Custom web design or template? This is one of the most frequently asked questions we get. And for good reasons.
For starters, the design you choose can either make or break visitors’ experience, which ultimately affects your conversion rate.
Even more confusing, both options offer certain pros and cons that make it difficult to choose one over the other. Which brings us back to the question – which is the best web design option?
Well, while there is no one answer that fits everyone’s unique needs, check out these 7 important factors:
Uniqueness
Style and aesthetics vary with people. Do you want a design that is specific to your website or a general template that can be found on any other website? If a unique custom-made design is to your taste, we advise you to stick with creating your web design from the ground up because no matter how much you tweak a general web template, it can never be as unique as a custom-made design. But if you are okay with a quick ready-to-use design, you should totally go for a template. Both options are okay depending on the type of business and what you need. For a professional website, you definitely want to look towards custom-made ones. But a template is okay for a personal site.
Scalability
In terms of scalability, rest assured the best web design option are custom-made websites. If you need a website that is easy to manage, fits into your unique business model, and allows you to add as many features as your future needs demand, you should absolutely choose a custom-made website. The scalability is second to none. But a web template will be fine if you are okay with limited features and scalability. Just don’t get your expectations high and you will be fine.
Time
How soon do you need your website to be up and running? A day? A week? A month? Every project comes with a time frame. If time is your focus, you should consider templates. Truth is, a custom web design requires a lot of work to achieve. You do not expect that to be as fast as ready-to-use templates. The bright side is that the duration of a custom design depends on the designer. Two designers working on the same project may finish at different times. So, make sure to discuss with your designer from the start. Don’t be afraid to tell them your expectations and see if they can deliver at the stated time. If your time is reasonable, you will easily find a designer that can work with you. Just don’t expect it in a day or two.
SEO
Search engine optimisation is a vital part of every website today. Your on-page SEO is just as important as your off-page SEO. Therefore, if you care about attracting traffic to your website, you should totally consider having a custom-made web design by an expert. As professionals, they know what your website needs to boost its SEO. The complete search engine optimisation comes with the pricing, hence you are fully covered. Yes, you don’t need to pay separately for the expert to fix your SEO. Everything is covered! Templates, on the other hand, will give you little or no room for SEO tweaks. This is another major reason why templates are best for personal websites where traffic isn’t the primary focus.
Support
In terms of support, it is fair to say either of them can be the best web design option because they both have some edge. On the one hand, hiring an expert means enjoying close mentoring and support for as long as possible. On the other hand, you can get help, even though limited, from template providers. You also have YouTube videos for self-help. Basically, you will get help from both options but if real-time support is what you want, you will do better with an expert on your team.
Expertise
How tech-savvy are you? Some people are very good with tech. They can easily manipulate their way through web design with little or no guidance. If this sounds like you, then you can choose to either create your custom web design from scratch or build on a template. If you are not so tech-savvy, you could also manage to use a template. Web templates are typically easier to design than working from the ground up. However, if you know nothing about web design, your safe bet is to hire a pro, else you risk wasting resources.
Cost
When considering cost, we can all agree that template designs win without a doubt. For as low as £100 or less, you can get any template you want. This makes it a favourable option for people on a tight budget. It is also the reason templates are common among small businesses and personal websites. That said, keep in mind that despite the high cost of custom designs, they offer certain perks that you cannot get from templates. So as you weigh the cost factor, be sure to weigh other factors too. You need to understand which option suits your needs more before considering the cost.
Best Web Design Option: The verdict!
Having considered all 7 factors, you can see why no one can tell you the best web design option for your needs. Our advice to you is to carefully consider all factors and see which option provides the best benefits for you. Still in doubt? Don’t hesitate to contact FOME for help.