Custom Website Design vs Templates,
how to choose one for your business

A website is one of a business most valuable assets.

It’s the place where people will find them online, browse for further information, and make critical decisions about whether or not to sign up for services or make a purchase. As such, there really is no understating just how important it is to get right.

Good website design lays the foundations for a great website. It’s responsible for the layout, functionality, visual aesthetic, and overall experience for the user, all of which need to tick the right boxes for a potential client to take the next step.

For business owners, that makes decisions about website design an important one. When approaching this decision there are basically two options; custom made websites and website templates. 

Here’s a little more about what template and custom website design entails, and how you can decide which is the best option for your business.

What is custom website design?

Custom website design is where a professional designer creates a full website from scratch exactly to your needs.

The process begins with you sharing your needs, hopes, and goals for the website, from the general feel of it, to how you would like it to function, to how it should look. You’ll let them know what it needs in terms of functionality, such as an image gallery, ecommerce section, or interactive pages.

The website designer will spend time drawing up plans for your website to meet your needs, and consulting with you during the process to ensure everything is on track.

The final product is something perfectly made for your business and brand, just like a custom suit or dress would perfectly fit your body shape and style.

Pros of custom website design

• A design made specifically for your business needs
• Flexible design built with your future needs in mind for scalability
• Unique design you won’t find anywhere else

Cons of custom website design

• Requires a higher budget
• Takes time to plan, design, and develop
• Requires more input from you

What are website templates?

A template website design is one in which you use a premade layout to build your website.

Typically, you will be able to browse from a range of pre-made templates and choose the one that best suits your needs. Some website templates are made with specific industries in mind, such as websites for coaches, websites for health and nutrition professionals, or websites for ecommerce stores.

There are thousands of templates and themes available in the market, and also different platforms and tools to create a template website, so finding the right one for your business can be a bit overwhelming. This option is usually a DIY solution so you will find the business owner, or someone from their team, building and maintaining the website. Or you can hire a designer to customize the template for you.

Pros of website templates

• Cost effective
• Ready to go almost immediately
• Variety to choose from

Cons of website templates

• Not made specifically for your business
• Difficult to find support
• Potential flexibility issues as your business grows and requires expansion

Our Entry-Level Website: A New Solution between Custom and Template Websites

After working with a lot of businesses and seeing their struggles and needs, we created a new solution: Our Entry-Level Websites. A service seating in between the Custom Web Design and Website Templates. A perfect solution for clients who can’t afford a Custom Made website, but still want to benefit from our design style and expertise.

Our designs are beautifully crafted, with elegant fonts, responsive layouts, and flexible design possibilities.

We have created a number of pre-designed layouts or templates that our clients can pick according to their needs and goals, and then we do the rest! We not only upload and set up their content but also customize the template to suit the client brand and business goals.

We create templates that can work for a range of industries and styles; for instance, one of our most popular templates is Matilda, which we build with Florists in mind, it’s so versatile that we have clients from other industries using the same template, but customized to their industry.

All you need to do is choose your preferred template and supply our team with your branding and content. We will enter your branding into the template, show you the final product, and you’re ready to go!

How to decide which is best for your business

Deciding whether a template or a custom-made website is right for you means thinking about your priorities.

If you want something that’s quick and affordable but still looks great, a template design may be the best option. With our Entry-Level we can have it up and running extremely quickly, and you can always switch to a custom-made website down the track when you have more time and budget to allocate to your site.

If you want a website that’s unique, specifically designed for your brand, and built with your exact needs and functions in mind, you may prefer a custom-made website design. We’ll work with you to get it just right, and ensure that perfect fit.

Keep in mind that whether you opt for a CREATIVA custom website or a template design, we offer ongoing support either way with our Website Care Plans. Usually, buying a DIY template means you do not get any further support for your site, but CREATIVA ensures that even if a template is the right decision for your business needs, you’ll still have the option to enjoy a care plan that maintains and secures your site.

Still not sure about which one is right for you? Get in touch with us and we’ll help talk you through the options and determine which one is best for your needs. Or click the button below to Get Started!