There are a few key questions you need to answer before getting started with a website project.
Choosing between a website template and a custom design is the first question to answer. This question doesn’t have a real “right” or “wrong” answer. Instead, it depends entirely on your needs.
Continue reading this guide if you’re unsure which path to follow. You’ll find your answer based on these candid pros and cons.
Let’s get started!
Is template-based web design right for you?
PRO: TEMPLATES ARE DIY-FRIENDLY
You might want to consider going the DIY route if you are starting your first business. If you build with a template, you’ll be able to choose a design that works for now and gives you wiggle room for future upgrades.
Templates that are DIY-friendly are ideal when you:
- Don’t know who your target audience is
- Developing a new product or service
- Have a website that you’d like to experiment with and make frequent changes to
- Don’t feel completely confident with your brand’s foundation
There are a few disadvantages to DIYing your website with an affordable (or even free) template, one of which I’ll explain next.
CON: TEMPLATES GIVE YOU LITTLE TO NO SUPPORT
When you build your own website, you won’t have access to a knowledgeable expert or team that can assist you. When building a DIY website based on a template, this is one of the most challenging steps.
To avoid learning the ins and outs of the website building platform, you can work with a website designer (like us!) who can customize your pre-purchased template. We know everything about building websites, so you don’t have to.
PRO: TEMPLATES ARE MORE COST-EFFECTIVE
You may want to consider using a template-based design if you’re looking to save on business expenses.
Templates are pre-made, meaning that a website designer or developer has already created them. As it already exists, you can save on costs since the creator is selling it for a much lower price. This leads to a major con of using templates…
CON: TEMPLATES MAKE YOUR WEBSITE LOOK LIKE OTHER WEBSITES
When you buy a template, you have to accept that other business owners are also using it. It’s possible your website could look like someone else’s depending on the level of customization you do.
For entrepreneurs who want to stand out in their field with a website that perfectly fits their business, this is a bummer. There is nothing ordinary about the services or products you offer, so you need a website that reflects that.
If you choose to work with a template based on your budget, try to personalize it. You can still add your own flair to the design, even though it may be the same template other entrepreneurs are buying. The process usually takes some time, but it’s so worth it!
PRO: TEMPLATES MAY HELP YOU WRITE AND ORGANIZE YOUR CONTENT
In most website design templates, specific page layouts indicate where content should be placed on the website. While the template’s content is likely to be placeholder text (Lorem ipsum), it can serve as a guide for how much you might need to write.
It might be easier to write content for your website if you follow a template’s design if you’re new to website strategy. If possible, however, we recommend customizing the content sections to fit your unique vision.
CON: TEMPLATES MAY LACK IN SEO BENEFITS
Although templates give you a general idea of what content you need to write, they don’t usually follow SEO best practices. Many template creators care more about how your website looks than how it functions. The custom website design process will also incorporate tailored SEO strategies so you reap all the benefits.
Why does SEO matter in the first place? When people are looking to work with someone, they often search on Google for the perfect match. Rank in Google results determines who is worth reaching out to.
Quality leads are harder to find if your website isn’t ranking for your industry keywords. That’s not what we want!
PRO: TEMPLATES STILL ALLOW YOU TO INCORPORATE YOUR VISUAL BRANDING
Say you stumble upon a template you really love, but the color scheme uses sky blue instead of your signature blush pink. There’s no need to toss out the template and start over. Your site can still use it!
Alternatively, you can customize this template design based on your own visual branding guidelines. In this way, your website will look consistent and cohesive with the rest of your branding and marketing materials.
Aside from your website’s color palette, you may also want to customize:
- Fonts and typography you use
- Logos and submarks
- Graphics and photography for your brand
CON: TEMPLATES GIVE YOU LIMITED FUNCTIONALITY
Although you can customize your branding, changing parts of your template may result in unexpected limitations. You can create anything you want with custom website design.
Simple functionalities on your website will be difficult to modify with a template design. In some templates, you cannot change the look of your mobile website.
Other templates won’t let you change things like:
- Your website’s top and footer navigation
- Adding or removing content or photos
- Adding interactive features such as parallax scrolling
- Your website’s cropping of photos and graphics
- Video or form embedding
If you are worried about feeling limited with your design, it is best to go with a custom designed website.
Make a list of the “must-have” features you want to display on your website, as well as the “nice-to-have” features. You can quickly determine if a template gives you enough flexibility or if you need to invest in a custom design that gives you full creative freedom by looking at templates. The choice is yours!
If you’re unsure on where to start when designing a website, get in contact today! Vine Marketing are the Valleys experts in web design, and we’ll be more than happy to work with you.