How to Create a HTML5 Website With Wix

 

23 million websites have been created using Wix. Wix websites are very easy to customize, and do not require knowledge of any HTML coding whatsoever. Using Wix, artists can create an entire portfolio site of their own in a very short time, and best of all - it is free!

There are hundreds of template designs to choose from - each of them can be customized with colors, fonts, layout, widgets, and more. Easily create artist websites, online shops, Facebook pages, mobile sites, and art blogs.

 

 

HTML5 vs Flash Websites

Wix is famous for their flash websites but recently they have included the capability to create HTML5 sites (which in my opinion is a very smart move). HTML5 is the most recent version of the language used for creating websites, and has capabilities which were previously only possible with Flash and Javascript.

If you have been reading for awhile, you probably know my opinion of flash, an opinion which is shared by many web designers. Flash does look great the first time you see it, but after a couple times it becomes annoying seeing the same animation over and over. Flash sites are infamous for a high bounce rate and poor user experience. It is slow loading and not everyone can view it. To make the matter worse for Flash, search engines do not recognize it.

So, lets say an artist has a flash website with thousands of images in a slideshow. The images will not be indexed, and consequently not show up on Google Image Search. But, on the other hand, images and content in HTML5 can be seen by Google Search.  

I recently had the opportunity to take a look at Wix’s new HTML5 website builder. I really like how very easy it is to create a website in a very short time. Nearly everything is customizable. There is complete control over the layout and design of the website. I really enjoyed exploring all the various features of the Wix HTML5 editor. Below, I will explain briefly how to signup for a free Wix site and choose a template for an artist website.

 

Selecting a HTML5 Template in Wix

 

1. Go to Wix.
   
   Click the big purple Start Creating button. The first thing you should do is signup, so hit the Signup link at the top-right. Then, click Create New Account in the box which pops up. Enter an email and password, then click GO!
   
   
2. Choosing a Template
   
   See the list of template categories on the left? There are all sorts of categories here, from Business and Services to Facebook templates, but the one I will choose for this tutorial is Design & Art (the Photography category has some great templates as well).
   
   
3. Various sub-categories appear. The one you choose will depend on your purpose. I will choose the Artist category, but there are literally hundreds of possible templates for artists here.
   
   
4. Select whether you want a listing of Flash sites or HTML5 sites (or both) by clicking the appropriate button at top. The Flash or HTML5 symbol appears at the top of each template preview. If you don’t like any on that page, proceed to the next page by clicking the next number on the bottom menu.
   
    
5. Click the View button to view a full sized preview of the site.  Take some time to select the perfect one, and imagine your art on there. I’m selecting the Artist-Painter template on the second page of the HTML5 template list. Click the Edit button in the bottom corner of the template preview.
   
   
6. Watch the Quick Tour video. They make it seem so easy.
   
   It really is very simple to create a portfolio site with Wix!
   
   I will show you step by step how to do it in the next post in this Wix series. 

 

Stay tuned for an upcoming post featuring a complete walkthrough of the Wix HTML5 editor main features. In further posts, I will also be providing specific design and SEO advice as related to the new Wix HTML5 website builder. If you are thinking about creating an art site with Wix, why not do it now, and take advantage of these free tutorials and tips I will be providing.

From my perspective, Wix is the perfect solution for artists who have no website. There is no risk! It is completely free to setup, upload artworks, and try it all out for yourself. Plus, when you are ready for a more professional presence, there are the premium packages. View these by visiting Wix here - click Start Creating, Premium at the top, then Wix Premium Plans right below Go Premium.

Do you have a Wix art site of your own? Feel free to post it below.