Bespoke website design or an off-the-shelf template? In this post we take a look at why choosing a customised website is a savvy move for your business.
Seventy five per cent of consumers judge a company’s credibility by its website. Which means your site has a lot of responsibility on its shoulders.
It has to make customers believe in your brand – and the products and services you offer.
The very best websites do this through a combination of eye-catching design, flawless functionality and exceptional user experience.
So what’s the best way to incorporate these essentials into your website?
When you first build a site you have two primary options: create a DIY website using a template builder or choose bespoke website design.
Let’s take a closer look at what we mean by bespoke website design – and some of the reasons why we think it’s the best choice for any business.
What is bespoke website design?
Bespoke website design involves a web design team building a custom website from scratch. They’ll use a ton of complicated code to create something completely unique.
But not all websites are made in this way.
Some websites are built using templates, provided by companies like Wix, Squarespace, GoDaddy and ThemeForest.
You can use these free and paid templates to create a DIY website. Or hire a designer to edit a template for you.
We’ll be honest. Template websites are quicker, easier and cheaper to build. So why would you bother forking out for bespoke website design instead?
7 benefits of bespoke website design
There’s a bunch of great reasons why bespoke website design is well worth the money.
Your website is completely unique
The best templates are popular. Which means you’ll see the same designs popping up all over the web.
Sure, you can edit templates to a certain extent. You can switch colours around, add your company logo and upload your own images.
But your design is boxed in by the limitations of each template. You don’t get free rein to change every single element on a webpage.
This means template-based websites tend to look a bit… samey.
And this is a problem that bespoke website design can help you to overcome.
A custom website is coded from scratch. Which means anything and everything is possible.
You get a website that feels 100% yours – tailored to reflect your branding, your customers and your requirements.
This helps your company website to stand out from the millions of others on the web, and ensures you stick in the mind of consumers.
It has all of the functionality you need
An out-of-the-box template doesn’t necessarily offer the website functionality you want to incorporate.
You may find it difficult to build a truly mobile responsive website. Or to include a customised sign up form. Or to create an ecommerce layout that works for your products.
Bespoke website design can do all of the above – and then some.
It’s speedy
One of the ways you can add functionality to a template-based website is by downloading plugins and extensions.
But these add-ons can cause problems. They lead to website “bloat”. They aren’t always compatible with one another. And they’re famed for slowing your website down.
A bespoke website doesn’t rely on plugins to the same extent. So you have lean, clean code that makes your website super quick to load.
It’s optimised for conversions
Websites with great UX guide users on a clear customer journey.
Users understand what your website is about within seconds of landing on the page. They find it easy to navigate around your site. And they instinctively know where they should click next.
It’s much easier to achieve this type of UX when you opt for a bespoke website. That’s because you get greater flexibility and can craft a user experience that works for your users.
You can place calls to action at the points where they stand to make the most impact.
And you can use your knowledge of customer behaviour and your product/service offering, to create a clear and effective path to conversion.
It’s future-proof
Where do you see your business in two years’ time? Or five? Or ten?
Wherever you plan to take your business, a great website will be able to scale with you. This is something you can take for granted with a bespoke website.
You’re not confined by the limitations of a template that once fit your business – but no longer does.
Instead, with the right coding expertise you can easily adapt your custom website to meet business needs in the here and now.
Another reason why bespoke web design is good for the long term?
Your site is easy to update and maintain. Because the back end of your website isn’t populated by a bunch of messy plug-ins.
It’s built with SEO in mind
- Great user experience? Tick.
- Fast loading times? Tick.
- Code that Google can trawl with ease? Tick.
Google likes sites that load quickly, that are well-maintained and that offer a safe and satisfying experience for users.
With a custom website you get to tick all of these boxes, which means more effective SEO.
As long as you’re targeting the right keywords and including optimised content, your site won’t hold you back from reaching those SERP top spots.
It drives sales
Hiring a bespoke website design team is undoubtedly more expensive than choosing the DIY template route.
But in the long-term, it’s often the more cost-effective option.
That’s because you end up with a website that looks professional, communicates your brand personality and offers an exceptional user experience.
You’ll also be getting more organic traffic because your SEO is on point.
A custom website increases your company credibility – and guides users to buy, download or get in touch. This means you’ll turn more of your website visitors into loyal customers.
Want a bespoke website for your business?
There are plenty of templates available if you want to create your own DIY website. But if you’d prefer to go down the bespoke route, Known in Norfolk can help.
With our bespoke website design, development, branding and ecommerce services, you can have a company website that does it all.
How do we work?
We start by sitting down with a coffee and getting to know absolutely everything about you and your business.
Want to schedule a chat with one of our friendly web design pros? Then get in touch today!