Right from the start you’ll need to decide on how you’ll be viewed by your audience. Your online presence will be much more impactful if your site is custom designed to fit your project, rather than trying fit your vision into a pre-existing template. A custom made site is built from scratch with your project, audience and needs in mind. A template is pre-built with a ready made design and functionality so, not only does it look like everyone else’s site, it doesn’t support your specific vision and aims. You have to ‘make do’ with what’s available. A custom built website is designed and built to specifically support your vision, aims and needs in a consistent way.
The Differences Between Template and Custom Built Websites
- No limitations on graphics and functionality.
- Flexible and can grow with you.
- Easier to update as WordPress is updated.
- Better Search Engine Optimisation.
- Necessary for Ecommerce.
No limitations on graphics and functionality
While there is some level of customisation when using out of box templates, you’ll invariably find yourself restricted by its functionality when it comes to graphic design and site navigation. Having a custom made site will alleviate these issues by being built from the beginning with your needs in mind. This would include custom images and processing routines to have exactly the right image sizes where you need them. A custom navigation system will be designed to allow for easy and smooth navigation on all devices.
A Custom made site is flexible and can grow with you
The internet is ever changing. There is a need to keep up with these changes and be aware of technology updates. Working with a template may mean having to start over or significantly change not only the design, but also the functionality of your site. Custom built sites greatly reduce the time, effort and ultimately the cost required to make those upgrades.
Easier to update as WordPress is updated
We will be able to fix any issues that might occur as WordPress implements version updates. WordPress amendments could require changes in the coding of your site. If a WordPress update breaks a template site that hasn’t been maintained by its developer, you could end up running an older version of WordPress – this will make your site more vulnerable to hackers and not as functional as you would like.
Better Search Engine Optimisation
This is a key element of your online presence being seen, especially if you are considering targeting a specific geographic area or demographic sector. Excellent SEO is essential for today’s websites to be seen. We can provide the technical elements that are required by Google and other search engines to find your site.
Necessary for Ecommerce
Trying to find a template that is Ecommerce ready to your exact needs will be nearly impossible to find. If you have more than a couple of products to sell you will need a custom made site with the added Ecommerce functions with platforms such as WooCommerce.
A quick note about Plugins
There are thousands of plugins available, some free, some paid for. The point we’d like to raise is that by ad hoc adding of what are essentially ‘patches’ to your site, you run the risk of being caught out by bad, insecure or malicious code, which could seriously damage your site. Ask yourself the question before installing ANY third party plugin; do you trust them?
In conclusion
So the questions to ask yourself are: Do you want to be part of the herd or to stand out from the crowd? Can you justify the time you’ll need to learn how to manipulate a template to meet your needs. Can you also trust all the additional third party plugins you’ll be installing not to damage your site and therefore your reputation?
If you have any questions regarding Custom Built Sites or any other topic we may help you with, please do get in touch, we’d love to hear from you.
Further Reading
- What is SEO? (searchengineland.com)
- WordPress Updates History (firstsiteguide.com)
- WordPress Plugins Repository (wordpress.org)
- WooCommerce Ecommerce (woocommerce.com)
