Are you a business owner or manager looking to invest in a new website? If so, then you understand the important role a website plays in a business’s digital presence. If you’re asking yourself what kind of website best suits you — custom or ready-made WordPress themes — then continue reading. In this article we consider the basics of custom designed websites and WordPress templates. We take you through pros and cons of each and help you make a decision on what best suits you.
Custom Web Design
Investing in a custom-built website involves hiring a web design agency like us to create your website from scratch. Many small business owners and corporations opt for custom web design, as they are able to work with web design agencies to create a website based on their needs. Below, we take you through the pros and cons of getting a custom-built website.
Advantages:
Businesses seek to differentiate from one another to gain competitive advantage. Your website should be no should do this as well. Custom web design you can ensure that your website looks different to that of your industry competitors.
Custom-built websites can be designed to suit your goals and objectives. If you want a website designed to generate leads, that’s SEO optimised, or focuses on the user experience, then a custom website is the way to go. Discuss your goals with a web developer and they will build you a website with your objectives at top of mind.
Finally, hiring a web design agency to create a custom website for you means that you don’t need to worry about things such as domain name registration, website hosting, as well as maintenance and updates. This can all be taken care of for you, giving you peace of mind.
Disadvantages:
As with anything else, there are disadvantages to getting a custom designed website. The first is that custom built websites take time, unlike WordPress templates that are prebuilt. The other is cost. As your website is being built from scratch, requires coding and is being design to suit your needs, you will incur higher costs than going with a one-size-fits-all prebuilt WordPress template.
WordPress Templates:
There are an abundance of WordPress templates available on websites such as Theme Forest, Elegant Themes and Creative Market. WordPress themes are particularly popular with bloggers. Though, time-constrained and budget-wary managers may find pre-built templates to be an attractive option as well. As with custom-built websites, here are some advantages and disadvantages associated with going for a pre-built WordPress template.
Advantages:
WordPress templates are readily available in huge numbers; we’re talking hundreds of thousands. As such, they’re quite budget friendly. In fact, you may find a template for as little as $10 USD. There are even free templates out there, often created by web designers looking to enhance their portfolio.
WordPress templates ultimately save time. In essence, all you need to do is replace existing wording, images and other necessary content if you’re happy with the way the website looks. The only bits that will take a bit of time are domain name registration and hosting. Though, you can sort all that out within a couple of days.
Disadvantages:
One of the most obvious disadvantages of a WordPress theme is that your website will look similar to that of many other businesses. In fact, you can see just how many other people have downloaded the same WordPress template as you.
If you opt to go for a free WordPress template then expect to encounter coding issues. Ultimately, it will take a savvy web developer to find and fix these issues. Though, you’re far less likely to encounter coding issues when you buy a reputable WordPress template.
Conclusion:
That’s a wrap. You should now have a clearer picture of what avenue better suits you. If you’re a business owner looking to differentiate from your competition; build a website that revolves around your goals; as well as a website that you ultimately don’t have to worry about, then custom web design is the better option for you.
If, on the other hand, your needs aren’t quite demanding and you require a simple website that you can get up and running in no time or perhaps you want to start a blog, then a WordPress template may be the best option for you.
Contact us about your custom built website today:
At DesignQ, we have been building websites since 2005. Some of our clients — both past and present — include Coca Cola Amatil, Evolution Laser and Fiji Rum Co. All our websites are responsive and in line with the latest industry standards and practices.
Use the contact form below to get in touch with us for an obligation-free chat.
