A business website is a better alternative to a simple brochure website and allows a brand to be represented, the business to be explained, the products and services to be demonstrated to the potential customer, and to help the potential customer decide whether to buy or inquire about a product or service.
When comparing the needs of a business or the preferences of a Dubai- or UAE-based business, there are two options to choose from. The first is having a custom-built website, and the second is having a template-style website.
Template website
Template-based websites provide the choice of selecting the design framework and customising it to suit specific needs.
Custom website
Custom websites are built to cater to a particular business or client and to provide them the opportunity to create a website that can be customised to meet the precise needs of the business. Both options have their merits, and the choice comes down to the project budget, goals, average traffic, features, and future plans of the business.
The best web design company in Dubai always recommends using custom websites for brands that have a unique business proposition.
What Is a Custom Website?
Custom Website Development entails the development of a website that has been designed in such a way that it fulfills the specific needs of the particular organisation or business entity. Various aspects of the website are customised according to the needs of the organisation or the business entity, as opposed to developing websites that use pre-existing templates.
The need for customisation could arise from the need for features such as booking systems, customer portals, payment systems, catalogs, advanced forms, business management systems, and other key features.
The development of such a website would require an understanding of the clientele of the organisation or business, and the entire process should be thorough. For example, a property consultancy firm in Dubai could require certain features such as search filters for properties, appointment booking, inquiry forms, and other features to fit their website.
What Is a Template Website?
Template websites use a framework and design that a business can then customise elements like colours, fonts, images, menus, and text to their needs. There are many templates you can choose from through content management systems and web builders.
Template websites are best suited to companies that need a relatively simple website with a moderate budget and time frame.
For example, a small consultancy, personal brand, or local service industry might only need the essential pages, such as Home, About, Services, and Contact; however, there is a vast quantity of templates available, varying widely in quality, flexibility, and ease of use. Some template sites allow for quite a bit of customisation, while others limit design flexibility and utilise a lot of plugins.
Top Considerations Before Making a Website Responsive Website
Your website must function and be useful on desktops, tablets, and mobile phones. How the site adjusts to fit various screen sizes can be improved through the implementation of responsive design. Testing navigation, buttons, forms, images, and readability on various mobile devices is critical.
You must consider whether your website will work on mobile and make sure that a website that works on a desktop but does not work on a mobile device does not become a problem for customers. Your website appears slower if the page takes too long to load.
Large images, superfluous scripts, sluggish plugins, and poor code can slow down a website. It is recommended to identify which things to optimise and avoid features that may not be needed. Different hosting types may be more appropriate than others.
Speed testing should not wait until the website is established and should always be tested during the web designing process.
Search Engine Optimisation
Your website should be designed with search engine optimisation in mind. Crawlable content, logical navigation, descriptive page titles, easy to use on the phone, internal links, and good architecture are a very good way to SEO your site.
A lot of SEO is made up of technical elements, relevant content, relevance, number of backlinks, and more.
Security and website maintenance
Security issues should be considered when designing your website. Staff needs to have an understanding of how to maintain plugin upgrades, permissions, and backups, as well as how to monitor the security of the website.
Template websites often include third-party plugins that need regular upgrades. Custom websites need ongoing website maintenance upgrades to address security risks, website compatibility issues, and the changing needs of the business.
Content Management
Website content should be easy to update, and a content management system can make it easy for staff members to manage service pages, blogs, images, and so on without the need for a developer. Make sure editing functions are simple and that locations are accessed easily.
You want to understand the steps that your provider has in place, the process, their strengths and skills with regard to designing and developing websites, the way they communicate, the end support service, and more.
Conclusion
While a template website is more affordable, it offers less flexibility for your business. A custom website allows more flexibility and enables you to build exactly what you want in the design and functionality for your company.
The bottom line is to find the cheapest solution based on your budget, goals, upgrade potential, design, SEO, performance, security, and maintenance.
Some of the best website design company in Dubai, like Goldman Dubai Website Design, offer website design and development for responsive websites and web solutions according to business needs, along with a digital experience for businesses.
About the Author
The author is a professional in website development, online marketing, and online business. He provides an understanding of simple website concepts in order to educate businesses regarding the planning, performance, and future of websites.