Advantages of Custom Web Development
Published by Spinutech on May 5, 2020
The idea of creating a quick, simple website from a pre-designed web template may be tempting. Services like Wordpress make designing a templated site a simple approach for even a novice to complete. But, will this approach satisfy the goals your business has identified? More importantly, are these web templates designed to focus on the needs of your users?
Advantages of Custom Website Development
There are many reasons our clients come to us for custom website designs and development rather than working with pre-designed web templates. Here are just a few.
Brand Consistency
First and maybe most obviously, a custom designed and developed website is tailored to the look, feel, and experience of your brand standards. While templates can be adjusted to accommodate colors or images, only a custom solution will provide your visitors with a truly branded experience.
Design Effectiveness
Taking a look at your audience demographics and the purchase funnel for targeted products can help you understand the steps your users go through and what information will be useful along their journey. The essential elements of user-centered design include customizing the user experience with your target audience in mind. An effective design not only conveys your brand message, but also appeals to your user through a demonstrated understanding of their needs.
Optimized for Search Engines
Many templated options result in bloated code. Although this code may not be visible in the design to your users, it matters for a few reasons. First, search engines like Google prioritize clean, organized code. Tidy code sends a signal to search engines that the site is reputable and properly structured, resulting in better visibility. Without the additional bloat of superfluous code, the load times are improved resulting in better site speed which also has an impact on prioritization within search rankings. Proper website development for SEO includes an internal and external linking plan along with a thoughtful site taxonomy. A custom CMS also allows you to optimize your content for the on-page signals most important to search engines.
Mobile-Ready
As we mentioned, custom designed websites are created to be fully responsive across all types of devices and browsers. Many pre-designed site templates are limited in their responsiveness and rely on the site manager to understand breakpoints, proper image files, and more. A custom website company understands this process and can build proper structure into your site.
Unlimited Applications
A custom designed website doesn’t inflict limitations on how or what you can include. For the maximum efficiency and effectiveness, custom is the way to go every time.
Website Personalization and Localization
If your business offers different services depending on the location of the user, website personalization and localization can be achieved through custom development work. You can offer personalized customizations to different branches or franchises of your business, all while maintaining control over your brand.
Return on Investment
Creating a custom website that reaches users through personalized messaging and a creatively tailored design approach can result in more conversions, ultimately impacting the return on your higher initial investment. You’ll also save money on future revisions of your site. While the up-front costs may be initially higher than another approach, the longer term ROI of the website is advantageous. Plus, a customized site build allows for easier modifications and additions in the future.
How to Choose Between Custom Web Development and Templates
Before making a decision on how to move forward, explore your options. Research custom website development companies to learn more about capabilities, previous work, and overall fit of the partnership. Make sure that the custom website company you choose aligns with your company goals and can create the type of user experience you’re seeking.
The best approach to building your website depends on many factors. Your budget, brand, and timeline all factor into the decision. Our solutions are scalable and customizable providing easy-to-use CMS access within custom-designed sites for the best of both worlds.