When building a website, businesses are often faced with a key decision: opt for custom website development or choose an online DIY web builder. Both options have unique benefits and challenges. In this blog, we’ll explore the key differences, helping you decide which solution best suits your business goals.
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What Is Custom Website Development?
Custom website development with a web design agency involves creating a website tailored specifically to your business’s needs, goals and brand. Unlike using pre-made templates, an agency designs and codes your site from scratch, ensuring a unique look, optimal performance, and advanced functionality. This process typically includes collating your unique business information, background and services or product information and creating a personalised design with custom features and full integration of your required tools or systems.
A web design agency provides a team of experts, including designers, developers, SEO executives and content writers, who ensure your site is scalable, secure, SEO-friendly and optimised for the best user experience across devices.
What Is a DIY Online Web Builder?
An online DIY web builder, such as Wix, IONOS or GoDaddy, is a platform that allows users to create websites without needing technical expertise in coding or design. These builders offer pre-designed templates and easy drag-and-drop interfaces, making it simple to customise layouts, add content and integrate basic features. They often include hosting, domain registration, and built-in tools like e-commerce, SEO and analytics.
DIY web builders are ideal for individuals or small businesses looking for a quick, budget-friendly way to launch a website that will provide the bare minimum to function.
The Benefits of Custom Website Development for your Business
Tailored Design
Tailored design in custom website development allows your site to reflect your unique brand identity, ensuring a distinctive and memorable online presence. Unlike templates, a custom design is built specifically for your target audience, offering personalised features and functionality that enhance user experience and meet your business’s specific goals.
Custom development also offers the capability to create a site that stands out and is truly unique, regardless of industry. For inspiration, check out Hubspot’s ‘10 Best News Site Designs’ blog showcasing impressive sites from the world of news.
Enhanced Performance
The enhanced performance that custom website development provides includes speed, responsiveness and efficiency optimisations. Developers can streamline code and eliminate unnecessary features, ensuring faster load times and smoother functionality. This leads to better user experience, improved SEO rankings and increased conversions, giving your website a competitive edge.
Scalability
Scalability allows your website to grow alongside your business. As your needs evolve, custom sites can easily accommodate new features, higher traffic and additional functionalities without performance issues. This flexibility ensures long-term adaptability, saving you from costly redesigns or migrations as your business expands.
Improved SEO (Search Engine Optimisation)
A bespoke website, created specifically for your business will come with improved SEO, ensuring your site is built with search engine optimisation in mind from the ground up. Developers can implement clean code, fast load times and mobile responsiveness while optimising content structure and metadata. This enhances your site’s visibility, driving more organic traffic and improving rankings.
Better UX (User Experience)
This bespoke website development method allows for a better user experience by designing intuitive navigation, tailored features and engaging interfaces specific to your audience’s needs. A user-friendly layout, responsive design and personalised interactions create a seamless journey for visitors, leading to higher satisfaction, longer site visits and increased conversions.
Full Control
One of the most important factors to all business owners is to have full control of their business and this includes their online marketing and shop front. With custom website development, you have full control over every aspect of your site, from design and features to functionality and performance. This flexibility lets you implement specific tools, integrations and custom code, ensuring the website meets your exact needs without the limitations of pre-built templates, platforms or unnecessary code or plugins causing performance issues.
Heightened Security
With the threat of cyber-attack coming in various forms and new methods being discovered regularly, the security of your website should be your highest priority. Heightened security in custom website development ensures your site is built with robust, tailored security measures to protect sensitive data and prevent breaches. Developers can implement advanced protocols, regular updates and custom firewalls, significantly reducing vulnerabilities and providing peace of mind for both you and your users. Developers can react in real time to new cyber threats.
Integration Capabilities
Custom website development offers enhanced integration capabilities, allowing your site to seamlessly connect with third-party tools and applications. This ensures efficient data flow, streamlined operations and enhanced functionality, such as CRM systems, payment gateways and marketing tools, enabling you to create a cohesive digital ecosystem that supports your business objectives.
No Limitations
The benefit of no limitations lies in the freedom to create without the constraints of pre-built templates or platforms. You can design unique features, tailor functionalities and innovate freely, ensuring your website fully represents your brand and meets specific business needs without compromising on creativity or performance.
Would a DIY Online Web Builder Suit your Needs?
Freelancers
An online DIY web builder can be sufficient for freelancers, providing easy-to-use templates and essential features to showcase portfolios and attract clients. However, some freelancers may require more advanced functionalities, such as custom integrations or unique designs, to stand out in a competitive market and effectively meet client expectations.
Event Organisers
If you organise small, simple regular events then a simple online DIY site may be fine for your needs as it will typically offer templates for event pages and easy ticket sales integration. If your intentions are to grow and expand your events business or for the events you arrange to grow themselves, you are likely to require more advanced features, such as custom registration forms, marketing tools or unique and varied designs. Without these features, you may find yourself limited when promoting events and managing attendee experiences, which may hit you where it hurts a business most – the pocket!
Bloggers
Bloggers may find an online platform can fulfil their needs, offering user-friendly templates and essential tools for content creation and sharing. As a blog grows, some may need more advanced features like SEO optimisation, custom designs or monetisation options, which may exceed the capabilities of these basic platforms. Or may come with a premium price tag as you subscribe to a higher package.
Non-Profit Organisations
For non-profit organisations, spending money is not always an option and a DIY website could offer all you need to advertise fundraising events and raise awareness whilst including integration for donation buttons. Should your non-profit grow and you find yourself needing advanced features like custom databases for donor management, robust event promotion tools or tailored content to enhance engagement, you should certainly be considering custom website development.
Personal Trainers
Offering easy-to-use templates for creating service pages and booking systems, a DIY web builder should provide all personal trainers need at first. Should you grow your client base, open operations in new areas or even franchise you will require online customer zones with login security which can contain customisable workout plans, client management tools or integrated fitness tracking. If this is your business plan from the beginning, it is worth researching your options to see whether these integrations are provided or can be.
Artists and Photographers
A DIY website can be sufficient for artists and photographers, providing templates to showcase portfolios and share contact information easily. It is a great way to get your name and your work on to the virtual high street and in the mind of art lovers worldwide. As your portfolio grows, or your popularity, you will likely require the option to integrate features such as e-commerce capabilities for selling art, custom galleries or SEO tools to increase visibility, which these platforms may lack.
What is the True Cost of Custom Website Development?
The real cost of custom website development can range from a few hundred to tens of thousands of pounds, depending on the complexity and functionality required. While some companies advertise low initial prices to attract clients, these offers often lead to additional costs for essential features, custom functionalities or ongoing maintenance, including integrating e-commerce capabilities, advanced SEO tools or custom databases.
Many agencies and online DIY website platforms also charge separately for hosting services, domain registration and ongoing support, which can further escalate the total investment. Therefore, it’s crucial for businesses to consider these potential hidden fees when budgeting for ongoing website costs. Starting Jamlis Web, we knew it was important to be transparent with our prices, which is why the fantastic price you see on the website is the total price you pay.
What is the True Cost of DIY Online Web Builders?
Online DIY web builders often appear to be an economical option, with low initial costs and user-friendly interfaces. However, to create a website of reasonable quality, users frequently need to purchase add-ons and extra features, such as custom domains, advanced templates or e-commerce functionalities, which can quickly increase expenses.
Opting for the cheapest plan may also lead to long-term costs; limited features and poor SEO capabilities can hinder your site’s ability to rank well in search engines. This will result in lower traffic, fewer visitors and ultimately reduced conversions, turning your initial savings into long-term costs.
Get Value for Money with Jamlis Web
We hope this blog has provided you with the insights needed to make an informed decision between custom website development and an online DIY web builder. Each option has its advantages, and understanding your specific needs is crucial.
At Jamlis Web, we offer exceptional custom website solutions at incredibly economical prices, making us the ideal balance between cost and performance. Let us help you create a website that truly represents your brand and meets your business goals. Explore your options today!