Traditionally, having robust software tools for one’s business required custom development. In the last few years, digital tools for building websites and applications have grown tremendously in flexibility and power. These so called “No-Code” solutions enable people to build software without any custom development at all.
For example, if you were launching an online retail brand, previously you would have needed a $100k+ custom software development budget to get started. Now you can use Shopify to get a store up and running easily; Klayvio to automate your email marketing; Convertkit to build customized landing pages; Airtable to give you powerful business analytics; with Zapier to connect the dots.
This is revolutionary for small businesses, particularly those starting from scratch. No-code tools can be learned and operated more easily by entrepreneurs themselves, saving lots of money on consultants. The team can make changes directly, eliminating latency with external teams.
However, while no-code solutions enable teams to manage more of their own tech stack, it’s not easy. No-code tools can be tremendously complex. Since they need to be customized to suit the business utilizing them, most benefit substantially from a professional design approach so that they look clean and legitimate to users. When it comes to websites, many no-code sites suffer from speed, usability, and accessibility issues that can harm their effectiveness and open up their owners to legal liability.
The Future of Agency Work with No-Code
Some in the agency world have feared that no-code will be detrimental to the business of making websites. We don’t think so. Instead, we see these tools as a new medium through which we can deliver value from our expertise in digital marketing.
Over the last few years, we have started to get fewer inquiries from small business clients who want to put up a quick site. The marketing footprint of Squarespace and Wix has grown to such a large extent that many small business owners are thinking of those tools first. We have started to receive a lot of inquiries about fixing issues with a no-code site, managing them, customizing them, and augmenting them.