Choosing the Right Platform for Your Firm’s Search Visibility

The Real Question Architects Should Be Asking

“What’s the best website builder for SEO?”

👉 Wrong question.

The right question is:
“Which platform gives me control over SEO—without killing performance under a beautiful interface?”

Because here’s the truth: if you’re running an architecture or design studio, your website isn’t just a digital portfolio. It’s your sales funnel.

And if that funnel is built on a platform that hides you from Google?
You’re burning leads every single day.

This guide breaks down Webflow, Squarespace, Wix, and WordPress—with zero fluff and only SEO performance in mind.

The Big Trap: Beautiful ≠ Searchable

Most studios fall into the same trap:

“I want a platform that looks great and is easy to use.”

Fair. But Google doesn’t care how pretty your site is.

What Google cares about:

• Speed
• Clean structure
• Crawlability

So before you choose based on templates or drag-and-drop ease, let’s compare which builder gives you the best chance to rank.

The 5 SEO Criteria That Actually Matter

When evaluating website platforms for architects, only these factors move the SEO needle:

1. Clean, crawlable code.
2. Control of meta tags + URL structures.
3. Image optimization (critical for portfolio-heavy sites).
4. Speed + Core Web Vitals.
5. Advanced SEO features (schema, redirects, sitemaps, etc.).

Forget shiny add-ons. These five determine whether your site shows up—or stays buried.

Round 1: Crawlability + Code Cleanliness

Why it matters: Search engines read your site like a blueprint. Clean code = easier indexing.

• Webflow: Semantic HTML, customizable structure, light JS.
  Score: 9.5/10
• Squarespace: Bloated templates, AJAX issues.
  Score: 6.5/10
• Wix: Improved, but still heavy scripts.
  Score: 7/10
• WordPress is clean if built right, but plugin overload often leads to messy code. Performance depends heavily on theme choice and the developer.
  Score: 8/10

Verdict:

Webflow leads. WordPress can be excellent—but only if done right.

Round 2: Meta Tags + URL Control

Why it matters: Titles, descriptions, and slugs are SEO basics. Without them, you can’t signal relevance.

• Webflow: Full control (titles, descriptions, canonicals, OG data).
  Score: 9/10
• Squarespace: Basic only, no canonical control, some system URLs uneditable.
  Score: 6.5/10
• Wix: Better control now, but blog URLs still messy (/post/design-ideas-2025-8accc).
  Score: 7/10
• WordPress: Full control with Yoast/RankMath. Clean slugs, titles, and descriptions easy to manage.
  Score: 9/10

Verdict:

Webflow + WordPress tie for precision. Squarespace and Wix trail.

Round 3: Image Optimization (Critical for Architects)

Why it matters: Architecture sites = visual heavy. Bad image SEO = slow site + poor rankings.

• Webflow: Alt text, lazy loading, WebP support, responsive images.
  Score: 9/10
• Squarespace: Weak alt text setup, no WebP, limited control.
  Score: 5.5/10
• Wix: Lazy loading + WebP available, but compression control is limited.
  Score: 7/10
• WordPress: Strong with plugins (ShortPixel, Smush). Full alt text + WebP supported. But only if configured correctly.
  Score: 8.5/10

Verdict:

Webflow is easiest out of the box. WordPress can be just as strong—with setup discipline.

Round 4: Speed + Core Web Vitals

Why it matters: Page speed is now a ranking factor—and your clients won’t wait longer than 3 seconds.

• Webflow: AWS hosting + clean code = sites score 90+ in PageSpeed Insights.
  Score: 9/10
• Squarespace: Bloated templates = slow LCP, especially mobile.
  Score: 6/10
• Wix: Major improvements since 2021, still script-heavy.
  Score: 7.5/10
• WordPress: Can be blazing fast—or painfully slow. Performance depends on theme + hosting. Requires optimization (caching, CDNs, plugin discipline).
  Score: 8/10

Verdict:

Webflow is fastest out of the box. WordPress matches it only with expert setup.

Round 5: Advanced SEO Features

Why it matters: Redirects, schema, robots.txt—these separate casual sites from serious SEO performers.

• Webflow: Redirect manager, custom schema, XML sitemaps, robots.txt editing.
  Score: 9/10
• Squarespace: Auto sitemaps only, weak redirects, no schema control.
  Score: 6/10
• Wix: Structured data editor, redirects, basic SEO wizard.
  Score: 7.5/10
• WordPress: Full schema control, 301s, robots.txt, XML sitemap (with plugins). Almost unlimited flexibility.
  Score: 9.5/10

Verdict:

WordPress is most flexible for advanced SEO. Webflow is strong and simpler.

Final SEO Scores

👉 Clear SEO leader:

Webflow. WordPress can match it—but only with expert setup. Wix is okay for starters. Squarespace is style-first, SEO-last.

Which Platform Should Architects Use?

• Webflow → Best balance of SEO + visual control. Perfect for firms serious about visibility and aesthetics.
• WordPress → Best if you need maximum flexibility and have a developer/agency managing it.
• Wix → Best for DIY studios just starting out. Gets you online fast, SEO is “good enough.”
• Squarespace → Best only if SEO doesn’t matter. Good for looks, bad for ranking.

The Webflow vs WordPress Debate

Both Webflow and WordPress can power serious SEO. The difference:

• Webflow: Clean out of the box. Visual designer + control without plugins. Slightly harder learning curve.
• WordPress: Unlimited customization. But requires constant plugin management, security updates, and performance tuning.

👉 For architects, the tradeoff is simple:

• If you want SEO + speed without bloat → Webflow.
• If you want flexibility and are okay managing plugins → WordPress.

How to Maximise SEO on Any Platform

Regardless of platform, non-negotiables are:

1. Optimize Images (compress, alt text, filenames).
2. SEO-Driven Service Pages (keyword in H1, fast load, CTA).
3. Internal Links + Blogging (support service pages, build authority).
4. Google Search Console Setup (submit sitemap, track coverage + Core Web Vitals).

👉 SEO is not a plugin. It’s a system.

TL;DR SEO Platform Verdict

Your Platform Either Fuels or Fails Your SEO

If your site isn’t ranking, converting, or loading fast—don’t just blame SEO.

👉 Blame the platform (and how it was set up).

• Webflow = control.
• WordPress = flexibility.
• Wix = convenience.
• Squarespace = constraint.

Choose wisely—or get help.

See What’s Holding Your Site Back

Whether you’re on Webflow, WordPress, Wix, or Squarespace, if inquiries aren’t coming in—we’ll show you why.

👉 Start Your Free SEO Visibility Diagnostic
For architecture + design firms only. No fluff. Just data + clear fixes.

Website Builders + SEO for Architects

Q1: Is Webflow good for SEO?
Yes. It’s the cleanest builder for SEO.

Q2: Can WordPress beat Webflow?
Yes—with expert setup. But plugin bloat and speed issues are common if unmanaged.

Q3: Can Wix rank?
Yes. It’s improved, but lacks the power of Webflow/WordPress.

Q4: Why is Squarespace weak?
It’s built for aesthetics, not visibility: poor alt text, slow load, limited meta control.

Q5: Should I switch platforms?
If you’re serious about SEO and stuck on Squarespace/Wix → yes. For WordPress users hitting speed/security issues, Webflow is a strong alternative.

The Adswom Edge

At Adswom, we build SEO-first websites for architecture + design firms.

• Webflow builds optimized for visibility.
• WordPress sites fixed + streamlined for speed.
• Migrations from Squarespace/Wix that preserve rankings.

👉 Book Your Free Visibility Consultation
Turn your website into a lead engine—built for both beauty and discoverability.