Whether you’re a blogger, a small business owner, or a large corporation, you will eventually need a website that showcases your business or organization’s identity. You can hire a designer to create a custom website from scratch, or you can purchase a pre-designed website template—a tool that lets you create a website in a matter of minutes.
The truth is, website builders (like Showit and Shopify) have come a long way. Some of the best website builders are easy to use, have powerful features, and are able to create websites of nearly any size and complexity. And with the availability of more and more pre-made website templates, it’s easier than ever to create a professional-looking website in less time and for less money.
So, do you need a website? And if you do, which option is best for you? In this article, we’ll discuss both options and help you decide.
Why Build a Website?
A website can accomplish a wide variety of goals for your business. It lets people learn about you, find you, and hold you accountable for your promises. It’s how potential customers and clients learn about your business. Your website should represent who you are, what you do, and what you hope to accomplish. You can use your website to showcase not only your products and services but also for lead generation.
But your website isn’t just for marketing and advertising purposes. You can also use your website to build your brand, increase revenue, and create a more connected community of people who care about your mission and values.
In short, a website is where people go to learn more about you and your business. And you can provide this information in a variety of ways. You can use your website to create dynamic, engaging content and to inform and engage your audience. This is your digital home to share your passion.
Pros of a Website Template
A website template is perfect if you’re not sure what your website will look like, or you want a website quickly, but you don’t have the time or expertise to build it yourself. A website template is a pre-built website, complete with a design and functionalities that you can easily customize. Using a website template, you can quickly get a professional website up and running and ready to showcase your business. You can also use the website to track visitor activity, test layouts, functionality, and gather feedback.
A website template is the best solution if you are a small business owner, blogger, or someone who wants to create a website quickly, easily, and on a smaller budget.
Pros of a Custom Website
A custom website is a website built from scratch by you or a professional web designer. You’re in full control of the design, functionality, and content, which means you can create a website that matches your business and its needs. A custom website is the best option if you need a website that is both professional and unique.
A custom website is perfect for bloggers, freelance writers, or anyone who wants a website that showcases their personality and brand. It’s also ideal for those who want a website with advanced functionality—like social media management tools and online store functionality.
A custom website is perfect for those who want a website that is unique, professional, and well-rounded. It gives you the opportunity to create a website that looks and feels like no other website on the web.
A custom website can be perfect for those who want their website to look unique and cater to their specific brand. It can also be ideal for those who want to build a CMS-driven website that functions as a blog, portfolio, store, or other type of online presence.
A custom website is ideal for those who want to create a website that suits the needs of their business and their audience.
Cons of a Website Template
Website templates usually have limited functionality. You can usually only create a website with a few different content types, and you can’t customize the design too much. In some cases, the functionality provided by the website template may not be enough. For example, many website builders only allow you to create a basic website, while others have some fairly basic website-building tools.
Website templates are good for quick and dirty website creation, but you will have to do more work to get a full website up and running with advanced functionality. You’ll also have to pay for many website templates, which can quickly add up if you’re creating lots of websites. Furthermore, some websites built with website templates can be difficult to update and maintain as technology evolves.
Cons of a Custom Website
While a custom website is perfect for those who want a website that is unique, professional, and well-rounded, its primary cons lie in both the time and financial investment.
Most certainly, custom web design will cost thousands of dollars. How many thousands of dollars will come down to the platform you’re building it on, the number of people involved with the design, the experience level of the designer, and the size of the website being built.
To ensure you get the best website possible, you’ll also need to commit a decent amount of time to the project. The web design process involves strategically aligning your goals with the goals of your audience. From there, you’ll dive into wireframing, designing the flow, gathering content, applying your branding, and developing the site itself. In total, this can take several weeks to a few months.
Which Should You Choose?
If budget and time allow, and you find a designer that aligns with your vision, you can never go wrong with investing in custom web design.
Since that option is not possible for everyone, choosing a robust website template is a great option for business owners to start with rather than trying to completely DIY. Do your research and pick a template that truly suits your needs rather than basing your pick on looks alone. Templates are meant to be customized so do apply your own branding to make it unique!
Final Thoughts
It is important to remember that your website is a representation of your business. It’s how potential customers and clients learn about you and your business. A website is a powerful marketing tool that can help you reach a lot of people and make a lot of money.
