Website Design: Template or Custom (Part I)?

I recently sent out a proposal for branding the company of a small business owner. For illustrative purposes we will call the client Joan.

Joan was on a very tight budget as all start-ups are.  I mentioned to Joan that instead of a custom website we could cut cost and time considerably if we customize a template for her. I told Joan a website is like building a house from the ground up or purchasing a ready-made new home. Here is what I shared with Joan to help her decide.

Template Web Design Pros

• Customizable
• Wide selection of premade and turnkey templates
• Quick turnaround time
• Very low cost

Template Web Design Cons

• Design not unique
• Customization may be limited
• Coding errors that prevent SEO (reducing chances that visitors can easily find you)
• Generic look of design (not branded)

With templates, the graphic design part of the work has already been done; you pay a licensing fee to use that template, as long as you comply with the terms of the license. Website templates are cheap, but like everything else you will get exactly what you pay for.

If you are a client looking to save money and time, we suggest going with a website template and finding a professional web designer that will customize a pre-made template design for you. Beware of web design scams from designers who sell premade templates as unique custom designs!

Next week I will share the pros and cons of custom website designs.

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