The Battle of Designs: Template vs. Custom

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You only have 7 seconds to make the first impression.

And in the digital world, your website is the face of your business supposed to make a lasting one.

So how are you going to stand out?

In this sea of competitors, your business should not be just another snapper fish swimming in school – you want to stand out. You should not allow for your brand to be confused with the millions of others in the online world, and website design is one of the ways to do it.

However, for years professionals have been debating whether greater benefits come from custom or template design. Certainly, both come with benefits, and we are here to list them all and help you make the best choice for your business.

Creative uniqueness: Points for custom design

All template designs are alike; they are used by millions of businesses (big or small) worldwide, and opting for one will make you just another drop in the ocean. A custom-built design provides you with a creative control; have you maybe already sketched a rough picture of how you want the website to look like, and the best part is – you can get it just as you imagined it. You present the colors, images, content, or whatever you have already come up with to a designer and consult on the best way to execute it.

On the contrary, a template can be quite limiting. Though they come in a multitude of styles, shades and fonts, in reality, this seemingly infinite range of options can be quite daunting, particularly for those who do not consider themselves to be creative souls. Furthermore, templates usually come with a few standard set of options which prevent you from further customizing your website.

Business credibility: Another point for custom design

Just another template may indicate the lack of creativity and professionalism. And you know what else – there are those who might feel like you might not be earning enough to afford a custom-built design. In the eyes of your potential customers – the less you earn, the less your products are worth.

Of course, this might not be the case, but why risk it? Moreover, template design might affect your credibility in the future. As your business grows, your website grows with it – you are bound to be adding new features, and template might not provide you with the ones you will need, while with custom, you will be ready for whatever future has in store for you.

SEO Security: Custom design 3, template 0

Yes, there are high quality templates that are visually quite appealing, but just how appealing are they in the eyes of Google?
What we want to emphasize here is the importance of your SEO score – a template might not provide satisfactory options and you will have to hire a professional to improve your rankings further down the line, but until then, you are buried deep under the pile of competitors. And let us tell you something – no customer has the time to dig. By opting for Sydney’s best custom web design will enable you to rank high from the start; investing in a professional web designer, you are also investing in quality metadata, quality content and relevant keywords which will enable search engines to recognize your website as relevant and informative.

When budget is a big issue, all points go to template design

Unfortunately, especially when building a new business from the ground up, you are unable to invest in top quality custom design. Even though it is considered a better option, it is not always the right one, especially if you have financial struggles or have chosen to spend your budget on other things at this moment.

When in such situation, it is always best to opt for a killer template to build a website and not spend time and money on an affordable crook of a designer who, thought creates custom designs, can do such terrible job that it does your business online image more damage than good. That is why sometimes tweaked template can take you long way – but in that case, try really hard to find original images and write quality content that will help you climb up the search engine ladder and reach your target customers regardless of your design choice.

We hope this helps you make the final decision – jot down the list of needs and options, and you might just get the clearer picture of what kind of design suits your business at this point.

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