Web design these days typically falls into two categories. On the one hand you have templates, sometimes referred to as “themes.” You’ve probably heard the radio ads or seen display ads on your computer for all the various website template companies. There’s Squarespace, Wix, WordPress, and many more. The basic idea is that with a template, somebody that’s not experienced in web design can create a workable website quickly and cheaply. The opposite end of the spectrum is custom web design by professionals. A web designer will learn about your business and your goals for your website. They’ll start from scratch to build the exact website you need. It does cost more, but you get something that is perfectly tailored to you. Let’s break down some of the pros and cons to both template websites and custom built websites.
Template Website Pros and Cons
1. CON: Many businesses can be using the same template. That means that standing out from “the crowd” may be more difficult if you use a template.
2. CON: There are limitations on how much you can customize a template. Sometimes even things as simple as color schemes are not customizable on certain templates.
3. CON: Templates are not necessarily search engine friendly. They’re designed to be easy to deploy, which means SEO considerations are much lower on the priority list for template designers.
4. CON: Having a website being able to work on all devices is important, and some templates may have issues working on certain devices.
5. PRO: They are faster to deploy.
6. PRO: Templates are usually cheaper up-front, although if you do need heavy customization, the extra costs of a developer can add up.
Custom Built Website Pros and Cons
1.he site is designed with these needs and goals driving the design.
3. PRO: A custom-built website is designed to be SEO-friendly, with SEO experts weighing in to optimize the website.
4. PRO: Load speed is important for a website. With a custom-built website, there are no unnecessary components that might slow down your site’s load speed.
5. PRO: A professional web design company will provide options for support even after your website is launched.
6. CON: Custom-built websites are generally more expensive than templates.
7. CON: A properly-researched and designed website will take longer to deploy than a template.
There are pros and cons to both a custom-built website from a professional web developer and a template from a company like Wix. However, when looking at the big picture, the obvious choice for most businesses is to choose a professional web design company to create a custom-built website. You will get a better, more functional, more attractive website that’s perfectly tailored to your business and your businesses’ goals.