Template or Custom Web Design? What’s the difference?
Posted By Ezra Silverton in Web Design on 2007-09-03
For those looking to have a new website designed, many questions may come to mind. Would you know to ask whether your solution provider is providing a custom design or using a template that thousands of other sites might be using?
It’s no easy task comparing the features, benefits and costs between other web design companies. One would typically receive pricing from one extreme to the next based on different variables that may be challenging to quantify.
I will leave the steps one should take for getting a quote from a web design company for another article. However, one of the largest considerations in price will come from whether it is a template or custom built site. I will outline the differences.
First, let’s define the difference between a template and custom web design.
Template designs: a ready-made site where the theme, format, elements, layout, sections, fonts and colours that have been organized for the purpose of reusing.
Custom designs: a tailor made site from scratch where theme, format, elements, layout, sections, fonts, colours and images are strategically decided on for the purpose of achieving a specific goal(s)
The importance is to know the pros and cons of each alternative and how it effects your cost.
| Custom Design | |
| Pro: • Custom:100% built to suit • Task: Built to achieve desired objectives, needs, wants, • Ownership of original web creative • Brand consistencies: maintaining brand identity and target market considerations, • Competitive edge: using current web design and web marketing strategies. |
Con: • Time: Requires background information and strategic thinking, and researching time. • Partnership: working in close collaboration with the design company. Some may see this as a con. • Cost: Higher |
| Template Design | |
| Pro: • Speed: Typically faster to complete • Cost: Less • Shopping: Opportunity to choose a range of existing web designs |
Con: • Limits: Many templates don’t offer the flexibility to make changes • Rights: May need to pay regular licensing fees • Copyright: The design is not the property of the client, therefore the client would not own it, only the images and content added to the template • Contract: May be forced to host your website with the same company • Updates: Future additions may be restricted or limited. • Branding: Due to the amount of other companies using the same template, brand confusion may occur. |
Still undecided? In our experience and generally speaking, if a company has a small budget, in a non-competitive industry, and only uses a website to say they exist on the world wide web, a template site would suffice. However, if you are competitive and your website is an integral part of your marketing initiative and a major business tools, going custom will help differentiate you in your marketplace.
