Templated vs Custom Website Design: Which Better Suits Your Business?

Posted Nov 1, '21; Updated Nov 7 '24

Why should I pay a web developer to build a custom website for me when I can buy a website template? Good question! The answer is it has a lot to do with your website design vision and budget. In the long run, a custom website tends to deliver a better return, but the choice is always yours. Talk to the team at Smart WSI Marketing today to discover which option is best for your business. We’re an Edmonton website design company with years of experience creating websites that help our clients accomplish specific business goals.

Templated vs. Custom Web Design

Let’s start with a short definition of each type of website design.

• Templated websites are predesigned resources that give you the structure for your site’s layout and display features. They’re sometimes used as a starting point before committing to a fully optimised custom web design.
• Custom website design creates a user interface that’s unique to your brand. These can take more time to build and manage but can be key to gaining a competitive advantage.

There are various pros and cons to both approaches.

Pros and Cons of Templated Web Design

One of the greatest advantages of website templates is they’ve made it possible for anyone to affordably create a site or landing page to promote or launch their business. While establishing an online presence is always better than not having one at all, templates come with some serious downsides when it comes to driving traffic and sales.

• They don’t offer the search engine optimization capabilities needed for optimal conversion.
• With 45% or more of businesses using templates, it can be difficult to stand out.
• Templates run on a structured system which can limit features and future functionality.
• Finally, many people build their template-based website and then neglect maintaining it. That can lead to problems down the road with user experience and browser or device compatibility.

Advantages to Custom Website Design

Every business is unique. Your web design needs are different from someone else’s, even if you’re in the same industry or niche. Custom-built websites incorporate your branding and are tailored to meet your current and future growth needs. They’re also:

• Optimised to work across all browsers and devices.
• Built to be SEO-friendly and meet Google’s requirements for speed, keywords, and more.
• Designed to be part of your business’s ecosystem. You can easily integrate CRMs, email marketing, and other tech systems, seamlessly synchronising business data across all platforms.

If you want a website that’s unique, SEO-friendly, and can grow as you do, a customised approach is, in most cases, your best option.

Choosing the Right Type Website for Your Business

Professional web design brings a lot of benefits to your overall digital marketing strategy. If you’d like to learn more about the difference between custom and template-designed websites so you can decide on which option is right for you, reach out to Smart WSI Marketing today. We’re an Edmonton website design company with the experience and expertise needed to ensure you make the best decision for a site that’s both affordable and flexible enough to grow with your business.  

Lynne Motkoski, Marketing Strategist

Specialty: Online Marketing Strategies
Education: MA Communications & Technology, BComm [U Alberta]
Author: The Online Marketing Handbook for Busy Entrepreneurs (coming soon)

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Lynne is known for her strategic approach to marketing communications, technologies, and lead generation. She has a passion for education, keeping up with current marketing trends and practices, and helping clients keep ahead of their competition.

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