Website design templates: Should you use them?
Creating a website can be a challenging and difficult process, especially if you don’t know where to start. Here, we will look at whether you should use website design templates or not, and see how they measure up against custom websites.
What are website design templates?
Website design templates provide you with a very simple site that can be gently tweaked in small ways.
Website design templates are pre-designed website formats that can be simply applied and adapted to create your own site. They are often used by those without coding skills as they come fully formed.
A design template provides you with a very simple site that can be gently tweaked in small ways, but is pretty much good to go with minimal investment.
However, some prefer a custom site – these are bespoke websites that require coding in order to create something entirely new.
While they can cost more and be more challenging to create due to requiring coding, taking more time, a custom website is unique to you.
This can allow your site to stand out from the crowd – a definite perk in an overcrowded online space.
Benefits of a website design template
Using a website design template is considered the cheaper option.
There are many benefits of using a website design template.
It is considered a cheaper option, great for those on a tight budget, such as small businesses who aren’t sure how finances are going to develop. If you don’t require special features, a custom website design can be a great fit.
They can also be created very quickly.
Drawbacks of a website design template
The customisation of a pre-made template is extremely limited.
However, with a website design template, there are some drawbacks that you should be aware of before making a decision.
The customisation of a pre-made template is extremely limited.
You are restricted to the parameters of the template itself – you can make some adjustments, but not many, which might leave your site looking or feeling similar to other sites which use the same template.
A website design template sometimes has limited mobile responsiveness and limited functionality for eCommerce. The design options are also less diverse than if you were to opt for a custom design.
What about custom websites?
Custom websites are suitable if your site requires complex or special features, or you want your site to be unique to you and your business.
So, might a custom website be for you?
They are generally more suitable for when you have the time to have a website fully designed and built, which means you will need to plan ahead.
As it is a more expensive choice, you must be willing to invest in the site – but in return, you will get a site that is unique. However, if your site requires complex or special features and functionality, a custom website is often necessary.
Benefits of custom websites
A custom website means you can have a competitive edge visually.
A custom website does offer a wealth of benefits, such as great special features which can be fully tailored to meet the needs of your company.
You are also getting a website that will not look like any other site out there, giving you the competitive edge visually.
You will also be able to optimise your site in the way you prefer in regards to conversion rate and user experience. This can be invaluable for those with eCommerce sites.
Drawbacks of custom websites
Custom websites tend to be more expensive because they are custom-built for your business.
While custom websites are an excellent choice, there are some drawbacks to be aware of when discovering the right option for you.
Custom websites are certainly an investment, both when it comes to money and time – a lot more so than with website design templates.
You will be looking at higher costs for both startup and maintenance, so this may not be the best choice for smaller businesses. On the time issue, if you require a website more quickly, then a custom site might take too long to design and build.
You will need to plan ahead when compared to choosing an “off the shelf” website design template.
As you can see, whether you want to go with a website design template or a custom website often has to do with your experience level, time and budget.
However, if the main factor keeping you from choosing a unique and bespoke custom website is your own lack of coding knowledge, get in touch with Factory Pattern. We have a wealth of experience designing and developing websites, as well as keeping them maintained and creating an excellent user experience.
Take advantage of our experience and let us know how we can help you.