When deciding to design or redesign their website, savvy business owners look for a solution that will bring them the highest return on investment (ROI) and view any associated costs as part of that equation. Because of the lack of upfront investment, free website templates or do-it-yourself website builders may seem like a more tempting option than investing in custom website design and development, but there are many drawbacks to this approach.
Several studies prove that most viewers spend an average of only two to three seconds browsing a website before deciding whether to stay and learn more about your company, or leave. If that’s the case, and you only have two seconds to make an impact on them, even the most inspirational and persuasive sales content in the world isn’t going to make a tiny bit of difference. The majority of your potential clients won’t stick around long enough to read it! How then can a business owner justify using a website design that their potential clients may have seen before?
Just like your marketing materials, your website design contributes to the perceived professionalism and credibility of your business. More often than not, the Internet is the first place your potential customers will look. Even if you hand them a business card personally, the first thing they do with your business card is visit your website before deciding whether to do business with you. First impressions are everything and your website needs to be effective so that you can make an impact on your target audience and get them to stay on your site.
Failing to make a sale is just as bad as that money falling out of your pocket (if not worse considering the lifetime value of each sale). In a tech savvy world, the main source of information for potential customers is being found on the web, and you simply cannot afford to use free templates or otherwise cut corners with your website design (in fact, the list of top four things you don’t want to cut corners on are doctors, lawyers, accountants and web designers!).
Here are five reasons why custom website design will benefit you in the long run.
- Unique Custom Design. Using templates or a pre-built website design runs the risk of your website looking the same as many other businesses. This can prevent you from distinguishing your company and discourage potential customers as they lump you in with another business. They also often limit your ability to customize the website and may not allow for certain features. Every business is different, and each business should have a unique website design that is custom made to suit their business needs and reach their target audience. Working with an experienced firm ensures you won’t have any limitations to what you can do.
- Building Your Brand. Getting a custom website design allows you to work with your branding and corporate identity. It is important to build brand recognition and often a template will limit you on what you can customize to enhance your brand. Using something pre-built may leave you with a website that doesn’t represent your company like it should, and this will diminish your brand (potentially a very expensive mistake!).
- Custom designs are adaptable. Custom designs are built to be adaptable to your business needs. They are tailored to the exact needs of your business and your target audience. You can pick and choose certain features and elements you would like to include. A custom web design allows you to bring your vision to life, and is more adaptable to future growth. Upgrades become easier in the future because your experienced web designer will ensure they are creating a site that is adaptable to your current and future needs.
- Search engine friendly (SEO). Often templates and do-it-yourself website builders aren’t made to be search engine friendly, even if they say they are. There is simply too much individualized strategy that goes into achieving a good search engine ranking to be covered by any “one-size-fits-all” solution. When a viewer is looking for a particular product or service, they end up landing on a site based on their search findings. If your website isn’t search engine friendly, you just won’t be seen. When you hire a professional website developer, they don’t just make your site visually appealing, but they ensure that it will be an effective marketing tool that reaches your target audience.
- Experience Counts. An experienced web design company knows what will work for your business and has the experience to give you an effective online presence. Most people who choose to design a website themselves have no idea about layout, usability, search engine optimization, functionality, design principles, or accessibility. Your website ends up lacking in many fundamental areas that can be crucial to the growth of your business. Even the best and most expensive pre-built templates aren’t built to be most effective for your business. Working with an experienced web design and development team ensures that your website has all the essentials to give you the most effective online presence and the best chance of success. The bottom line is, you get what you pay for.
At Digital Lion, we are here to determine your unique business needs, challenges, and goals, and to design your website based on those. We work with you to build an effective online strategy that is going to benefit the growth of your business. We want to help bring your vision to life and to aid in the success of your business; that’s our mission! Custom website design is an investment into your business that will benefit you for years to come. We will work with you to determine the best web solution for your business based on your needs and budget.
Don’t make an expensive mistake by choosing a free template or do it yourself builder. Contact us today for a no obligation quote and see what a custom design can do for your business!
Read more about our custom website design services.
