General

The ICDSoft Website Builder – Create Any Type of Website with Ease

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Web design software has evolved a lot in the past decade. Static websites gave way to dynamic database-driven ones; new frameworks allowed web developers to create large portals with advanced functionalities. A number of cloud website builders appeared on the market, tempting customers with their ease of use. Nonetheless, most people still prefer to use a standard hosting plan as it is easier to manage compared to other platforms, and includes services such as email or detailed traffic statistics that are usually not provided by cloud site builders.

Most hosting providers include a site builder in their hosting plans. Some applications are easy to use and include a lot of features; others have not been updated for years, but people are usually stuck with them if they don’t feel confident enough to redesign their site with a different application. In this article, we will tell you a little bit more about the ICDSoft Website Builder - a tool we added to our hosting plans some time ago. We will show you the vast range of websites you will be able to create with ease, even if you are not tech-savvy at all.

The advantages of the ICDSoft Website Builder

You will find lots of website builders on the market - in-house and third-party ones; self-hosted or cloud builders. The ICDSoft Website Builder is a point-and-click application that you can install with a couple of clicks in your hosting Control Panel – choose a domain/subdomain, select a theme, click on the Install button and you will be all set. The application has many advantages, and we have listed some of them:

  • Industry-specific and general-purpose themes. You will find lots of different themes to choose from before or after you create your website. Some of them are general-purpose ones, and can be used for any type of website. Others are industry-specific, so you can browse the category you need and choose the one you like the most. When you switch a theme, you can choose to change only the design, to replace the homepage blocks, or to replace the content on all menu subpages. For any theme, you can select over 100 different color schemes.
  • Multiple plugins/modules. You can add lots of different blocks on any website page, so you can build a professional website and add various types of content without any hassle. We will look at some of them below. You can add different functionalities or integrate different services even if you have no experience building websites.
  • Very easy to use. You can add any block with a couple of clicks and edit any block on the page just as easily. If you want to rearrange the blocks on the page, you can simply drag-and-drop them where you need them. To edit a module, just mouse over it and select the option you need.
  • Mobile-friendly websites. Using the ICDSoft Website Builder, you can create mobile-friendly websites as all themes are responsive. You won’t have to worry if your website will be responsive and if it will look good on mobile devices. You can even preview the site in mobile and tablet modes with a few clicks.
  • Multiple undo steps. If you add or delete something by mistake and save the change, or even do a few more actions, you can easily undo them with a click. Our Website Builder can undo up to 20 consecutive actions. This feature will give you peace of mind that you will not lose any content by mistake.
  • Frequent updates. One major advantage of the ICDSoft Website Builder is that it is updated frequently with new features, modules and templates, and you can update it to the latest version for any of your websites with a click. Unlike other site builders, you will not have to wait for our developers to perform a server-wide update. This is the case with many other providers and sometimes you must wait for months for some software to be updated. With our Website Builder, you can take advantage of the latest updates right away. We must point out that some features or languages have been added after client requests, which is also something not very common in the industry.

How to add or edit content

As we mentioned above, adding or editing content is very easy. The Content menu on the left side of the page will give you access to various blocks, modules and widgets. You can add any of them with a click on the page where you need it.

Text and image blocks

If you want to add standard content, you will find a number of pre-made blocks in the Content menu. Features, Testimonials, Pricing, Call-to-action buttons and other text blocks are just a few examples of the things you will find.

A double-click in a text box will allow you to edit its content. A bar with options to change the heading type and the font properties will open automatically. You can add or replace an image just as easily – just click on the image holder. Adding a link to an image takes a click as well. For any block that you add, you can also edit colors, shading, etc., and create a truly unique layout.

You can even create your own block, choosing all the elements in it – text, images, buttons, etc. This option is useful if you want to reuse a custom block on multiple pages. If you want to make some custom modifications to any block, you can view its entire HTML code directly.

In addition to your own images, you can use a rich built-in library as well. You will find lots of free and paid images and graphics that you can add to your site or save in your image galleries. This way, you can easily customize the look of your website.

Modules

The Content section is the place where you can choose modules that you can add to your website as well. These are more advanced blocks that are designed for a certain function. You can select a shopping cart, a voting poll, an audio player, a gallery, and many more from the Apps sub-menu. To edit a specific module, just mouse over the block on the page and select the Modify module option.

The same section also allows you to integrate a number of third-party services using service-specific modules. For instance, you can add a live chat from Tawk.to or Smartsupp, track the traffic to your site by integrating Hotjar, or add an appointment block from Calendly or Cal.com. You will only have to add your unique ID or HTML code to the module, so you won’t have to add any service manually.

You will notice that there is a separate first-level menu called Apps. Here you can edit the global settings for each module, so if you add that module to multiple pages, it will use these settings. In contrast, from Content -> Apps you can only add a module on a single page and then edit its settings for that page.

For example, from the Apps menu you can create a new gallery and add images to it, while from Content -> Apps you can add any existing gallery to a page. Or, from the Apps menu you can create a newsletter and manage its content and subscribers; from Content -> Apps you can add the Newsletter module to the page where you want to place the subscription form for the website visitors.

Elfsight widgets

Our Website Builder includes a large third-party widget library as well. The widgets are similar to the built-in modules, but they are offered by a company called Elfsight, and they are integrated in the Website Builder. You will find a full list if you go to Content -> Apps -> Elfsight Widgets. The widgets will give you a huge choice of functionalities that you can integrate into your site with a few clicks. A few examples are a social media feed, a weather forecast, Airbnb/Etsy/BBB reviews, document embeds, etc. Elfsight offers free and paid tiers for their widgets.

The main difference between the plans is the number of times a particular widget will be displayed on the website. If you don’t want to use a paid plan for some widget, you can usually use the Custom HTML Code module of the Website Builder and add the code of the third-party service that you want to integrate in your website.

Types of websites you can create

The ICDSoft Website Builder is a multi-purpose application. You can use it to create various types of websites, not just personal or business ones. We have listed several types of websites that you can create, as well as some themes and modules that you can add for a particular type.

Blog

While platforms like WordPress may be more suitable to start a blog, the ICDSoft Website Builder is a good choice as well, especially if the blog will be an addition to a website created with the builder. You can add a Blog module and select the layout design of the articles, enable/disable comments and email notifications, add a verification form to prevents bots from posting comments, and even set an expiry date for certain posts if they should be online only temporarily.

Portfolio

If you need a website to demonstrate your work, you can use themes such as Photographer or Writer. The Image gallery and Slider modules will be useful to show paintings, graphic design, photographs, etc. If you offer video editing services, use the Video module to embed your videos. For content writing services, you can use any suitable text block, or even the Downloadable product option in the Shop module for flyers, e-books and other demo content that should be in a specific file format.

Restaurant

If you own a restaurant (fine dining, fast food, take-out, etc.), you can use more than ten different themes – Restaurant, Pizzeria, Café, Bakery, Sushi, etc. They will be a good basis to start with. You can easily add the Restaurant menu module from the Content section, and for every dish, you can add a description, an image, a price, and you can even mark any dish as spicy or dietary (kosher, halal, vegan, etc.). The latter is done through the Apps section of the ICDSoft Website Builder. You can also add a gallery with images of your place and the dishes you prepare, and an event calendar, if you offer special events. You can read more in our article “Building a restaurant website - 10 Must-haves”.

Hairdresser/Makeup artist

You will find a number of suitable themes – Nail Saloon, Hairdresser, Spa, Wellness. Add photos of your work to a slider or an image gallery using the corresponding modules from the Apps menu, a list of your services from the Content menu, and an appointment schedule from Content -> Apps. You can also add a pricing list and testimonials from happy customers using the blocks with the same names.

Online store

A number of e-commerce templates are available. You can use the Shop module from the Apps menu, which will allow you to set up your store in a few steps. For any product that you add, you can add a description and an image, set a regular/current price with or without tax, add quantity, weight and other attributes, and even mark a product as a downloadable one, such as an e-book or an image, for example. The module allows you to manage orders, customers and promo codes. You can also add payment methods and delivery options, manage email templates and choose the layout of the shop home page.

You can also add an image gallery, a live chat and an FAQ section to make your website more appealing to customers. Each of these modules can be configured with ease and added on any page with a couple of clicks. You can track the behavior of your customers by using the Google Analytics or Hotjar modules. Find out more about building a store with the ICDSoft Website Builder.

Home repairs / Gardening

You will find two categories of templates in the ICDsoft Website Builder that you can use here - Home & Garden and Architecture & Construction. If you are an electrician or a plumber, or if you offer roof repairs, gardening, home decor services, etc., you need a website to promote your services and find new customers. You can use several blocks here – Features, Pricing and Testimonials will be suitable for such a website. You can also add an image gallery with images of your work, and a map for people to find you and to see the area you can cover. You can do the latter from the Apps section of the Website Builder.

Events / Weddings

If you want to build a website for a wedding, for a birthday or for some other event, you can choose one of the templates from the Events category. Depending on the occasion, you can add an RSVP form using the Form builder module, an image gallery, more information about the event using the Features block, and a schedule, created with the Events calendar module. Find out more about building a wedding website here: https://www.icdsoft.com/blog/building-a-wedding-website-here-is-what-you-need-on-it/ . The content you see in this article applies to most types of event-oriented websites.

Fitness/Sports/Yoga

If you want to build a website for a gym or for a yoga class, for example, you have a number of templates to choose from. The Sports & Fitness category includes fifteen thematic templates that you can customize. Add the Features block to show what you offer, an Event calendar module for the workout/class schedule, if there is one, and a Testimonials block to show the website visitors what existing customers think about your gym/class. You can also offer video content either by embedding videos using the Video module, or by offering paid downloads using the Shop module.

Business website

If you simply need a website for your business and you believe that it doesn’t fit in the categories above, you can use most of the templates that are available in the ICDSoft Website Builder. You will find a Business & Services category, but you are not bound to use only these themes. All themes come with Contact and About Us pages, so you can only add some company-specific information using the Features block, a Teams block to present your colleagues, and you are all set. Of course, you can add any other block you need as well, depending on the content that you would like to have on your business website.

Wrap-up

The ICDSoft Website Builder is a great alternative to the cloud site builders and the self-hosted solutions that you will find on the market. It is very user-friendly and comes with lots of pre-made blocks and modules that will help you to create almost any type of website within a matter of hours. You can choose from more than 70 general and industry-specific templates, which you can fully customize to build a unique website. Any block can be customized with a couple of clicks, while modules are very easy to set up, so you can add various functionalities or integrate third-party services even if you have never built a website before.

Author

A web hosting provider since 2001. We host over 58,000 websites for customers in over 140 countries around the globe.

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