Which website platform should I use? 

I skipped that question because I’m the WordPress Fairy Godmother. I know WordPress isn’t great for everyone but I’ve worked with it for over 16 sixteen years and frankly I’m not sure if I want to learn anything else at the moment. That may change. 

I don’t know the back end of Squarespace or Wix, and I tend to see that Squarespace websites look better than Wix, but I haven’t made a study of them.

I have moved clients from Wix to WordPress when they perceive they’ve outgrown Wix. 

I know that the WordPress platform (which is separate from self hosted WordPress which is what I use) has a free tier and then charges for every little you want after that. For some people that may be worth it. 

When “Which website platform should I use?”  is answered in Facebook groups the answers fall into separate groups:

• This worked for me and it’s amazing which is often genuine
• This is my jam please send me a DM (selling their service)
• What do you want the website to do? Which is a rare question and the right one in my opinion.  

People often think about the platform first and what they want it to do for their business second, if at all.  

I asked AI chatgpt “what would you need to know in order to recommend the best website platform for my service business?”

It answered with a lot of waffle, sorry I mean helpful advice,  and these questions:

• What service you offer

• How clients currently find you

• Whether you need bookings/payments

• Your tech comfort level (be honest 😄)

• Budget range

• Whether you already have a website (and what you hate about it)

I answered those questions supplying the services I already had, and what I might want in the future.

For question 5, budget, I said I didn’t know because I find that most people don’t know.

For question 6, current website, I said I wanted it to ignore my current website because I didn’t want it to automatically choose WordPress based on what I already had.   

The answers it gave me were WordPress, which is no surprise since I told it I offer WordPress services, Squarespace or for the future Kajabi.

Here are the AI responses.

Why WordPress?

You already sell WordPress services → your site becomes your best proof

Full control over SEO (useful if you ever shift beyond referrals)

No platform lock-in

You can build exactly the workflow you want

Why Squarespace?

Why you might choose it

• You don’t want to spend time maintaining your own stack

• You want something that “just works”

• Your business is currently referral-driven (SEO not critical yet)

Where it falls short

• Less flexible than WordPress

• You’ll hit limits if you expand into more complex offers

• Slightly ironic given your niche (you support WordPress!)

 

Why Kajabi?

Why it’s not ideal right now

• Expensive

• More than you need

• You’re not yet running a content-heavy or course-based business

This becomes relevant later if you pivot into:

• WordPress training

• Memberships

• Digital programs

I asked the question: why didn't it consider Wix? 

I didn’t suggest Wix because:

It solves problems you don’t have
And creates limitations you will run into

Why It’s Not a Great Fit For You

1. You’re a WordPress specialist

This is the big one.

If a potential client checks your site and sees it’s built on Wix, there’s a subtle disconnect:

“Wait… you help with WordPress, but don’t use it?”

It doesn’t kill trust—but it doesn’t help it either.

2. It’s more limiting than you’ll tolerate

You’ve got a programming background. That changes everything.

Wix will feel:

• Constrained

• Slightly “boxed in”

• Annoying when you want to customise workflows

Especially when compared to WordPress.

Booking + payments are… fine, not great

Wix Bookings works—but:

• Less flexible than dedicated tools

• Not as clean for multiple service types/pricing structures

• Can feel clunky as you expand

You can make it work.
You just won’t love it.

Back to me.

I’m not giving you an answer

Sorry - not sorry.

I haven’t answered the question to which website platform you should use because I don’t know you, your business and what you want from your website. 

If you're not sure what your website can do for your business, think about your business goals and how a team member could help you. What tasks could they do? Now think how your website can take on some of those tasks such taking contact details, booking meetings, taking payment for bookings and more. 

Whether you want AI chatgpt to make suggestions for you or not, understand that the final decision is always yours.        

If you decide to work with a web designer, whatever the platform, remember that these questions are still relevant. 

• What service(s) do you offer?

• How do clients currently find you?

• Whether you need bookings/payments

• Your tech comfort level (be honest 😄)

• Budget range

• Whether you already have a website (and what you love / hate about it)

If your web designer is not asking you these kinds of questions, it’s unlikely that your website will be successful.I’m talking from experience here because I didn’t used to ask as many questions when I was starting out.

A website may look pretty, it may have good branding, it may function well, but a successful website needs more than that. It needs to be aligned with your business goals and have a strategy behind it.

If you use the chatgpt AI prompts, please let me know how you get on with it.

If you want a quick chat about whether WordPress is right for you, book a 15 minute call at https://www.kisswpwebsites.com.au/WP-15-free