10 Reasons Why We Develop in Webflow

You have hundreds of website builders to choose from, but what makes Webflow the best of the bunch?

‍

Webflow is a cloud-based platform that combines CSS with visual design tools — allowing you to design, build, and launch simultaneously. In that basic definition, it probably sounds similar to a drag-and-drop website builder (like Wix or Squarespace).

‍

But that explanation feels a tad reductive. Business owners and designers alike gravitate towards Webflow because it gives you full control over the look and feel of your website.

‍

What exactly do we mean by that? Well, there are two major facets of your website: the visual design and the code that makes it appear and function as intended. Web developers can look at a few lines of code and visualize how the actual product will look, but if you showed those snippets to a web designer or a client, it would probably look like a bunch of gibberish.

‍

Webflow combines all the HTML, CSS, and Javascript into a visual canvas, helping designers “code as they go” (and phase out the lengthy development stage) — delivering your website faster without sacrificing the functionalities you need.

‍

It’s also hands down the most efficient hosting platform for speed and security. Thanks to the clean code and less reliance on plugins, we can optimize the performance out of the box and achieve higher Google PageSpeed scores!

‍

Shortening project timelines and slashing budgets aren’t the only benefits of Webflow. We’ve only scratched the surface of its capabilities. Let’s dive into the 10 reasons we build our clients’ sites in Webflow and see what it could do for your business!

‍

Top 10 Reasons Create Ape ♥️’s Webflow

‍

1. Collaboration is King

‍

For some companies, building a website is a one-man job. But at Create Ape, we know two heads are better than one. Between researchers, designers, project managers, and branding experts, you’ll have all hands on deck to ensure your website is the best it can be.

‍

Webflow allows us to work together in the visual designer to build a cohesive product. While one team member constructs the page layout and applies your branding, a content writer can write messaging in the Editing Mode as they work.

‍

Plus, if a client or project manager wants to make a change, Webflow lets you leave comments (just like Figma) for the design team to address before reviews.

‍

‍

2. High-Level Personalization

‍

Webflow is chock full of themes and templates that make quick designs a breeze. However, Create Ape understands that your brand is unique. Luckily, the platform’s expansive styling features help us turn a blank canvas into a singular digital experience for your business.

‍

Features like the asset folder store, organize, and implement your logos, videos, and photography. It also helps us keep typography, sizes, and colors consistent throughout each page by assigning classes to headings, buttons, and other interactive elements.

‍

By weaving your branding directly into the code, Webflow captures the details that make up your visual identity — which speeds up the build and gives us more control over the presentation of each page.

‍

‍

3. Live Prototyping

‍

Websites always look better with movement, animations, and working buttons that take you page-to-page. Unfortunately, we can’t see how everything gels in a mockup.

‍

With Webflow’s prototype builder, we can implement interactions as we design to produce a live prototype. Instead of showing a static page, we present dynamic content to exhibit how the final product will behave, complete with scrolling behaviors, hovers, dropdowns, and more.

‍

This live prototyping process has been a game-changer in building client confidence. It allows us to present the closest thing to a live website while still leaving room for edits. Plus, there’s no better feeling for a designer than seeing your work come to life right before your eyes!

‍

‍

4. Responsiveness Made Simple

‍

More often than not, your audience is accessing your website from their phone. If it’s not optimized for mobile screens, 73% of your users will leave (and good luck getting those sales/leads back).

‍

Webflow knows that responsiveness should never be an afterthought, so the platform presents the screens in different views to see how each page transitions across desktop, tablet, and mobile.

‍

If a design looks perfect on a desktop but needs an adjustment on mobile, editing an element on a smaller screen won’t impact the layout on the larger screens. No irreversible mistakes here!

‍

As a bonus, the views for tablets and mobile let you add custom interactions for those devices (swipes, taps, you name it). This helps us make your digital experience more fitting for whatever scenario your user encounters your website in.

‍

‍

5. Client-Friendly CMS

‍

Your website should always be teeming with the latest happenings at your company. But updating the content is always easier said than done. Especially if you have to fiddle with a complicated content management system endlessly.

‍

Webflow’s collections simplify posting blogs, case studies, FAQs, and other dynamic content. It’s as easy as creating a page template, setting up a folder, and importing your articles. Every new file in a collection will automatically inherit the template properties; all you have to do is plug in the content and post!

‍

You can also customize fields to feature new content on other pages throughout the site, ensuring your audience never misses a beat from your business.

‍

‍

6. Eliminate Plugins

‍

Plugins are great for expanding the functionalities of your site, especially if you want to implement a new feature or flow quickly. However, the bloated code and slap-dash integration can seriously impact the speed and efficiency of your user experience.

‍

But the biggest drawback of plugins is that outdated software is responsible for 56% of WordPress website hacks! All it takes is one hacker finding a vulnerability in the plugin, then private information, SEO ranks, and brand reputation are all at risk.

‍

While building out functionalities from scratch takes a little longer, Webflow lets you customize the design and necessary steps. Plus, you don’t have to rely on a third party for software updates — putting you in control of your website’s speed and security.

‍

7. Automated Audits

‍

Regular website maintenance is a tedious yet crucial part of every digital business. But what if we told you that your hosting platform could perform all the error tracking for you? 

‍

All Webflow sites have a built-in audit panel that flags usability and accessibility issues before you go live. This handy little tool is a web designer’s secret weapon, helping us identify broken links, contrast problems, and general housekeeping tasks as soon as they crop up.

‍

We all know how important accessibility is to your search engine rankings. The audit panel takes compliance further by pointing out nondescript text and skipped heading levels — ensuring your website content is user-friendly and SEO-ready.

‍

‍

8. Search Engine Controls

‍

As if the audit and responsiveness tools weren’t enough, Webflow has a robust suite of in-house SEO tools to help your website rank higher in Google’s algorithm.

‍

Meta titles and descriptions are just one piece of the puzzle, and they’re easily defined under each page’s SEO settings — helping you target different keywords depending on the page’s content. But the technical capabilities are much more expansive.

‍

With Webflow’s SEO manager, you can control page indexing rules, 301 redirects, and schema markups. You can also verify your site with Google to access your search data, allowing us to see how users find you and fine-tune your content.

‍

‍

9. Fast Landing Page Builds

‍

You never know when your next landing page is around the corner. In the WordPress days, you had to plan in advance to launch pages and campaigns simultaneously. 

‍

You can still build a landing page from scratch in Webflow, but why bother when you can create dynamic and easy-to-edit pages in Team Templates?

‍

Team Templates are site designs you can clone and edit as needed — meaning your code and interactions are pre-built. All you have to do is replace the copy and images, then the page is ready to release alongside your latest marketing campaign.

‍

If someone from your team has limited design and development experience, you also have the option to establish a landing page collection with pre-built content blocks. Now, everyone in your organization can build beautiful landing pages with confidence!

‍

‍

10. Flexible Pricing

‍

And now, for the most convincing part, pricing! You’d think having all these features and functionalities in one hosting platform would cost an arm and a leg, right?

‍

Luckily, Webflow has several pricing options to suit all our client’s needs. The pricing plans cover anything from simple, static pages to large, content-driven websites, and they’re scalable to accommodate your growing traffic.

‍

Plus, you can bill yearly or monthly (with a pretty sweet 22% discount if you bill yearly)!

‍

‍

Code As You Go!

‍

Our Create Ape team loves Webflow because it closes the gap between design and development, helping us create user experiences that are true to our vision. But we can’t possibly overstate the incredible benefits for our clients!

‍

From expedited project timelines and reduced costs to simplified content updates and website maintenance, Webflow is the mutually beneficial hosting solution that makes our partnerships thrive.

‍

Are you ready to see your website come to life right before your eyes? Are you ready to switch and set your digital business up for success? Start your Webflow redesign project today!

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍