Template or Custom
First off, what does it all mean?
When you work with a developer there are two routes you can go.
- Start from a Template
- Start from Scratch (Custom Design)
Where you decide to start should come down to a few factors: budget, timeline & branding needs. It should also be noted that regardless of where you start, the end result will still be a modern, beautiful & responsive website that will allow your users to connect to your business.
The Concept of Template Sites
When talking with our Founder when we were getting off the ground and pitching as many websites as possible, we couldn’t help but notice, not every business out there needs or even wants a fully designed and customizable website. There, we said it.
At the end of the day, your website is a tool for your business to convey important information regarding your goods and services to your customer. All that really matters for some businesses is that your information is easy to reach and in an accessible format (but we still make it look good).
Thus brings us to our solution to those types of customers: Template Sites
When you go down the route of a template site, you will usually pick the design you feel best fits your business branding from a content structure stand point. After you’ve made your selection, your web developer will gather your digital assets and content and plug everything into your new website. You can usually customize the site colors and fill in any images with your own or stock photography.
Template sites still come with a lot of common features out of the box, such as:
- Home Page Sliders
- Newsletter Sign Ups
- Contact Submission Forms
- Google Maps
- and more!
Even if there is a feature not included that you would like to have, you can usually add on to the project!
The Beauty of Going Custom
Been waiting for that moment to bring your business to the next level or just start out with a bang? Do you want a group of people that live/eat/breath websites to sit around and have a discussion on how to make your website be as awesome as it can be? That’s going to be the big difference. When you go custom, every pixel on the page is planned out ahead of time before anything gets coded. Your team will take the time to assess your goals, make a plan & execute. If you have a ton of high resolution assets, this allows the time to make the most of those and bring a beautiful product to life for you!
The timeline for custom sites will be much longer than doing a template site, but thats because your team will want to make sure they get it right and work with you every step along the way.
Beware, some companies tout custom sites, but they are really furnishing templates “customized” for your business. Make sure you know what you are getting. A true custom site will have NO limitations.
Bring It All In
Back to figuring out what works best for your business. Here’s a quick breakdown:
| Budget | Timeline | Project Scope | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Template Site | $ | 2 – 4 Weeks | You pick out the content structure and match the colors to your branding. Add your images. |
| Custom Site | $$ | 8 – 12 Weeks | You will go through discovery, wire framing & design before any code is written. Everything from look/feel is customized for your brand. |
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