Creating a memorable brand is difficult. When starting a new business, venturing out on your own or trying to set your company apart from the clamor takes imagination. Marketing is a combination of creativity and research. These two ingredients are vital to a successful marketing campaign.
What can you do to be sure your brand doesn’t blend into the wall?
In today’s business world, those who neglect to put time and money into their website are at risk of losing a large demographic. Attempting to navigate the universe of web design and development can make you feel like you’re back in English class. You might hear terms such as CMS, Theme, App, Plugin, HTML and CSS. Remembering the words these letters represent is a chore in and of itself. The research you do before you pick a web company is vital to finding the right fit. Recommendations are a great resource, but picking a company that is going to listen to your needs and recommend options to get you where you want to go will quickly help your venture be profitable.
There are several factors to consider when deciding between choosing a pre-built theme (usually free) versus having a website custom tailored. Items you need to look into are: Ease of use, mobile responsiveness, your budget, the functionality you desire, the ability to make it your own and search engine friendliness. Many of these items will be present in either option. There are pros and cons to each.
Let’s start with the Pre-built (Free) Theme option.
Building a website with a free theme is the hot offer in many advertisements. Free website themes have their place and do a very good job serving specific niches. If you are an up-and-coming business that is bootstrapped for cash but needs to develop an online presence quickly, then using a free theme is a great way to start. If you are a college student looking for a way to showcase your work or want a way for potential employers to learn more about you; go with a free theme. Free themes are budget friendly and if coded correctly are easy to update. They also come with built-in effects that may take a developer more time to incorporate – which could cost you money.
I am a firm believer that you get what you pay for. That being said, there are free themes that are good but often free themes are created by novice developers who are creating themes to practice their skills. Also, free support typically is very limited. The developer has done his job – free is free – you’re on your own.
Running a free theme has its downside. If you start off on the wrong foot you might set your business back in the online world. Themes that are coded poorly for search engines, coded with hidden advertisements or, worst-case scenario, with malware built into them, can ruin a business’s reputation online.
What about a custom built website?
Having a website custom built also has its concerns. Frequently, a custom website comes with a higher price tag. There is always a way to scale back on the cool stuff, but if you want all the bells and whistles be prepared to pay for them. Unless the developer builds the site on a CMS (Content Management System), then you are tied to that developer for changes made to your site. If you have not negotiated a maintenance plan or if the developer you chose is not reliable, this could be a huge headache. If the developer is not current on the latest trends, performance best practices or is a novice, you could end up getting a site that you hate.
When it comes to marketing, i.e. reaching your desired audience, having a custom built website separates you from the crowd. You won’t have to worry another company is using your same theme. Your site will be designed and developed from scratch, providing you the features, functionality and uniqueness you want your business to portray.
A custom website will load faster because it doesn’t need extra code to accommodate many different users. This will help it to rank higher in search engines and make visitors more likely to stay on the site. You will show your customers that they matter to you and that you are proud of what your business brings to the table.
There are many factors to consider when taking the step to create an online presence. Always weigh the pros and cons to make the best decision for your business.
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By Michael McCoy
Michael P. McCoy is the president and CEO of Action Coding. He can be reached at 773-724-0267. For more information, visit mccoym@actioncoding.com.