I often like to remind business owners and executives that there’s a big difference between a custom website and a customized template. One has a lot of bottom-line business value, while the other is essentially a placeholder.
Of course, there is also the difference of cost and commitment. To help readers understand why I think a custom website is worth the extra time and money, let’s look at the way I define the term with three simple points…
A Custom Website is Built Just for Your Business
Website templates all have a generic feel, and that’s by design. They are set up so they can be used for virtually any kind of business, regardless of what is being offered. That makes them versatile, but hardly useful in the branding department.
A custom website, on the other hand, is created specifically for your business. It reflects your unique selling propositions, the customers you want to target, and the messaging you rely on to reach buyers. It doesn’t look like every other website in your industry, which gives you a distinct sales advantage.
A Custom Website is Free From Extra Code and Plugins
When we design a custom website, we start almost from scratch. That’s important, because website templates, and pre-loaded with all kinds of apps, plugins, and features the developers think some buyers might want to use in the future.
All of those extra tools slow websites down, particularly if visitors are accessing the pages through phones or tablets. In addition, they create security issues and can cause conflicts that can crash a website on a regular basis. Your custom design should be built with the functionality you need, not dozens of “extras” that get in the way while contributing nothing to your business or its customers.
A Custom Website Has the Right Content for Your Company and Customers
The layout and coding of a custom website are important, but the content is what pulls all the different pieces together. That includes the text on your pages, of course, but also photographs, videos, and things like logos or drawings.
You can insert your own content into any website, of course, but a custom design is going to be built with your style and existing media in mind. That way, things will fit together more cleanly, and the most important elements of your brand will come through on every page.
It’s never been easier, faster, or cheaper to get a website for your company. At the same time, the value of a custom website has never been greater. While your colleagues and competitors might be going out of their way to find the simplest online marketing solutions, you should be searching for something that sets you apart and brings you new customers.
Besides, a custom website is probably a lot more affordable than you might think. Why not call the Biondo Creative team in Philadelphia today for a free, no-obligation web design quote?