The Two Choices – A Custom Website and a Template

As a business owner or individual looking for a web presence, there are two choices – a custom website or a website template (or theme). Both have their advantages and drawbacks and it all depends on what is important to you. Since ThemeRack is in the business of themes, I’ll be highlighting some advantages of this route so you can make an informed decision on what’s best for you and your business.

Why Consider a Template/Theme

The two basic premises for choosing a template/theme is cost and time. A theme normally costs a lot less than a custom site and can usually be ready within a couple of days. A small business that has not had a web presence before may decide a theme is more practical because it gives them something quick and without a lot of investment. Another benefit is the ability to play around with a theme, to learn what works for you, what doesn’t, and what you want and need. As you become more accustomed to your website, you’ll probably want to add to it, either graphically or with more features. After time, your theme might actually begin to take on more of a custom look and feel. But these things take time and research. Being proactive and involved with your site is the best way to learn what you want and what your customers want.

Another important aspect of choosing a theme is to make sure that the theme you are considering makes sense for your needs. Let’s look at the following example:

Just to point out a few items here on the home page of the Oak Park theme. As you see, this home page consists of one big image at the top with the picture of the hands and globe. Underneath the main image are three smaller boxes of information. If you were to look at this theme, you’d want to consider these aspects when making a decision. What sort of information would you place in that large, top part? What about the three smaller boxes? Does the way this theme separates content with the one main section and the three subsections make sense for your needs? If the answer is yes, this theme could be an option. If not, best to find one that does.

Going Custom

There are some good reasons to go custom, some of which outweigh the benefits of going to a theme. Usually, if you’re already established online, it fits within your budget, and you have a pretty solid understanding of what you want your website to accomplish, a custom design is the best option. It will give you exactly what you want and need. And equally as important, it will be an extension of your brand, with exactly the right colors, look and feel that fits for you.

Conclusion

In a perfect world, everyone would be able to have a custom built website, to exactly your specifications. But when you’re new to the online world or just can’t invest the resources to go custom, a theme can be a great choice. Take the time to look at each theme and picture your business contained within those colored boxes. Remember with a theme, each section that is reserved for text or graphics usually needs to be filled with your new text and graphics. Find a theme that you truly feel will work for you, either for the long or short term. Be proactive with finding out what your customers want in your site and deliver it to them. If you do that, you’ll be successful no matter what you choose.

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