Cookie Cutter or Customized - Website Design That Will Suit Your Business Best
Once you have decided to invest money in your new website, there are still many choices that you have to make. There are 2 basic options to build a website:
- By hiring a designer to create a custom design
- By buying a template available on the internet
Each of them has its own set of pros and cons and it’s really important to understand them so you can choose the right method which is convenient for you. It must be according to your budget and business’s needs as you want the best for your business.
The major question is which will you choose? Custom web design is not for everyone. Most of the companies go the cheapest way and purchase a template including all its rights. Then, no one else would be able to use that template again. There is always a debate going on between the emerging companies, as they often have to carry the burden of a marketing budget on their backs. Here are some vital points that might help you in deciding the best choice for your company.
Template Website Design
A few years back, it was considered taboo to utter the word “template” to any customer while discussing their new website. Designers used to strictly avoid saying it because they didn’t wish to lose their clients. After all, haven’t you all heard a client saying, “Did you design this? It looks a lot like a template.” And there it goes your precious client, rejecting your hard work.
If you are planning on purchasing a template, there are a lot of options available. The most common thing that people do is that they set up a WordPress site and they apply a template known as the theme. The theme provides you with complete functionality and appearance. Experienced designers from all over the world create amazing themes or templates and sell them out on different websites. They spent years in perfecting the function and form of these website themes, leaving you more time to focus on quality content. There are sites which give you the best and latest themes such as ThemeForest and Elegant Themes, provides you with a library of themes that people might be interested in purchasing it and give their website a unique and professional look. For instance, you can have a look at this medical billing website, just look at the theme, it’s simple and doesn’t even have many features.
People prefer to spend a substantial amount on their website as it will be the face of their company. Why do people prefer purchasing templates? There are any reasons such as fantastic functionality, responsive, already built on common Content Management System (CMS), not that expensive, provide updates and support and their design is a lot better than the custom ones. People sometimes go for purchasing a template for different reasons too. They may need:
- Limited budget
- Need something simple
- Want to move quickly i.e. less time
- Need more flexibility
- Don’t mind paying a small amount for license or usage fee for support
- Need security updates
Custom Web Design
For a unique experience and complete control and flexibility, then you must consider Custom Website Design. You can either hire a website design firm or you create it yourself. If you go for a website design firm, they will set up a session for you to find out more about you and your company. They consider all the essential options for you and try to learn what your preferences are. They will also apply all the best SEO practices to generate traffic for your website. In a customized website, you have full control and get to customize all the features to be built into the design, so that it can be user-friendly and easy to use by the administrator.
Custom website designs have a simple look, but the process to create a simple interface takes a lot of time. You have to keep on testing all the buttons on the local machine before you even think of uploading it. If you are creating it yourself, do you have knowledge of all the basic languages that are required in creating a website design such as HTML, PHP, Angularjs, and CSS? If no then you easily learn them here.
Customized website design costs are based on your company’s needs, size, features, and functionality. If you are planning on renewing your website and your budget is $6,000 then you can easily purchase a template. They are the perfect solution as they do not require any coding or design expertise.
If your budget is from $10,000 to $ 20,000, you can go for a customized website design. Hire a designer or you can create your own on any open source CMS like WordPress or Joomla. The larger the company and scope of a website, the greater the need for ongoing optimization, customization, and support for the product.
Design or buy? It depends on your company’s size, revenue, budget, functionality, and features. Every company has different needs and most of them purchase a template website as it’s budget driven, no advanced features, functionality is straightforward and customization is needed. When you decide between a template or custom website design, you have to consider all the points mentioned above.
