Custom Web Site Design

Why would you choose custom web site design over a template? There are definitely pros and cons to each, so let’s examine them.

Template Web Sites

There are three distinct benefits to building your web site using a template:

1. Cost savings can be dramatic. Less than a hundred dollars versus over a thousand dollars for custom web site design.
2. Professional looking design right out of the box.
3. Seeing what you get before you purchase it.

Cost savings is definitely the primary reason for choosing a template over custom web site design. Templates can be purchased from online retailers for typically less than $100. Keeping that in mind, you’ll still need to know what to do with the image when you purchase it. If the file you buy is a Photoshop file, do you know what to do with it? The ideal scenario here is to give the template file to a professional web site design company to implement.

Because you can see what the design looks like before you purchase it, you can feel more comfortable that what you are buying is professional. The one caution here is how the template will look after you’ve implemented your logo and images. The templates are designed to be as attractive as possible, taking into consideration all elements of design from colour matching to repetition to visual style. If you like the look of a template that is mostly blue in colour, how will your red and green logo look slapped in the upper left hand corner?

Custom web site design

There is no question that custom web site design is more expensive than purchasing a template. So why would people choose this option? Simple:

The design that is constructed is built around your logo, imagery and existing collateral. Your logo does not simply get “shoved” into place after the fact.

The web site design company you are dealing with can make on-going revisions and iterations of the design until you are completely satisfied. A purchased template is purchased as is. Any changes would almost certainly be extra, which would approach custom web site design anyway.

A professionally built custom web site design will take into account all phases of web site development. The company you’re dealing with knows your business intimately (or they should) and can create a custom web site design to fit your needs and your business exactly.

The bottom line is that you will be far happier with a custom web site design over a template design. Templates are typically trying to fit square pegs into round holes while custom web site designs are just that – custom. The only real question here is cost. If you can afford the custom web site design then it is definitely the wiser choice. But if you must temporarily go with a template, then don’t be shy. Just keep in mind that when budget allows, a professional custom web site design company will be ready when you are.