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Site Build It! Vs. WordPress
This week, we take a question that’s been debated for years in online forums and Facebook pages – which is a better platform for launching an online business? WP or SBI? As someone who started out using Site Built It! many years ago, I’m a huge fan of their system.
Rachel, my wife has used it for years with her scrapbooking site. I’ve watched her go from someone with no online marketing experience and a simple site concept written in a notebook, to profitable passive income producing website – all from using their step by step system.
Site Built It! supporters often make the point that SBI is not just a website builder. It’s a complete e-commerce system. In other words, a “business in a box”. I think on this point, they’re dead on. Which is why I will occasionally recommend SBI to someone who wants to make money online but has absolutely no experience in creating an online business. The complete step by step training is almost worth the $300 you pay for the first year alone.
That said, there are some obvious shortcomings of Site Build It which I have a hard time overlooking. The biggest being a lack of design flexibility that you get with so many of WordPress’s open source plugins. With WordPress, you can find a plugin for just about any function you need under the sun. Not so with Site Build It! Most of the design templates for SBI are very simple. Think basic 90′s looking website.
Many people like this. They argue “Your site should be about the content, not the fancy, smancy design”. On some levels this is true. I think people do often get too caught up in the way the design of their site looks instead of focusing on the main thing. Content is king. That might make “design” the queen right?
My problem with the simplistic approach is that if I decide I want to add a podcast into the mix of my SBI site on “Best Back Packing Trips”, it’s very difficult unless I’ve got a coding background.
With WordPress it’s easy to add a podcast into the mix. I just install the Powerpress plugin. and then plug the mp3 url from Libsyn in.
The simple answer if there is one is to assess your understanding of online marketing and how e-commerce works. If you just want to create a website or blog, go with WordPress. If you’re serious about creating a substantial business and have a long term approach go with SBI. It will give you the solid foundation you need for creating online revenue for years to come. Russell and I both discuss this on the show.
Membership Site Question
Levi asks a question about three possible niche markets for membership site that he and his wife are planning to setup. This site pertains to something his wife has experience and talent in – jewelry. Specifically Native American jewelry. We’ll be discussing their options and giving our opinion on which specific market to pursue.
Best Place for Finding Talented Graphic Design Person (Outside of Fiverr)
Staci wants to know the best place for finding a graphic design person experienced with PhotoShop to help her with images for her website. She not sold on Fiverr and would like our opinion on some other places we recommend for talent she can work with on a regular basis. We’ll be sharing our thoughts on this. We recommend some of the regular sites like Elance, Odesk and Freelancer.
There is one other site that I recommend that rarely mentioned for outsourcing jobs like this as well. We’ll be discussing this free site for finding local talent.
We’ll be answering these questions and more!
Have a great rest of the week and a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend! 
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