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A high-quality website is essential for any successful business in today’s world. Most consumers now start their search for companies, products, and services by turning to search engines like Google. We can all agree that web browsing has become the window shopping of the online world, and your website is your business’ shopfront. Making a good first impression can mean the difference between gaining a customer or being passed by.
While many businesses know they need a website, building and hosting one takes time, knowledge, maintenance, and money. Is a nice website out of your skill or price range? We’ve got good news!
There’s an affordable option out there that can help you attract leads with a stunning digital storefront “window.” Wix is an affordable website builder with a simple interface and customizable features that make it an excellent fit for many businesses, even if you’re just looking for a free website!
At CIS Agency, we’ve built over 1,000 Wix websites and worked with dozens of businesses. Our experience working with clients has given us insight into which industries Wix is a great fit for, and the specific Wix features that work well for those business types. This article will share insights and tips on getting the most out of their website features. We’ll also share a few example websites from Wix users that showcase some of these capabilities.
What Is Wix?
If you haven’t heard of Wix, it is a website-building platform and content management system (CMS) that includes web hosting services and other software tools. In a nutshell, they offer a low- to no-code website-building platform; it allows anyone to design a website using a simple drag-and-drop editor interface but also allows for customization for those who know a little more about website coding and SEO.
It also offers an extensive library of templates, themes, and plugins, making it easy to get creative. There is plenty of website-building software out there, but we love Wix because it’s affordable, secure, easy to use, and allows for advanced customization.
In the past, low- and no-code site builders like Wix were often too locked down, lacked critical features, and were seen as lower quality, bad for SEO, or unreliable. As we welcome 2023, that’s no longer the case.
Today, Wix hosts websites for well-known brands, and its SEO competes with other top website builders for high rankings on search engines like Google. As a Wix Agency, we’ve helped many businesses build stunning websites on Wix and meet their SEO goals. Let’s dive deeper into some businesses we’ve seen benefit from Wix websites and features we love for these businesses.
The Most Convenient Wix Website Builder Features
Before discussing specific business types, let’s go over some Wix features that are useful for most businesses, regardless of industry. First, if you’re wondering whether you can build a Wix website yourself, the drag-and-drop Wix editor makes it one of the best website builders for beginners. There are thousands of prebuilt templates you can use, but you’ll also have access to advanced SEO tools and custom coding with Velo. You’ll also get secure web hosting and access to a custom domain name. Here’s a breakdown of some of our other favorite business features from Wix:
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Easy-to-Build Website Templates
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Advanced SEO Tools
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Wix App Market
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Secure Web Hosting
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Easy Ecommerce Build
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Integrated Business Email (G Suite)
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Database Integration
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Events + Integrated Calendars
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Velo (Custom Coding directly on Wix Platform)
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Chat and Automation
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Email Marketing Tools + Easy-to-Integrate Forms
What Businesses Work Best with Wix
Auto Body & Auto Repair Shops
Now let’s go over some specific features that make Wix an attractive choice for small business owners and entrepreneurs that want a professional website. We’ve seen that Wix’s user-friendly websites tend to work well for auto body and auto repair shops. Email marketing tools like integrated contact forms mean customers don’t have to leave your website to send you a message. Forms like this one on the website for Doug’s Auto Body make it simple for customers to leave their names, contact info, VIN number, and other essential info, saving you time later. Preemptively answer common questions about vehicle repair with FAQ sections like this one from Complete Fleet & Auto. You can also offer the ability to book appointments online and chat with a team member in real-time. These features are a great way to stay connected with your customers and offer great service they’ll remember the next time they need a repair.
Sample Websites:
Top Features:
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Integrated contact forms (for email marketing)
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Online appointment booking
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Chat boxes that let you answer questions quickly while customers are browsing to provide next-level customer support
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Easy-to-set-up FAQ sections
HVAC, Plumbers & Electricians
Plumbers, electricians, and other contractors can also benefit from smart-looking web design. Wix has many design features that can help sell your services. Kleyn Electric and Impact Plumbing each use photo galleries to display their work, while Northern Heating & Cooling and Kroll Furnace found creative ways to let site visitors view their services and service areas. Other tools like Advanced Wix SEO (search engine optimization) can help your business get found by locals in your area.
Sample Websites:
Top Features:
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Integrated contact forms (for email marketing)
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Advanced SEO
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Online booking and live chat
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Fast-loading photo galleries
Hear From Industry Experts
Read the latest tips, research, best practices, and insights from our community of expert B2B service providers.
Construction and Building Companies
Construction is another industry where showcasing photos of your work can make potential customers feel like you’re the right company for them. You need these images to load quickly to avoid visitors losing interest, and luckily, images on Wix sites load lightning fast. In addition to project galleries like this one from Masonry, Inc., FAQ sections like Solidworks Concrete help clients know what to expect. With a Wix website, you can also add a directory of partner businesses and provide an easy way for clients to request a quote.
Sample Websites:
Top Features:
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Image galleries that load quickly and showcase past work
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User-friendly contact forms and calls to action
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FAQ section templates
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Partner directories
Plastic Injection and Industrial Companies
You may not immediately think that industrial companies need to prioritize their online presence, but a well-designed business website is important for every industry in today’s market. Once again, Lewis Welding makes use of high-quality images throughout their website to showcase their machining and metal-working equipment and demonstrate the caliber of their work in previous projects. Meanwhile, B.C. Industrial Services has used its Wix website to create an attractive online store with inventories of its refurbished robots and spare parts.
Sample Websites:
Top Features:
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Photo galleries and inventories
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Easy contact options for a quote or consult
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Partner directories and FAQ sections
Charter & Boating Companies
When running a charter company or selling watercraft, you want your customers to have plenty of information to plan their trip or envision themselves in one of your boats. There are plenty of features that can be added to your Wix business website to do just that. For example, in addition to providing information on boats, crew, and target species, Outdoorsmen Charters has integrated a weather widget on their homepage to help customers plan the best time to book a fishing trip. They’ve also set up online booking and integrated it with their online calendar so customers can instantly see the next available times before booking. Wix also allows you to create download buttons so visitors can save content from your site, which Grand Craft has used to offer press articles and a digital catalog.
Sample Websites:
Top Features:
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Online scheduling software for itineraries and trip information
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Ability to link an interactive calendar showing your availability
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Widgets and add-ons
Pet Groomers & Veterinarians
There are also Wix templates perfect for pet groomers, veterinarians, and pet boarders/daycares. They make it easy for pet owners to get all the information they need and schedule bookings from your website. You can show pricing for each of your services and have customers fill out and submit paperwork like new patient forms and waivers right on your website, with no complicated downloading, reuploading, and emailing. Wix also offers an eCommerce platform where you can sell products or set up an online pharmacy. And, like these three example sites, you can put up plenty of photos of happy pets to show how welcoming your space is.
Sample Websites:
Top Features:
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Appointment scheduling software linked with your online calendar
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Ecommerce capability
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Integrated forms that can be submitted online without downloading
Attorneys and CPAs
One of the most critical aspects of your online presence as an attorney or CPA is ensuring your image comes across as professional and trustworthy. An attractive website with good functionality puts your best foot forward. One of Wix’s customizable themes and templates can help you strike the right tone while clearly communicating who you are and what you offer. For larger firms, Wix has the capability to create searchable directories so clients can contact individual offices. Law Exchange International’s Wix site offers an easy way to search by region. They’ve also included a member’s login area for current clients, another capability of Wix sites. The ability to chat live through Chat Box, take online bookings, and submit online forms also come in handy here. You can further inspire clients’ confidence with a professional email address associated with your Wix website’s unique domain name.
Sample Websites:
Top Features:
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Easy appointment booking linked with your online calendar
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Searchable directories
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Email hosting
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Online forms & chat
Is Wix the Best CMS for your business?
As with every website building and hosting platform, Wix has its pros and cons. Which site builder is the best for you depends on the situation and needs of your unique business. That said, we think the features we’ve mentioned make Wix stand out among other popular website builders and a good choice for companies looking for affordable but high-quality website solutions and ease of use.
Don’t buy into the social media buzz around other “more advanced” platforms. WordPress, Shopify, and others are great, but these days businesses can create incredible ecommerce websites with low- to no-code offerings by Wix (or other providers like GoDaddy, Weebly, or Squarespace) without the need for a professional web development firm. If the last time you heard about Wix was over five years ago, you have to run a fact check on the new and improved platform, performance, and features. Check out some newer Wix reviews, watch a few quick tutorials, take a look at their free plan, and maybe even reach out to Wix support if you have some more questions. You’ll be pleasantly surprised with what you find!
Don’t be discouraged from a Wix website if your business type isn’t on this list. These are just some of the industries we’ve noticed Wix is a great fit for based on the features they offer. If the features we mentioned sound like what you’re looking for, Wix could be the solution for your company.