Websites are often the first impression potential customers and clients will have of your company – and we all know how important first impressions are, especially when it comes to your online presence. Design options are endless and can be catered to a vast array of needs and price points. When hiring a professional web designer, clients can choose to have a custom site built from the ground up or select a design from a library of templates. Both options provide distinct benefits (and potential limitations) depending on what goals a company has for its website.
What is custom web design?
Custom web design is exactly what it sounds like – a fully customized website centered around your company’s specific needs and goals. Custom designs allow you to fully integrate your ideas and branding throughout the website from start to finish. When a website is built to your specifications, it allows plenty of room for future growth and adaptation as your business evolves. As a custom website is designed, all functionality and aesthetic aspects of the site can be chosen by you – which means each custom-designed site is one-of-a-kind. This provides visitors with a browsing experience unique to your organization. Because custom designs require web designers and web developers to create the entire site from scratch, these sites usually take more time to launch and have a higher price point than websites created using a CMS template.
What is a CMS template based website?
Websites created with content management system (CMS) templates are less flexible than custom-designed sites, but they do have distinct advantages that may appeal to many organizations. The turnaround time for a website created using a CMS template is generally much faster than a custom-designed site, making it a great option if you need to have your site up and running quickly. And because template designs already include the elements needed for a functional website, the number of hours spent creating these sites is lower, which makes them a good fit for businesses with a limited budget. CMS templates can often be formatted to include customized color schemes but the vast majority of the design and layout is predetermined – meaning outside of possible color adjustments and content addition, the new website will reflect what is seen in the template’s demo version.
How does site design impact your company?
In 2025 a website is vital for a company’s success – and you might think simply having an online presence is sufficient, but the reality is much more nuanced. Time and time again research shows that a well-designed website not only encourages people to spend more time on your site but also drastically increases visitor conversion rates. Take a moment to recall a time when you visited a website but left after becoming frustrated with the site’s usability or speed. You might not have considered it at the time, but that frustrating experience likely influenced whether you would return to the site in the future or not. On the flip side, if you have a seamless and engaging experience on a website, you are more likely to spend time browsing the site and returning to it in the future. This also applies to those who visit your site. Website speed, design, and usability impact your site’s bounce rates and the number of return users that visit your site. Ensuring your site is designed to meet the needs of your target audience is one of the most important things you can do for your customers – and for your company! But which website design solution is right for you?
If you need help deciding which option is right for your company, reach out to a professional web designer. They will guide you through the process, start to finish – from choosing the best solution that meets your company’s unique needs to designing (or redesigning) and developing your site to launching it into the world!