Is Custom Web Design Worth It?

Let’s face it. There are a lot of websites out there, and almost every business has a website nowadays. But when it comes to getting a new website design or redesign for your company, how much should you pay for it? There are obviously cheaper options to consider, as well as higher-end solutions that may prove more beneficial down the road. But which one do you choose, and which one is more worth it?

After 2 years, not one of our clients found us on YellowPages; all of our clients found us by word of mouth or internet searches on Google and Bing. The world we live in is extremely technological, and almost every person turns to the Internet when searching for a service or a product. That means that having a website is a must for all businesses. It also means that because your website is still part of your company’s brand and image, your website should look nice.

But, how much should you pay for a good website? Well, that really depends on your options and your preferences. Some things to consider are as follows:

#1: Do you want your website to be unique and stand out from others?

There are many templates and pre-built websites where you can install them on a server, slap on some content, and call it your own. Yes, you can adjust the colours and the logo to make it look nice and reflect your brand and identity, but the functionality of the site remains the same as everyone else who downloaded the same theme. If you want something to stand out of the crowd and specific to your company, then going custom is always the better way.

#2: Do you want a web designer to partner with you and suggest customized solutions to your needs?

Some companies don’t just want a website, but a full website solution. For example, if you run a transportation service, would you want a website that just displayed your services or a website that would allow your clientele to book their travels directly? Do you want a fully-automated membership system integrated into the website, or just contact information for a membership manager? If you want customized solutions, then you’re looking at a custom web design. And the more features you want, the more costly the website will get.

#3: Consider your time, experience and budget!

There are many websites out there that sell web templates. If you are familiar with code and can work your way through installing these templates and adding content, then you may not even need a web designer. But, the question is whether you have the time to do all of this. If you already have a clear picture of what you need, a professional web designer could help you set things up without you spending a lot of time getting things going. The benefit of using a web designer is their expertise in design, modern trends and user experience design – you still want your website to look nice.

If you have a strict budget to adhere to, then sometimes the only option is to go with a template. But if you want to generate more sales leads, stand out from your competitors, and have a site that is on par with industry standards, we always recommend going for a custom solution that will last you for years to come.

#4: Know your competition and know what you want!

A website is definitely an investment. The amount you want to invest is up to you, but when you are ready to pursue a new web design project, make sure you know what you want and where you want to be. If you are getting a new website, you are probably thinking about beating out your competition or generating more sales leads through your site. Thinking along those same lines, you want to invest enough to make sure your website can accomplish what you set out to do in the first place. If you just want a basic web presence, then you won’t need a huge investment. However, if you want more, you need to know what you want and let a web designer guide you through the process.

There are a few things you can consider when figuring out what you want: (1) the functionality and usability of the site , (2) how well you want to stand amongst your competition, and (3) the “bells and whistles” of the site that add to its appearance. It goes without saying that the more you expect from the website, the more you should expect to pay.

Let’s say you had a health and nutrition store in Cambridge and wanted a new website. Let’s also assume that there are about 30 nutrition stores in your area. If you typed in “nutrition store in Cambridge” into a search engine, then a list would pop up in your search engine results. Before you even start the web design project, check out your competition! See what kinds of websites they have, and try to see if they have any custom features specific to their site, such as forms, e-Commerce solutions, logins, etc. See if their website is mobile-friendly, responsive, user-friendly, and accessible. After you’ve seen a few sites, try and judge how many features these websites have on their site and whether it looks like a lot of time and effort went into building the site. In a way, these sites will give you a good idea of which websites cost more, and which ones cost less.

After knowing your competition and their search engine rankings, it’s then a good idea to figure out what you want on your site, and how easily you want to be found. It follows that if you want your website to beat out a $5,000 website, then you may want to invest just as much or more.

At CryoDragon, we understand that every company has different needs. And of course, different budgets. As a result, we offer four different web design packages to suit various web design projects, from large to small. If you need a new website, contact us for a free quote and consultation!