With the expansion of web hosting companies offering off-the-shelf solutions for setting up a website in a few minutes with just a couple of clicks of the mouse, more and more companies are staking their claim on their corner of the online High Street.
However, this is just one way to go about getting a business on the ‘net and, some might argue, a way that is almost counter-productive to the reasons for setting up a website in the first place .
There are a range of reasons why a company wants to make its online presence felt. Usually these include securing new customers, providing a better service to existing ones and reinforcing their identity on the web. Pre-designed websites have limited effectiveness in allowing companies to do this. Providing cookie-cutter websites is unlikely to make a company stand out to new clients and if the site isn’t offering a useful service to existing customers it would have been better to save the money and spend it elsewhere in the marketing budget.
Getting a bespoke website
While a template-designed website might seem like the easiest option for a company looking to create a presence on the internet, getting a bespoke website is easier than you might think. There are several excellent web design firms that will be able to pull together a website for a company based on what they want their website to do for them and can apply their design flair and knowledge to develop something that’s both attractive and useful.
Made to measure is best
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Designers can be commissioned to produce a website that takes account of the budget constraints of even the most cash-strapped companies. By prioritising what content will be most beneficial for the company’s needs, a website can be delivered to maximise the return on the investment made.
What’s the goal?
Working with a web designer towards the development of a bespoke site from an early stage can help to tease out what the company most wants their website to achieve. Early expectation management can be as helpful as thinking outside the box, and ensuring companies are aware of the overall limitations of what can be reasonably delivered and the specific limitations of the budget available can help with those prioritisation discussions and really focus minds on getting the best possible site for the company.
That’s the best outcome anyone can hope for
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An experienced web designer will also be able to work with the company to explore the boundaries of what is possible to come up with something that is a perfect fit. Drawing on previous contracts and applying them to new situations can allow a truly unique but already tried-and-trusted solution to be found for a winning website.
Better go bespoke
When it comes to making an impact on potential new customers, the first impression will always make the most difference. Choosing a template website will risk losing some of that initial impact, while having a bespoke design allows for the development of something that fits with the company’s wider brand image and looks different to the websites of competitors.
Template websites are also not particularly functional when it comes to offering services through the site. A bespoke web design can link the site to ordering, booking or shipping systems to allow existing customers to manage their experience online.
Another benefit of bespoke design is ensuring websites are ready for however customers want to access them. While templates might work well on a standard desktop-and-monitor set-up, bespoke websites can be optimised for smartphones, tablets and a range of different browser environments to ensure customers get a seamless experience however they access the site.
Conclusion
When it comes to getting a functional, appealing website a company can’t do better than commissioning a web designer to create a bespoke site. Although template sites are quick and easy to set up and use, the benefits of a custom design are huge and relatively inexpensive to achieve.