2018 Review of Web Builder CS

From the Oct. 2018 reviews of Website Builders for accounting firms.

Web Builder CS is a good fit for firms of any size that use Thomson Reuters/CS Professional Suite applications, though the product can also be used as a stand-alone web building tool if desired.

Designed specifically for accounting professionals, Web Builder CS offers more than 70 free templates available in five styles, with classic and mobile friendly designs available. Users can choose to use one of the free templates as is, or have Web Builder CS personnel enhance the selected template with firm branding such as custom colors and fonts, along with a homepage main image. For those looking for additional customization, Web Builder CS also offers complete custom design or custom design with an animation option.

To start, users sign up on the Web Builder CS website and choose a template they’d like to use. The initial website is created by Web Builder CS, with users able to make any subsequent changes to the site as they desire.

The product offers a variety of default content when initially created, with firms having the option to use the content as it appears, or customize the pages to better suit their firm. Each website offers standard pages including a Home page, a Contact page, a Service Offering page, and a News page. Along with the standard pages, Web Builder CS allows users to add additional pages such as an About Us page, an Appointment Request option, a Privacy Policy page, along with videos or slideshows. Banking, financial, business and tax guides are available, and tax tools such as 1040 tax tips, tax rate information, tax due date information, and a document retention guide are also available to place on the website. Over 120 financial calculators are also available for easy client access.

A default newsletter option is available in Web Builder CS, or users can choose to utilize premium content, which can also be used in any company blog posts. Domain services including registration, transfers, and the addition of a new domain are all handled by Web Builder CS. Each firm is provided with five firm-branded email addresses, with additional addresses available if necessary.

Web Builder CS creates the initial website, with users able to then make any changes, additions, or edits in-house. For those that prefer a hands-off approach, Web Builder CS can also make the requested changes if desired. No HTML knowledge is required to make any website changes or changes to the newsletter, with users only needing to click on the page that they wish to modify in order to make changes. Logos, videos, and custom images can also be easily added in-house, using the Manage Image option included in the product.

Mentioned earlier in the review, users can opt for a standard template design or use Web Builder CS designers to create a completely custom website. The website is automatically submitted to popular search engines such as Google, Yahoo, and Bing, and users can easily link to popular social media sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Custom keywords and unique page can be added, and users can link to Google Analytics to view visitor statistics. Web Builder CS also offers users additional website content and marketing solutions that can be purchased at any time.

Additional features available in Web Builder CS include complete integration with Google Analytics, complete blog capability that integrates with social media sites, the ability to accept online payments on the website, and complete integration with a client portal, that allows firms to easily share documents with clients securely.

Like all CS Professional Suite applications, Web Builder CS includes excellent product help and resources that are readily accessible in the Help and How-to Center, where users can enter search terms that will display a number of help resources. Toll-free telephone support is available as is email support, or users can request help directly from the website.

Though Web Builder CS from Thomson Reuters can be used as a stand-alone web builder application, it is optimally designed to be used with other CS Professional Suite applications. Offering both standard and enhanced template options as well as a custom design option, Web Builder CS is sure to suit firms of any size. Standard template design is available at no cost, and is included in the $70.00 monthly subscription fee. Additional options available include an enhanced template design, which runs $475, custom design, which is $1,500, and custom design with animation, which is $2,500. Custom logo design is also available for $825, and domain registration costs $35 per year. A free 30-day trial is available for those that wish interested in trying out Web Builder CS prior to purchasing.

2018 Rating 4.75 Stars