What to Look for When Hiring a Website Designer? Custom Website or CMS -

There is hardly any point of argument against the fact that the internet has made the world a global village. Internet today is the panacea for every woe. Not only does cyberspace fill our repository of knowledge but it heavily influences one’s purchase decisions. According to statistics, 59% of respondents in the US revealed that they were more likely to purchase a product or service after active research on the Internet. One key element of establishing an online presence is building a website, which serves as a virtual storefront for businesses, organizations, and individuals alike. This is reason enough for choosing a web designer to help kick-start your business online.

The Real Deal: Custom Website or CMS?

Designing a website to get a business rolling online requires the owner to spend fortunes. On average, the cost of designing a website for a small business can range anywhere between $4K- $10K. An entire custom WordPress website may cost you around $6,000- $15,000, whereas a responsive CMS website may require you to shell out anything between $3,000- $25,000.

The pre-requisite for a website with high web traffic depends on the layout, design, site content, loading time, usability on mobile, and ease of user navigation. When tooling a website, the owner initially has to decide whether to go for a custom website or a Content Management System (CMS) based website. While a custom website is absolutely tailor-made to suit your idea of a perfect business site, CMS provides users with the benefit of managing content on the website itself. When it comes to website development, there are two primary options: custom websites and CMS (Content Management System) websites. Let us delve into the differences between these two options and discuss the factors to consider when choosing between a custom website and a CMS website.

Content Management System – Simplifying Website Management

Content Management System or CMS is ideal for users who have little idea about developing or maintaining a website. A CMS platform facilitates the creation and management of website content with the help of collaboration, authoring, and administration tools. Users who update their websites frequently will find CMS efficacious. E-commerce sites, blog pages, and news-based websites prefer CMS overall. The system comes with an abundance of well-supported and easily configurable plugins which allow users to add varied functionalities in order to customize the website to their heart’s content. The following are some benefits of using a CMS platform:

Lesser turn-around time for the website – CMS websites are known for their quick setup process. Most CMS platforms offer pre-designed templates or themes that can be easily customized with content, images, and other media to create a functional website in a short period. This makes CMS websites an ideal choice for those who need a website up and running quickly.
Budget-friendly – CMS websites are generally more cost-effective compared to custom websites. Many CMS platforms are open-source, which means they are free to use, and users only need to pay for hosting and domain registration. Additionally, the availability of pre-designed templates and themes reduces the need for expensive web design services, making CMS websites a budget-friendly option.
Ease of adding, editing or deleting existing website content – One of the significant advantages of using a CMS website is its ease of use. CMS platforms typically provide a user-friendly interface that allows users to create, edit, and manage website content without having to write any code. This makes it accessible to users with limited technical knowledge or coding skills.
SEO-friendly; Google ranks CMS websites higher – CMS websites are architectured to ensure their online presence is high so that website owners do not have to rely heavily on technical expertise.
Faster updates to the website modules – CMS websites are known for their flexibility and scalability. Most CMS platforms offer a wide range of templates, themes, and plugins/extensions that can be easily installed and customized to create a unique website design and add desired features and functionalities. This allows businesses to scale their websites as their needs evolve, without having to start from scratch.
Enhanced customer experience – CMS platforms have large and active communities of developers, designers, and users who contribute to the platform’s development, provide support, and create plugins and extensions to enhance the functionality of the websites. This ensures that users have access to a wide range of resources and support options, making it easier to troubleshoot issues and get help when needed.

Disadvantages of CMS Websites

Limited Customization: While CMS websites offer a wide range of pre-designed templates and themes, customization options may be limited compared to custom websites. Users may need to work within the constraints of the templates or themes provided by the CMS platform, which may not always meet their specific design or functionality requirements.
Dependency on Plugins/Extensions: CMS websites often rely on plugins or extensions to add functionalities beyond the core features of the CMS platform. While this provides flexibility, it can also create dependency on third-party plugins or extensions that may not always be reliable, updated, or compatible with the CMS platform. This can potentially cause issues with website performance, compatibility, and security.
Dependence on the Platform – CMS websites are dependent on the platform they are built on, meaning that if the platform goes out of business or stops providing support, your website could be at risk.

Custom Website – Tailored for Your Unique Needs

Built using custom and semantic codes, a custom website is attuned to the owners liking. These websites are built from scratch specifically for your business by professionals and are entirely customized to please the target audience. Custom websites are highly responsive, suited for mobile devices, and SEO-tailored. The scope for designing and development is not limited to the availability of templates; the possibilities are infinite. The ease of implementation and compatibility with modifications are two of the greatest advantages when using a custom website. The owner can shake off his/her woes about maintaining the website; the developer will do the needful instead.

Here are some benefits of custom web design:

Website design can be formulated keeping in mind company branding – One of the primary advantages of a custom website is that it offers a unique design that can be fully customized to match the brand identity and aesthetics of the business or individual. Custom websites are not constrained by pre-designed templates or themes, providing limitless creative possibilities for design and layout.
There is greater scope for innovation and creativity as these websites are built from scratch – Custom websites allow for the integration of specific features and functionalities that are unique to the business or individual’s requirements. This can include e-commerce capabilities, customer portals, booking systems, and more. The website can be built to precisely cater to the needs of the target audience and streamline the user experience.
Scalability and Flexibility – Custom websites are highly scalable and can be easily adapted and expanded as the business grows or requirements change. This flexibility allows for ongoing updates and modifications to keep the website current and aligned with the evolving needs of the business.
Faster than CMS; lesser load-time – Custom websites are optimized for performance, as they are built from the ground up with clean code, efficient scripts, and optimized images. This results in faster loading times, improved user experience, and better search engine rankings.
- Security: Custom websites offer enhanced security measures, as the code and design are not publicly available. This reduces the risk of potential security vulnerabilities associated with pre-designed templates or themes that are commonly used in CMS websites.

Disadvantages of Custom Websites

Higher Cost: Custom websites tend to be more expensive compared to CMS websites, as they require extensive coding and design work from skilled web developers. The cost may vary depending on the complexity and functionality of the website.
Longer Development Time: Custom websites generally take longer to develop compared to CMS websites, as they require coding from scratch. The development timeline may vary depending on the size and complexity of the website, as well as the availability of skilled web developers.
Ongoing Maintenance: Custom websites require ongoing maintenance and updates to ensure they are up-to-date, secure, and functional. This can require additional time and resources compared to CMS websites, which are often automatically updated by the CMS provider.

Service buyers can come to a decision on whether they can work with CMS or need a custom website after taking into consideration organizational goals, the nature of operations, and the budget. Whatever the choice may be, the unmediated one can be the next best alternative.

Mobikasa is a top-rated website, mobile application development, and accessibility testing company, Mobikasa has fast become a dynamic, agile, and fast-moving company focused on client solution management within the Information Technology domain. Mobikasa offers its services in multiple domains:

What to Look Out for when Hiring a Website Designer?

Customers are not looking out for lackluster websites to invest their time in. Therefore, to gain the confidence of the customers, the presentation of the business put up on the Internet must be attractive enough. For that to happen, business owners need to look out for and invest their funds in custom web design services that are worth every time.

Here are some boxes you can check before you home in on a web developer:

A coding genius and no less– Since coding is the skeleton of website development, look out for a developer with voluble knowledge in coding. Take reference from word of mouth and do your own research on the internet. Make sure you read reviews and follow testimonials before you finalize one. Be sure of whether or not the agency has worked on highly-functional, innovative websites in the past, and take note of the rate of success.
Compatibility and support– Choose a custom web design agency that promises the best solutions only after complying with your demands and requirements. Reach out to providers who will not only work FOR you but work together WITH you in building a custom website from scratch.
Hands-on industry experience– Before you hire an agency to look after your website needs, you have to ensure that the team has had enough hands-on industry experience. You would surely not want your website to be rigid or missing out on useful functionalities.
Integration– Ensuring seamlessness integration with third-party devices is yet another crucial aspect of successful website development. The provider has to have good knowledge about industry trends and push the custom website to accelerate on the information highway. The need for integration of the website with existing systems must be understood by the developer to work as per industry standards.
Backend is important– A website has to be picturesque but that is not the only aspect. Your provider must care for back-end services, in the same way, to make it work seamlessly.

A website that is attractive and intriguing enough for visitors to navigate through can open doors for success. It is therefore advised to go for a fairly experienced web developer and build a custom website for your business that will benefit you in the long run.

And of course, we’d like to throw our name in the mix as well. We’ve traversed the web development landscape for almost a decade now with more than 300+ projects under our belt, be it custom web designs or CMS-based websites. We’re based out of New York, LA, and New Delhi and have recently made our mark in Dubai as well

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What to Look for When Hiring a Website Designer? Custom Website or CMS