership groups. I have not checked out the other basic website builders but I would assume they all offer this to some lesser or greater degree. Weebly has an extension which also just tied the public and private membership system to a simple check out process enabling automated sharing of private content for a fee, and that has the potential to dramatically change the education spectrum as well as the publishing for profit spectrum
3) Database Related Functionality
There is currently a push for no SQL databases, which as far as I can tell would be similar to just using spreadsheets for data (at lower scaling anyway). Database functionality in a website vs on a private network what turns a powerful system into a nuclear powered rocketship. My background was in building web-based database systems for my own businesses and truthfully, the only reason I was able to explore the breadth of experiences I've had so far was may ability to build and use web based database systems for my own benefit. There is no simple way to convey the power one has in business if they can create their own web based data solutions. It is something only experience can truly convey. Suffice it to say, simpler solutions are always the goal and once these website Building tools start to plateau, I would expect the next push to be into the the database integration realm. Until then Iframes combined with membership systems and/or frame-sets could all be combined with these website builder system for an interesting affect.
4) E-commerce Applications
The push with all the simpler website builder systems right now is to grow into e-commerce. When people are making money on their website they are willing to pay significantly more money to host it. Many of the simpler systems like weebly really have some decent entry level solutions for small business. There is an entirely different category of website builders for serious e-commerce. Two of those systems are Shopify and Magento. I have not experience with either of these at this time.
5) Blogs
From what I can tell, blogging modules are built into almost all of the major website builders these days and if not built in there are plug-ins and apps that are available. As with all things, some systems work better than others, and since I'm not a blogger I can't tell you what solutions are better but a quick internet search can likely provide a lot of insight.
6) Advance Security Features
I can only imagine that dual authentication and varied group membership roles are in the works. They already exist for larger web based systems so it is only a matter of time before some of that makes it into this lower end website builders.
7) Scalability
From what I can tell, none of these webhosting companies have many issues scaling informational sites on demand. What use to be a big deal from a traffic handling perspective is seemingly no longer a big deal. Growing into increased functionality and knowing when to switch from one website builder to another is something that should always be monitored.