Are you thinking about using a template to build your website? Maybe you\u2019ve found a nice template online and you really like the vibe. Or, perhaps you\u2019re still looking for the perfect template and you\u2019re gathering ideas for inspiration.<\/p>\n
Website templates can be useful, but they come with limitations that could be a deal-breaker for your business.<\/p>\n
No matter where you are in the design process, if you\u2019re looking for a template, here are four reasons to consider a custom design instead.<\/p>\n
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When you start designing a website with an existing template, you have to adapt your content to fit that design. Since every brand has unique needs for content placement, starting with an existing design limits your ability to fully express your brand through your website. On the other hand, creating a design from scratch gives you infinite possibilities.<\/p>\n
For instance, Organic Web Design<\/a> explains that starting with your own concept allows you to create a site that is an organic expression of your brand\u2019s unique identity and value. That\u2019s important because when your site fully expresses your brand, you\u2019ll have an easier time generating leads and sales.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n You might be under the impression that once you buy a template, you can customize that template by adding your own content in the designated content areas. While this can technically be considered customization of the text, it isn\u2019t true customization. You\u2019re only customizing within the boundaries of the template.<\/p>\n Templates have predefined content areas that consist of a specific shape and size. Even when those content areas automatically expand and contract, it\u2019s still a limitation.<\/p>\n There is no one-size-fits-all way to arrange content on a website. One brand might need a grid consisting of 3 rows and 2 columns, while another might need a single row on top of four columns of content.<\/p>\n Other brands might have entirely different needs for content area placement.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n You can customize a template to a degree when it\u2019s designed to be compatible with certain visual editors. For example, there are visual editors that can give you significant control over how your pages are laid out. However, it\u2019s easier said than done.<\/p>\n Although visual editors (also called WYSIWYG editors<\/a>) were created to make it easy to edit content without any technical knowledge, they can actually complicate the process. They also limit functionality<\/a>.<\/p>\n Even if you don\u2019t care about functionality and you just want a simple website, you\u2019ll probably find these editors frustrating. For instance, there is often a steep learning curve just to set up content blocks and add content. As you create more content, the visual editing interface will become increasingly complex. Sometimes it can take several clicks just to access one block of content.<\/p>\n Why are most visual editors so complex? The features need to account for every possible combination of content every website owner might possibly want. That means you have to click through all the possibilities until you find the layout options you want to use. That\u2019s time-consuming and tedious.<\/p>\n When a designer builds your website from scratch, they\u2019ll design your content blocks exactly to your specifications so you don\u2019t have to struggle with a complex page editor. Your designer will also set you up with a much simpler editing system that gives you direct and easy access to your content.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n2. Filling in content areas doesn\u2019t truly customize a design<\/strong><\/h2>\n
3. Some visual editors make customizing a template challenging<\/strong><\/h2>\n
4. Free website builders are too cookie-cutter<\/strong><\/h2>\n