Having an online presence helps build credibility and generates new opportunities for sales of products and services. Even if you get most of your business from word-of-mouth referrals and repeat customers, it’s still necessary to have a website in this interconnected world, where people expect to have information at their fingertips.
Building a small business website is relatively simple. You can create a site with the help of a template, which can be deployed as-is or customized. The vast majority of websites are built with a CMS such as WordPress. If you want your website to be unique, reach out to a website design agency and have them create a product that supports your brand in a consistent way. There are also options available for those not skilled in the technical field. Select the best option and bring your vision to life. In this regard, we’ll present the main differences between a template website and a custom website. It’s up to you to make the call.
Website templates
A website template is a ready-made resource that can be customized to create a distinctive look by adding text and images. The built-in features that enable customization may slow down the website in terms of load speed and SEO performance. As a rule, templates are built with HTML and CSS code and may be responsive, adaptive, or static in design. You can leverage a website template to obtain a sophisticated web style without writing the code yourself.
There are a lot of choices available. While some templates are free, others have a price attached to them. Attention needs to be paid to the fact that free templates aren’t of low quality because the submission standards are quite harsh. As far as WordPress templates are concerned, requirements include but aren’t limited to code, accessibility, language, and documentation. Premium templates, on the other hand, benefit from regular updates, besides the fact that they offer more features and customization options.
What are the advantages of creating a website using a template?
Website templates are suitable for small projects that don’t need heavy customizations. The site will start working right away (in a couple of minutes) because it’s already coded. If you happen to encounter issues with the template, you can contact the provider, whose support comes in the form of tutorials, telephone calls, forums, and live chat. Template-based websites have a drag and drop functionality, which means that they create an intuitive user flow by letting users make changes without much difficulty.
Website templates provide visual support for those who can’t visualize their ideas. You can decide what you want the site to communicate and determine what color schemes and layouts are most suitable for your project. It’s possible to change the design of the online platform to any of the available template styles and colors. To create alook that matches your vision, you simply need to adjust the settings. You’re able to make enough changes to make the website template fit your brand, even if there are certain limitations.
Custom website
You can hire a company that specializes in website design to build a customized product for you. It’s created without the help of templates or pre-packaged graphics, so it will be a good reflection of your business. The site wll be based on your unique requirements and will be tested to ensure that it works across all browsers. The site will be search engine friendly, so you can gain online visibility. If you acquire custom web design services, you can suggest and apply what you think is best for the online platform. IT professionals with experience are capable of creating a website that perfectly showcases your brand and business.
What are the advantages of using custom web design services?
Working alongside a web design agency has several advantages, which are worth considering. The agency will develop a one-of-a-kind site architecture that takes into account features you might want to add in the future. It’s relatively simple to incorporate upgrades into the design, meaning that there are no issues when it comes down to increasing system performance. The site will develop as your business develops. You’ll not be in competition with millions of sites that have about the same look.
The website will be responsive across devices such as phones, tablets, laptops, and so on. Given that it’s an important asset in today’s marketing landscape, it should be helpful and useful. Great user experience is a differentiator in the current marketplace. A professionally-built website ensures dependent functionality, in addition to the fact that it’s flexible to change. It can create a lasting impression and keep visitors returning. There is no question of imperfections. Website optimization is an ongoing process, which translates into the fact that it’s essential to establish a healthy, respectful relationship with the developer.
Final thoughts
Template-based websites, as well as custom websites, provide numerous advantages, which is why it’s necessary to spend as much time as necessary on decision-making. You don’t want to make a choice that you’ll regret later on. The matter generally comes down to your business needs and personal preferences. Needless to say, it’s hard, if not impossible to choose between the two because website templates and custom web design are both potentially good options. Regardless of what type of site you get, make sure that it’s carefully executed. Otherwise, it will work against you. An online platform is the most comprehensive representation of your brand, enabling customers to find you at all hours of the day and night. It should be a solid investment. If your company can afford custom web design services, it’s recommended to hire a professional. The latest technology will be deployed for the development and maintenance of the site, so it’s highly likely that your business will be successful. It will be clean and functional inside-out.