Web design has many levels and web designers design websites having different skill sets in each of these levels. Custom web design is designing a website from scratch according to the requirement of the website owner. The designer might use existing third-party libraries and applications like content management systems to implement the functionality. But the layout arrangement, design and some functionalities are implemented from scratch without using existing themes.
There are many reasons to choose custom web design for your website rather than using a pre-built template. I will describe all the major reasons in this blog post.
It is true that you see many professional-like websites built from existing themes. There are many pre-built themes built by professional designers. Some themes have the highest quality in all aspects of web development which includes loading speed, bug-free coding according to W3C and other web design standards and best user experience apart from a professional design. But some of the pre-built themes are not built to satisfy all of the aforementioned aspects of professional web design even though it might look professional. Therefore these kinds of lower quality themes are low in price and the cost for a website is lower too. But the website will be penalized by search engines like Google for not following all the aspects of professional web design. Most of the time, the design capacity is limited to the level of customization of the theme.
If your website is a custom web design, the designer who designs your website consults you before starting wireframing and making layouts. Then you will be consulted for preferred colors, fonts and any other things to consider. Next, the designer will create an image of the home page and a few inner pages for you to revise. Once both parties are agreed on the final design, the designer will start creating the website considering all aspects of professional web design standards to provide you an edge in search engine rankings. Another most important thing is, you can customize the website without any limitation since both design and development is done from scratch.
All the pre-built website themes have a load of functionality added. Some of them are over complicated. Most of the time, only a few of the functionalities are used on the website. Because of this reason, websites built using these themes might not behave as expected, especially when it comes to loading speed and functionality.
If your website is custom-built, the designer will add only the functionality you need. Therefore it is faster and functions as expected. It is also possible to add custom functionality like order management, payment processing, and chat. Modifying the website according to changing business needs is also easier compared with pre-built themes.
Most of the time, if the pre-built theme was not used with its latest version, third party libraries and technology used for coding can be outdated. This can lead to hacking since the hackers can use the vulnerabilities of outdated technology.
However, any professional web designer involved in a custom web design project always uses the latest technology and practices available at that time and makes sure that any third-party libraries used are up to date and tested for vulnerabilities. This will also enhance the overall website performance and search engine rankings.
Pre-built themes are used in thousands of websites. Therefore if your website was built with such a theme, your website is not unique and it will affect your brand and the website visitor’s impression of your business might be different than what you expect to present through the website.
In contrast, a custom web design makes sure that it is the one and only copy in the whole world. This uniqueness bonded with custom functionality will uplift your brand and customer experience. It will also make sure that you own the full copyright for the website.
I assume that you understand the importance of a custom-built website. If you need any consultation on custom web design and development, please use the following form to contact me. I will provide the initial consultation free of charge.
