There are numerous web designers and so called web designers out there today offering template or theme based websites to their clients. Of course there’s no problem with this if they’re up front about it, and if the client is willing to do this because of a limited budget or even a limited timeframe. But where possible, I’d always advise a client to go for a bespoke website design over using an out of the box template or theme.
Even if the designer is using a system like WordPress, a bespoke design can still be created and developed as a theme; it doesn’t just have to be a custom system that this service is offered with. Below are some points explaining why I always recommend a bespoke design to clients:
It’s unique:
By using an out of the box template, your website will essentially look the same as thousands of other websites using that same template. This includes any templates purchased from sites such as Themeforest for $60, such as the one below. The below template has over 400,000+ sales.
A bespoke design is completely tailored to your brand, which is carried across through every page and area of your website. It gives the designer true flexibility to really push the boundaries of your new website. Limitations on design will not exist with a bespoke option.
It’s optimised for speed:
Page speed is an ultimate ranking factor for modern search engine algorithms, so it’s extremely important that it’s addressed on all websites. Google and other major search engines constantly check how long a website takes to load on both desktop and mobile, and ranks it accordingly in results. This is great for the user as they get a fast web browsing experience.
Because a bespoke design doesn’t include any unnecessary code or resources once the website is built, this means that loading times can often be cut in half. Google’s own Pagespeed Insights tool is very useful for assessing the page speed of a website; it also gives tips on how to improve. As an example, check out the score of my own website below:
It’s future proof:
With an innovative bespoke website design that incorporates numerous modern design elements, it boosts its potential lifespan to over five years, as compared to around 2 years for a template based design based on their sluggish features.
It’s search engine optimised:
When a developer is working on the frontend of a bespoke design, they aren’t dealing with “code bloat” – making it easier for them to implement the necessary markup to help with on-page SEO. Not to mention the above page speed benefits that this also has, which ties in strongly with SEO.
It’s cost effective:
Although it may cost more than a template based website, it doesn’t mean its the wrong solution. When taking in the longer term benefits of SEO, the potential lifespan and everything else, it’s bound to be a greater return on investment for you and your business.
Remember, some web designers aren’t transparent and may be charging a hefty fee for your website despite only creating it based on a template.
If you have any questions or need help creating a bespoke website for your business, then get in touch with me.