Custom vs. Template Websites Battle Royale – Apex Digital Marketing

I often get asked, “What’s the difference between a custom website and a template website?” The answer is tougher to explain than it sounds. Before starting in the web industry, I never knew there were custom websites and template websites. I was under the impression a website was a website and that was that… boy was I wrong! Let’s look at the pro’s and con’s for each type of website. Template Website Pro’s:

• takes less money to build/develop

• takes less time to build/develop

• maintenance is low

Template Website Con’s:

• lacks a sense of personal style, uniqueness and vision

• mass produced, giving you a look which may be used by hundreds or thousands of other businesses out there

• monthly fees to pay for ownership, you don’t own the website

• when purchased over the internet, the sense of personal service disappears

• customization is limited because they are mass produced to appeal to everyone

• content limitations due to template format reduce the targeted content objectives

• poor search engine positioning because of the template limitations in structure

• produces less online lead generations due to template structure
• poor source code structure, which negatively affects search engine friendliness

Custom Website Pro’s:

• businesses receive personal touch and service from start to finish and after

• unique to the individuals and businesses showcasing their story and vision

• customization is endless

• search engine positioning is endless

• targeted content is endless

• strong online lead generation

• the website is yours once finished, no monthly fees for ownership

Custom Website Con’s:

• can be expensive depending on needs

• can take some time to finish depending on feedback and specs

• maintenance is relatively low, but changes might need to be made costing some extra money, unless on some sort of maintenance plan

Having a custom website helps create a warm welcome for a site visitor where they can easily navigate from the Home Page to the Contact Us Page and everything in between. You aren’t overwhelmed when opening up the page, areas are clearly marked and easy to read and understand. Take a look at this template website, can you tell the difference? Do you feel you are looking at something you can understand and want to go to the next page and the next page after that? Do you feel this website is inviting and making a good first impression? You make the call. I know I have. The first 12 seconds of entering a never before seen website should do one of two things: 1.) make you leave because something was ugly or taking too long to load; or 2.) catch your eye, make you want to find out more information and ultimately have the site visitor contact the business. “What’s the difference between Custom websites and Templates websites?” I hope this cleared some of the mystery up. Take pride in your business and have that passion and belief reflecting through your website… let the whole world know it. Investing some time, energy and a little money for a custom website solution for your expanding business would be a smart move to increase online visibility, improve your online image and help you see a positive ROI. Even with the boxing gloves on, Custom Websites win!!