There are many tools and resources one can use to design and develop their own website in 2021. Gone are the days when you had to know how to hand-code and upload your website yourself to enjoy having a website of your own. 

You won't find a disagreement from us on just how useful of a skill knowing how to hand-code your website can be, but modern tools have made the process so much easier. There are platforms like Webflow, WordPress, Wix, and Squarespace in which you can have a website developed within hours. 

How cool is that? 

Here at Design Epicenter, we exclusively use Webflow to design and develop our websites. Now, you might be asking yourself, "What is Webflow, and why do we love it so much?" 

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Welcome To The No-Code Movement

Webflow is a design and development tool in which the user can design their website visually. Any update you make, you can see in real-time, all while the program is writing the code in the background. What makes this so powerful is you can design your website just how you envision it, and the code will be clean and meet developer standards for HTML, CSS, and Javascript. 

 "Give ordinary people the right tools, and they will design and build the most extraordinary things."

 —Neil Gershenfeld

What used to take months can now be done in a couple of hours. It's all part of this great movement revolving around no-code tools. However, we like to tell people that no-code turns into "know code" real quick while working with Webflow because the elements you use while designing all keep their code names and properties. 

To illustrate, when designing and developing your website in Webflow, you start with an element called a "div block." Div blocks are the most basic HTML element. They are used for sections, containers, and wrappers, among other things. If you were to inspect the code of any of your favorite websites, you will notice that the code in your browser also calls this element a "div."

Don't worry if you never developed a website before. While this might seem intimidating at first, Webflow has you covered. Webflow University features many in-depth tutorials and resources to help you learn the platform.

Fast And Reliable Hosting

No discussion about Webflow would be complete without discussing their fast and reliable hosting plans. 

It's human nature to desire instant gratification, and the same applies to visitors visiting your website. 

According to a 2011 study, users form an opinion on a website within 0.05 seconds of landing on it. There is no question that time is of the essence regarding site speed and load time. In addition, another survey found that 70% of users indicated that a website's load time impacted their buying decision. 

Webflow uses two content distribution networks, Fastly and Amazon Web Services, to ensure your website always loads as fast and as efficiently as possible. 

Furthermore, Webflow offers free SSL certificates for all websites hosted on the platform. SSL certificates are what you see when you visit a website that starts with https: compared to those that begin with http:. The "s" in https indicates the website has an SSL certificate. 

These certificates keep data on your website secure and encrypted. It protects items such as customer data, ensuring your customers will always be at ease when entering important information such as their credit card information on your website. 

Update Your Website With Ease

What truly differentiates Webflow from the rest of the pack is the ability to edit your website without having to go into the designer view. The Webflow editor allows you or your client the ability to edit the website without worrying about breaking the layout.  You can edit the text in your headings, paragraphs, and even buttons. 

Work with a team? The Webflow editor allows you to invite collaborators, so you and your team can work together.  You'll be able to see what each other is working on, a necessity in a time where most people are working remotely. 

The benefits don't end there. Because Webflow doesn't utilize plugins,  SEO settings can also be updated inside the editor.  Control how your website appears on search results and social media with ease. 

The Tool You Need 

As you can see, we believe Webflow presents a great opportunity in the world of web design and development. The ability to create the website you envision has never been as accessible. 

As Professor Neil Gershenfeld, Director of MIT's Center for Bits and Atoms, once stated, "Give ordinary people the right tools, and they will design and build the most extraordinary things." 

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