What is advanced custom web development? When you should go for it? Let’s see why they are a better option.
The internet is awash with web builders. What users get are templates that they can customize to what they want. We can’t argue about the convenience of using such templates.
The strongest selling points include savings in terms of time and money. And, you don’t even need coding knowledge to use them. Sounds good right?
But, there is the other side of the coin that we can’t ignore. The templates are available to anyone and everyone. That means you could have multiple copy and paste versions of your site.
The other disadvantage is a lack of flexibility with what you can do. True, as stated, the web builders allow for some level of customization. But, you will quickly realize that you cannot stray too far from the basic look and feel.
Advanced custom web solutions have a lot to offer. Let’s see why they are a better option.
Custom Web Development: What Is It
Many processes go into setting up a custom website. There is the development part. This refers to setting up the structure and functional elements of the site. Chromatix CEO Irwin Hau likes the process of building a house.
The basic structure consists of the foundation, walls, and roof. All these are part of the development process. The team develops code, specific to your needs, much like an architect would create a layout.
The other crucial part is web design. In the house comparison, this is where the frills come in. the interior decorator takes over to add color, content, and so on. The same applies to the website.
The design team adds content, color, images, and other relevant elements. This step is critical because it is the first thing people see when they come to your website.
The Chromatix CEO stresses the importance of understanding the psychology of the target audiences when designing the site. The aim is to engage and persuade, to get conversions.
Custom web development has many steps to it. These include research, strategy development, frontend, and backend design and development. After these comes quality assurance through testing, site optimization, and ongoing maintenance.
Irwin Hau is emphatic about having the right team to handle the process. In his words, “you would not entrust your heart surgery to your GP”.
I’ve been using Cloudways since January 2016 for this blog. I happily recommend Cloudways to my readers because I am a proud customer.
So, do not compromise on web development and design by entrusting it to general marketers. Only work with professionals who have the relevant expertise and specialization.
Advantages of Advanced Custom Solutions
There are many benefits to custom websites. These include:-
- Building the site from the ground up gives tons of flexibility. You can add or remove elements without any restrictions.
- The web design and development company has the opportunity to create a unique website. It is an important consideration for achieving differentiation.
- The web developers and designers ensure the site responds to your specific needs/requirements.
- Advanced custom solutions are fantastic for SEO. Good rankings are the best way to get visibility on the search engines.
- Ability to incorporate greater security features to keep the site safe from hackers. These include the use of proprietary code, advanced secure coding, SSL technology, and secure web hosting.
- Custom solutions allow for scalability. What it means is the site will grow with your business. The design team can easily incorporate changes when the need arises.
Some web builders have inbuilt functionalities that could impact the performance of the site. Compound this with the plugins you need to install to get some features, and it gets worse.
Custom sites only have what you need for the site, based on your requirements. It eliminates any bloating, thus faster loading times.
Do note though, some web builders do offer some advanced custom solutions. It gives you greater control over what you can do on the site. Take the example of the WordPress advanced custom fields plugin.
With more than 30 custom fields, it becomes easier to address different factors in the design. These include user experience, customer journey, and intent. Using such a plugin improves the functionality of the site thus providing a fantastic user experience for online visitors.
Other platforms like Woocommerce, Magento, Shopify, and Drupal allow for custom web building as well.
When You Should Go For Advanced Custom Web Solutions
Let’s start by saying that a custom website will always have the upper hand. But, the truth is it has a cost implication to it. Hiring a web development and design team can be costly. Expect to pay anywhere from $1000 upwards. The time allocation must also be sufficient to allow the team to do its work well.
So, if time and budgets are not an issue, this should be your first choice. What you get in the end is a unique website that responds to your needs.
There are, however, some situations when you should invest in custom web solutions. These include:-
- If you want a unique design that sets you apart from the competitors. A new business would benefit from such solutions. It can be an effective way to stand above the clutter that defines the online space.
- A business with specific requirements. You may not find a template that addresses your needs well enough.
- You want greater control of user experience, website security, and different functionalities.
- Business projections show the potential for growth in the near future.
Final Thoughts
When building a website you have two options. The first is to use the website templates. Setting up the site is as easy as following simple prompts. The option is also attractive because they are not expensive.
The downside is your site will not be unique. Millions of other people could be using the very template you are. They could be browser or device incompatibility. You will also need to optimize the templates for SEO and enhance the security features.
Custom websites let you build everything from scratch. They do take time and some money. But, what you get in the end is worth every dollar you spend. Do hire a reputable web development and design company. It is not a job you entrust to just anyone.
Advanced custom web solutions allow for the creation of unique sites, based on your specific needs. Customization options are plentiful, making them ideal for a growing business. The team will optimize the site for SEO and ensure proper security.
