If you own a business, chances are you have a website or at least plan on getting one. Whether you’ve yet to partner with a reputable web design firm or you have in the past but aren’t satisfied, we can help you discern how to decide between a custom website and a template website. Both have their advantages and disadvantages; ultimately, it’s up to you to decide which one is best for your business and budget.
Template Websites
Pros
There are many instances where template websites are best for you at this point in time, particularly if you are just starting out and have a limited budget. Template websites provide you with inspiration on designs, themes, color combinations, layouts and features, and you can play around with each one until you find just the right match. Budget is another consideration. If you’re a start-up and need to get a website up and running quickly at a low cost, templates may be for you. They’re often free or very low cost, plus you can design it just the way you want.
Cons
Because template websites are free or low cost, many people just like you are using them. That means your design is not unique, unless you pay up for that privilege. However, others may have already purchased that template design prior to your purchase, so it’s really not unique after all. If you’re going to spend money, you might as well hire a professional web design company for a unique design that’s all yours! In addition, you’re quite limited as far as customization goes on your template website. Special graphics and photos you want to incorporate might not be compatible.
Template websites are generally not search engine friendly, damaging your marketing efforts. And lastly, due to outdated coding, your website may fail to work on all browsers.
Custom Website
Pros
Hiring a professional web design and development company goes a long way toward ensuring your website is 100 percent unique. No one else has quite the same design, colors, text, graphics and photos. A professional design team works hard to come up with a customized logo for your business that can carry through on other marketing items such as print materials. Your website is designed from the get-go to be search engine friendly, with updated coding that allows all web browsers to display it properly. Your web design team can sit down with you to come up with a list of must-have features that you want incorporated — including a wish list that you can tap into down the line if your budget starts to open up. You’ll also benefit from adaptability and scalability with a custom website, which means your website will have the capacity to handle a growing amount of work as your business expands. You also have a web master who is always on hand to help you correct site issues or address technical concerns. With a template website, you’re on your own in terms of troubleshooting.
Cons
In contrast with a template website which can go live in a day, a custom website often takes weeks or months to create due to all the elements that must go into the design, from content creation to SEO keyword research. With a template website, you can pay as little as zero dollars to about $75, whereas a professional website can run you thousands, depending on how elaborate a site you want.
That being said, always remember you get what you pay for. If your business is starting to take off and get successful, you need professional web design to propel you to the next level of exposure. Without it, you will stagnate. Plus, customers can spot a cheap site a mile away and will be turned off if you come across as unprofessional. As a business owner, there are many areas you can cut corners on. Web design shouldn’t be one of them. From traffic and SEO to branding and conversion rates, the design of your website affects your entire Internet presence, says Forbes.
Let our professional web design team help your business get noticed through the use of a clean, professional-looking, well-designed website that demands attention!
