Custom website versus a template/DIY website

Thanks so much to the lovely Lisa from Luna Ink for embracing my invitation to feature on my ongoing blog series featuring biz-ladies who will be sharing their insightful tips around branding, nurturing your business and biz-Mum life. Lisa’s a website guru, self confessed tech geek and designer. She will be sharing her expertise on the topic of choosing a custom website versus a template/DIY website.

Enjoy! Rachel x

Choose a website that’s right for you: benefits of a custom website versus a template/DIY site.

Let me begin by saying there are a heap of ways to design and build websites out there. None of them are necessarily wrong, though as with most things there are always advantages and disadvantages to each option. The following will give you a list of pros and cons of a custom website versus a template/DIY website, to give clarity when choosing a website that’s right for you.

There are plenty of reasons to enlist the services of a professional who will work with you to create an amazing foundation for your website for years to come.

Here are just some of the benefits of a custom website versus a template/DIY website.

Custom designed website:

• Original and unique design –

You want your business to stand out and have a point of difference. Your website is usually a first impression for your brand. With the help of a talented graphic designer you’re one step closer to having a professional website that is uniquely you.

• Brand consistency –

You’ve heard this a million times over, but it’s so important to have consistency through your website and on each of the pages. Working with an expert will ensure this happens seamlessly.

• Allow for strategic planning for your site – 

Building a website from scratch gives you blank canvas to work with. This can really help you think about your goals for your website. Keeping your target audience in mind, you can work with your graphic designer, copywriter and developer to create a plan for your site for maximum impact.

• SEO Friendly

  A website crafted by experts will offer a far superior SEO (search engine optimisation) friendly website. SEO is so much more than keywords on a page. It all comes down to usability, copy and how the site is built. Each expert (whether it be designer, copywriter or developer) know the steps relevant to their area of expertise to keep users and search engines happy.

Template and/or DIY website:

• Templates are just that, templates

There are always going to be limitations when working with a template. Each template on each platform (be it WordPress, Squarespace or Wix) comes with their own strict limitations. For example, one thing to consider is will your template allow for add-on functions in the future?

• Time

As with anything you are new to, there is always going to ben investment of time to create something yourself that you are not an expert in. Is your time is more wisely spent working on your business? Would it be better to concentrate on the things you do well, rather than learning how to put together a site with all the moving parts that are required to get it up and running?

• Templates can be customised

Not all templates are built the same. Each one works differently. It might look good to begin with but once you start building and want to change things around, there is a high change you will run into road blocks.

• Cost

A template website might be the more cost effective solution to begin with, but if you do get to a point where you have run into road blocks, you will need to hire a developer to help with the amendments which can definitely add up.

Weighing up the and pros and cons, it’s easy to see the benefits of having a custom website versus a template/DIY website, with the help of a team of experts all working together to make sure your brand stands out from the crowd and is seen online.

Lisa x

Website guru / designer / tech-geek
Find her here https://www.lunaink.com.au

 

More about Lisa:

Lisa is the beautiful brains behind Luna Ink, a design studio specialising in crafting functional websites that are not only visually delightful, but technologically sound and easy to use. Luna Ink empowers women in business take away the frustration of trying to work out the techy stuff and provide them with the tools to take control of their website.