The content below was originally posted as an answer to a question on Alignable. Wix or WordPress? — It's a great question because it's a hot potato. I've actually had a couple other discussions offline about this recently.... Anyway, I'm reposting my answer here because the topic is timely and relevant to many.
TL;DR
You need to assess your business's needs — what they are now and what you think they might be in 3 or 5 years — before determining the best website platform. Both WP and Wix have their place, with many pros and cons each. You just need to figure out which place your biz fits best.
Building Sites
WordPress: Solid, well-established platform. People love it because it's got a ton of flexibility. There's a lot you can do yourself if you have some level of tech-savvy. You can use ready-made themes and plugins to create the look, feel and function that serve your business/site visitors. For things beyond your ken, there are gazillions of WP developers, designers, and user groups to help you out. And on that note, it's also worth mentioning that WP is an open-source platform and something like 2/3 of the Intranet is built on WP, meaning that it ain't going anywhere. There are eyeballs on the code, fixing and updating it all the time — it just isn't going to become deprecated anytime soon. Costs for building a WP site can vary widely.
Wix: I'm now using Wix. It serves its purpose. You need absolutely zero tech-savvy to create a site. It's (or can be) quick, easy and free/cheap to build. (It has freemium-tiered plans and add-on apps/services.) There's a new wizard you can use that walks you through building a basic site very quickly, like in 10 minutes, if you want. I think the best part, though, for small businesses, though, is that Wix handles all the infrastructure and hosting tasks. This is a huge load off the shoulders of small biz owners or those that don't want to learn about/hassle with this stuff. But, as others have said, there are limitations and drawbacks to Wix. It isn't as flexible as WP. There aren't as many ready-to-use apps (aka plugins). You can't easily move the site to another platform down the road (like if your biz grows/evolves and you need a more bespoke or robust site), and there aren't as many developers/designers/etc. out there to provide expert assistance. I've heard that Wix isn't smiled upon by the SEO gods as much as WP sites. If you need help building a Wix site, give me a holler.
Managing Sites
WordPress: I've managed WP sites for several years and found the platform to be relatively straightforward to work with. It's relatively easy to learn how to do day-to-day tasks like adding/updating content to pages and posts, adding/removing users, managing content, etc. I think the tricky part for most people is managing the infrastructure and hosting side of things. For example, if you're a baker, do you really want to become an expert in site security? So you may find that you'll need to hire a service to help you manage the back-end stuff. Meaning ongoing costs of a WP site should be considered in your decisionmaking.
Wix: My experience with Wix is that it's
slower and more tedious to update and make minor enhancements (like add pages or tweak the color palette) than WP. BUT, it's VERY easy. If you can point-and-click — you're more than halfway there. You don't have to be tech-savvy at all. (Many businesses don't have too many everyday updates, so this might not be an issue.) And because Wix manages all the hosting and back-end gobbledygook, you don't have to. Life is good! Plus, Wix is improving its platform all the time and adding features/apps, so maybe it'll gain some ground on WP and SEO. These are the main reasons I like the option of Wix for small, non-tech businesses...at least as a starter site. If you need help maintaining your Wix site, feel free to reach out.
A Note on SEO
When we talk about SEO, we're usually referring to it in the context of Google search results (uh, what's Bing or Yahoo?). Google's SEO algorithm is a secret sauce, the recipe for which has lots of ingredients. And the ingredients and amounts of each (and sometimes the steps, too) change over time. My point here is that you should not be relying solely on your website (an ingredient, or group of ingredients) to rank well in search results. You should have a comprehensive communications strategy to support your SEO goals. It should include other ingredients and complimentary cooking methods: email marketing, blogging, backlinking, social media presence, etc.
Wrap Up
WP and Wix often serve different needs. WP is a tried-and-true platform that's robust and highly customizable. Using WP may mean higher up-front/ongoing costs and require more tech know-how. Wix is a newer, ever-evolving player, but may be a less flexible platform. It's very quick and easy to build and manage sites, especially since you don't have to worry about any of the back-end stuff. Cost-wise it may be a winner, especially if you have a limited budget.
Assess your business to figure out what's a good fit for you. As you think about this, consider not only where your biz is right now but what it's needs might be in the near-ish future (so you can build a site that works for you for hopefully at least three years).
Help & Resources
If you need help with your website project, give me a holler. Head to the Resources Center for some more goodies. And, be sure to stay connected by subscribing to my email list and via social media. This is how I tell the world about new blog posts and Resources that will help them strike back at their business challenges.
