{"version":"1.0.0","segments":[{"startTime":0.32,"endTime":3.96,"body":"Welcome to techbrood. With your host Greg Doig, we dive deep into the"},{"startTime":3.96,"endTime":6.96,"body":"latest tech trends, innovations and conversations that matter."},{"startTime":7.52,"endTime":11.24,"body":"Whether you're a tech enthusiast, industry professional, or just curious"},{"startTime":11.24,"endTime":14.96,"body":"about how technology is shaping our world, you found the right place."},{"startTime":15.28,"endTime":18.92,"body":"So grab your favorite drink, settle in and let's explore the fascinating"},{"startTime":18.92,"endTime":22.64,"body":"world of technology together. Welcome back to the podcast where we"},{"startTime":22.64,"endTime":26.32,"body":"distill the latest tech trends into digestible insights."},{"startTime":26.34,"endTime":30.1,"body":"Greetings. I'm your host Greg Doig and today we're diving into the world of website"},{"startTime":30.26,"endTime":34.02,"body":"builders in 2025. Whether you're a small business"},{"startTime":34.02,"endTime":37.42,"body":"owner, creative professional, or just someone looking to"},{"startTime":37.42,"endTime":41.14,"body":"establish an online presence, stick around as we explore the"},{"startTime":41.14,"endTime":44.94,"body":"tools that can help you build a stunning website without writing a"},{"startTime":44.94,"endTime":48.74,"body":"single line of code in our increasingly digital world"},{"startTime":49.06,"endTime":52.62,"body":"in our increasingly digital world, having a website has"},{"startTime":52.62,"endTime":56.19,"body":"become essential, but not everyone has the time, resources"},{"startTime":56.19,"endTime":59.95,"body":"or technical know how to build one from scratch. That's"},{"startTime":59.95,"endTime":63.43,"body":"where website builders come in. ZDNet recently"},{"startTime":63.43,"endTime":66.79,"body":"conducted comprehensive testing of 2025's top"},{"startTime":66.87,"endTime":70.71,"body":"subscription based website builders and we'll break down their"},{"startTime":70.71,"endTime":74.43,"body":"findings for you today. These platforms offer features"},{"startTime":74.43,"endTime":77.91,"body":"like AI site building, round the clock, customer support,"},{"startTime":78.15,"endTime":81.43,"body":"and SSL certificates to keep your site secure."},{"startTime":82.08,"endTime":85.68,"body":"Lets dive into the standouts from their research, starting with the overall"},{"startTime":85.68,"endTime":89.2,"body":"favorite, wix. WIX emerged as the top"},{"startTime":89.2,"endTime":92.56,"body":"choice for most users, and it's not hard to see why."},{"startTime":92.8,"endTime":96.48,"body":"Its key strength lies in flexibility. You can customize"},{"startTime":96.48,"endTime":100.04,"body":"almost any aspect of your design, integrate a wide range of"},{"startTime":100.04,"endTime":103.52,"body":"apps, and utilize robust marketing tools to grow your online"},{"startTime":103.52,"endTime":106.8,"body":"presence. But let's talk pros and cons of wix."},{"startTime":107.37,"endTime":111.01,"body":"On the plus side, wix offers intuitive drag and drop functionality"},{"startTime":111.01,"endTime":114.81,"body":"that makes design a breeze. Their AI tools can"},{"startTime":114.81,"endTime":118.09,"body":"even generate a basic site layout based on your preferences."},{"startTime":118.49,"endTime":122.17,"body":"The platform includes hundreds of professionally designed templates across"},{"startTime":122.17,"endTime":125.77,"body":"various industries, and their app marketplace lets you add"},{"startTime":125.77,"endTime":129.53,"body":"functionality like booking systems, forums, or advanced"},{"startTime":129.53,"endTime":133.33,"body":"analytics. However, Wix is imperfect. Some"},{"startTime":133.33,"endTime":137.17,"body":"users report that the editor can feel overwhelming with too many options."},{"startTime":137.65,"endTime":141.29,"body":"And while their basic plans are affordable, costs can add up"},{"startTime":141.29,"endTime":144.85,"body":"quickly as you add premium apps and features, so be careful"},{"startTime":144.85,"endTime":148.45,"body":"there. Next up is Squarespace, which ZDNet"},{"startTime":148.45,"endTime":151.81,"body":"highlighted as the Go to option for design enthusiasts."},{"startTime":152.13,"endTime":155.89,"body":"If aesthetics are your priority, Squarespace deserves your attention."},{"startTime":156.37,"endTime":159.85,"body":"The pros of Squarespace include truly stunning"},{"startTime":159.85,"endTime":163.33,"body":"templates that look professional right out of the box. Their"},{"startTime":163.33,"endTime":166.57,"body":"designs emphasize visual content, making them perfect for"},{"startTime":166.57,"endTime":170.37,"body":"photographers, artists and designers. The platform offers"},{"startTime":170.37,"endTime":173.89,"body":"built in features for selling products, accepting donations or"},{"startTime":173.89,"endTime":177.649,"body":"managing memberships, and their mobile optimization is top"},{"startTime":177.649,"endTime":181.17,"body":"notch. On the downside, Squarespace has a steeper learning"},{"startTime":181.17,"endTime":184.69,"body":"curve than some competitors. The design flexibility,"},{"startTime":184.93,"endTime":188.13,"body":"while impressive, isn't as extensive as wix,"},{"startTime":188.83,"endTime":192.63,"body":"and if you're running a complex e commerce operation, you might find their"},{"startTime":192.63,"endTime":196.27,"body":"tools somewhat limiting compared to dedicated e commerce platforms."},{"startTime":197.07,"endTime":200.59,"body":"Speaking of e commerce, let's talk about Shopify, which"},{"startTime":200.59,"endTime":203.95,"body":"ZDNet recommends for managing large online stores."},{"startTime":204.51,"endTime":208.19,"body":"Shopify's strengths lie in its comprehensive e commerce capabilities."},{"startTime":208.75,"endTime":212.15,"body":"The platform handles everything from inventory management to shipping"},{"startTime":212.15,"endTime":215.92,"body":"calculations and tax compliance. Their payment"},{"startTime":215.92,"endTime":219.76,"body":"processing is seamless, and they offer powerful analytics to track"},{"startTime":219.76,"endTime":223.24,"body":"your store's performance. For growing businesses, Shopify"},{"startTime":223.24,"endTime":226.92,"body":"scales exceptionally well, supporting stores with thousands of"},{"startTime":226.92,"endTime":230.44,"body":"products. And the cons? Well, Shopify is primarily"},{"startTime":230.44,"endTime":234.08,"body":"focused on selling, so if your site needs other functionality,"},{"startTime":234.08,"endTime":237.88,"body":"you might find it lacking. The platform is also one of the pricier"},{"startTime":237.88,"endTime":241.62,"body":"options, especially when you factor in transaction fees and"},{"startTime":241.62,"endTime":245.38,"body":"paid apps that many stores need. And customizing your store"},{"startTime":245.38,"endTime":249.22,"body":"beyond the template options often requires knowledge of their proprietary"},{"startTime":249.22,"endTime":252.9,"body":"liquid code. And now we can't discuss website"},{"startTime":252.9,"endTime":256.5,"body":"builders without mentioning WordPress, which comes in two flavors"},{"startTime":257.059,"endTime":260.26,"body":"WordPress.com with paid plans and the self hosted"},{"startTime":260.26,"endTime":264.1,"body":"WordPress.org WordPress.com offers paid plans"},{"startTime":264.1,"endTime":267.62,"body":"that bridge the gap between a simple website builder and and the full"},{"startTime":267.62,"endTime":271.42,"body":"WordPress experience. Their pros include a familiar WordPress"},{"startTime":271.42,"endTime":275.06,"body":"interface with simplified management, good blogging tools,"},{"startTime":275.06,"endTime":278.42,"body":"and the ability to use many WordPress themes and plugins"},{"startTime":278.66,"endTime":282.22,"body":"on high tier plans. The platform handles hosting,"},{"startTime":282.22,"endTime":285.42,"body":"security and updates for you. The Downsides"},{"startTime":285.42,"endTime":289.1,"body":"WordPress.com restricts plugin installations on lower tier"},{"startTime":289.1,"endTime":292.94,"body":"plans, limiting functionality. Their visual editor"},{"startTime":292.94,"endTime":296.67,"body":"isn't as intuitive as drag and drop builders like Wix \u0026"},{"startTime":296.67,"endTime":300.47,"body":"E Commerce features require more expensive plans. For"},{"startTime":300.47,"endTime":304.27,"body":"those seeking maximum control, there's the DIY option and you"},{"startTime":304.27,"endTime":307.91,"body":"go to WordPress.org to find that this"},{"startTime":307.91,"endTime":311.75,"body":"self hosted version gives you complete freedom to customize your site. With over"},{"startTime":311.75,"endTime":315.07,"body":"59,000 plugins and thousands of themes,"},{"startTime":315.47,"endTime":318.91,"body":"you own all your content and data and there are no restrictions on"},{"startTime":318.91,"endTime":322.63,"body":"monetization or functionality. However, this freedom"},{"startTime":322.63,"endTime":326.02,"body":"comes with responsibility. You'll need to arrange your own"},{"startTime":326.02,"endTime":329.54,"body":"hosting, handle security measures and manage updates."},{"startTime":329.78,"endTime":333.3,"body":"The learning curve is steeper, and while the software itself is free,"},{"startTime":334.18,"endTime":337.86,"body":"costs for hosting, premium themes and plugins can add up"},{"startTime":337.86,"endTime":341.66,"body":"quickly. The beauty of today's website building landscape is that"},{"startTime":341.66,"endTime":345.42,"body":"there's truly something for everyone. Whether you prioritize ease"},{"startTime":345.42,"endTime":349.14,"body":"of use, design flexibility, e commerce capabilities or"},{"startTime":349.14,"endTime":352.79,"body":"complete control, there's a platform that fits your needs and skill"},{"startTime":352.79,"endTime":356.59,"body":"level. And before we wrap up, here's a quick tip. Most of"},{"startTime":356.59,"endTime":360.35,"body":"these platforms offer free trials or money back guarantees, so"},{"startTime":360.35,"endTime":363.63,"body":"take advantage of these to test drive before committing to a"},{"startTime":363.63,"endTime":367.31,"body":"subscription. And there are plenty of other choices out there"},{"startTime":367.31,"endTime":371.15,"body":"today, and at times it can become overwhelming to try to decide which"},{"startTime":371.15,"endTime":374.59,"body":"website builder to use. That's all for today's"},{"startTime":374.59,"endTime":378.39,"body":"episode. If you enjoyed this breakdown, don't forget to subscribe for more"},{"startTime":378.39,"endTime":382.14,"body":"tech insights delivered in digestible formats. Till next"},{"startTime":382.14,"endTime":385.98,"body":"time, I'm Greg Doig encouraging you to start building your digital presence"},{"startTime":386.06,"endTime":386.46,"body":"today."},{"startTime":392.14,"endTime":395.86,"body":"Thank you for tuning in to another episode of techbrood. If you enjoyed"},{"startTime":395.86,"endTime":399.66,"body":"today's discussion, don't forget to subscribe. Wherever you get your podcasts,"},{"startTime":399.98,"endTime":403.82,"body":"have questions or suggestions for future topics, reach out on our"},{"startTime":403.82,"endTime":407.5,"body":"website or social media channels. Until next time. Greg"},{"startTime":407.5,"endTime":410.6,"body":"asked me to remind you that the future of tech is is brewing right now,"},{"startTime":410.68,"endTime":414.52,"body":"and we're all part of that journey. Stay curious, stay connected,"},{"startTime":414.52,"endTime":416.6,"body":"and we will catch you on our next episode."}]}