Custom vs Template Website Design: What You Need To Know

Did you know some 'design agencies'
will pass template design off as 'custom'?

If you’re daunted by the prospect of a new website and don’t know which route to go down (custom vs template website) then panic no more, help is at hand.

Your website could be the first time that a new customer sees you, giving the right first impression is invaluable. We’ve listed some of the most important benefits of a custom design.

A template site does exactly what it says on the tin - it is purely a template for the user to change the text and images, but the layout and colours etc are fixed. Consider if a generic website is sending out the right message to your potential clients.

Chances are there are plenty of other businesses like yours that have opted for the template route, don’t you want to stand out from them and show your credibility?

Trust us, if your visitors see that your page is different they’ll trust your business.

Not all website templates are designed to be used across a number of devices, or responsive. Some templates have been around a while, so they won’t take advantage of the latest technology or trends. 

Not all templates will work across all web browsers either, a web designer will test on Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Internet Explorer etc. As these browsers are constantly improving with technology, having your website meet the latest standards will give you a greater chance to beat your competition.

With 3 billion people worldwide having access to the internet, and almost 40% of online browsing done on a mobile or tablet you really can’t afford to not have a responsive design.

Giving room for your website to grow alongside your business is very important. In the early days of your business you may only need a few pages, but you need to allow for expansion. You may want to add more pages or features to your website but that would mean buying a new template or hiring a web design agency to customise the template but that could be extremely costly.

With a bespoke website, designed for solely for you, you have the freedom to get the necessary changes made without a total upheaval.

Some templates will be out of date in terms of their coding, which means they can’t take advantage of the latest way Google ranks websites. This could be detrimental to your business as if people can’t find you, how are they going to get in touch?

Depending on the coding used on the template (often complicated) it could also have a huge impact on your loading time, if it takes too long your visitors (once they’ve found you) won’t hang around.

A custom website built by an experienced web developer will build your site so it’s optimised for search engines, and they’ll use the latest codes to the highest standards.

There are many benefits to connecting with other bloggers in your niche and they can offer advice on how to attract audiences to you.

A custom built website is designed and developed purely for you, with your business in mind. The web design agency will have a full briefing with you, learn about your business, challenges, team and your goals and objectives. With this information, the experienced designer will create a design that suits all of your needs and requirements. It’s not going to look the same as 1000’s of other pages out there, it will be unique.

You’ll also be in control of making changes, with a template you’re extremely limited apart from changing a few images. If you already have a brand identity, this can be mirrored across your site meaning that your online and offline (brochures, flyers, etc) publications are all in unison with each other meaning your customers can see brand recognition.

You may still be tempted go down the template route, but consider what you’re compromising on; quality, brand image and usability. Online presence is huge, and will continue to grow. Find an agency that can meet your business needs and will benefit you and your company.

GDD

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