Pre-Built Themes vs Custom WordPress Websites

If you’re having a website built for your business, there is a good chance you will be having it built using WordPress. The current estimate is that 42% of all websites in the world use the platform. Among websites using content management systems, that market share is an enormous 65%.

Beyond that surface-level fact, though, the choices are vast. Most importantly, you will need to make a call on whether you want to go with a pre-built theme for your website, or custom-build your online presence instead.

The difference between these two options are stark. In fact, choosing one over the other can have major implications for your business. So let’s dig into those differences and how to make sure you make the right decision.

Pre-Built Themes vs. Custom WordPress Websites

We’ll start with some basic definitions. Using a pre-built theme is essentially a plug and play solution. You choose from one of thousands of designs, which define the way your website will be laid out, what types of images to use, and more. Then, you simply plug in those images as well as the text on different page types included within the theme.

Bespoke WordPress design is different. The process still uses the WordPress platform, but builds a layout and theme that’s unique to you. Everything is custom-coded to make sure your website can help you achieve your business goals and uniquely appeal to your target audience.

4 Reasons Businesses Gravitate Towards Pre-Built WordPress Themes

The above definitions might already provide some clues why many businesses choose pre-built, existing themes from the WordPress library or a premium provider.

Let’s break those reasons down in more detail. This is why many businesses automatically gravitate towards existing WordPress templates for their website:

1. It’s cheap. It might even be free, unless you choose a premium template—in which case the costs will still be £100 or less in most cases.
2. It’s simple. You won’t need much, if any, knowledge of HTML, CSS, or any other web development. The plug-and-play nature is especially appealing to small businesses. 
3. It’s quick to set up. Once you choose your template, you can be up and running in just a few days.
4. It looks good. Templates are typically designed by professionals, and that shows. Many of them are undeniably attractive at first glance.

5 Common Problems With Pre-Built Themes

Of course, not all that glitters is actually gold. Too many businesses fall in love with reasons like the above, falling into a common trap of pre-built WordPress themes. These common problems may include any of the following disadvantages of going down this route:

1. Performance is poor. Many of the most beautiful and popular themes are not actually optimised for users. They’ll load more slowly due to bloated code and plug-ins, leading to significant traffic, conversion, and revenue losses.
2. They’re often vulnerable. Themes often rely on plug-ins to provide core functionalities. Those plug-ins, along with the themes themselves, may be vulnerable to security holes. In fact, the vast majority of the 70% of WordPress sites vulnerable to attacks have pre-built templates and plug-ins to thank.
3. Capabilities are limited. Every template gives you the basics. But what if you’re looking for unique functionalities specific to your business or target audience? Because the theme is not built for you, you’re likely to be out of luck.
4. They’re not unique. When you love a template, your competition might as well. In WordPress themes, there is no such thing as exclusivity. Some of the most popular themes, in fact, are used by more than 100,000 websites each. It’s tough to help your business stand out when your closest competitors’ website looks exactly the same.
5. They won’t grow with your business. What if you need to expand your website or capabilities? Pre-built themes tend to be rigid. While they’re quick to stand up and might make sense at a certain point in time, they’re often not scalable, meaning you’ll run into issues even a few months down the road.

5 Reasons To Choose Custom-Built Themes For Your Business

All the above problems are surprisingly common, which is why gravitating to pre-built templates does not hold the appeal it seems to at first glance. That brings us to the alternative: bespoke WordPress websites, custom-built for your needs. While that may seem like a bigger commitment in both time and budget, there are a few reasons why making this choice is almost always worth the investment. 

1. Tailor-Made For Your Business

Building a website is not just about a beautiful online presence. It’s about a beautiful online presence that appeals to and converts your unique target audience with your unique value proposition. A custom build allows you to begin with that starting point, ending with a website specifically designed to reach your business goals.

2. Optimised For Speed And Security

Because everything is optimised for your needs, a good custom WordPress developer will build a lean site. There won’t be any unnecessary code or plug-ins that could slow down your website or provide an opportunity for potential security breaches. Every line of code is there for a reason: to help you succeed.

3. A Truly Unique Brand Presence

It almost goes without saying, but a custom website is unique to your business. It allows your online presence to become a true expression of your brand, representing your core values and selling points visually and conceptually. If the development process includes a competitive analysis, you can be even more sure that no competitor’s website will look the same.

4. Ongoing Maintenance And Flexibility 

Modern web design is far from a one-time project. Your website has to continually evolve and adjust with you, accounting for a growing business and potentially changing target audience. You also need bespoke maintenance to minimise downtimes, broken links, and other issues. That’s much easier to accomplish when partnering with a developer on a custom design that can evolve alongside your business.

5. Better Long-Term Investment

Put it all together, and a custom WordPress website is a much better investment long-term. The initial cost and time investment might be higher, but spending more upfront will pay off big time in better performance, greater longevity, and a more successful website. That, in turn, results in a greater ROI, allowing your website to become a core marketing tool and factor in your business growth.

Summary

You might be able to tell from the above that we believe in the power of bespoke, custom websites. For any business looking to turn their online presence into an asset for business growth, custom design is a must.

That’s why all of our websites are fully bespoke, created for each client from the ground up. None of our projects includes off-the-shelf templates or themes.

Every project we work on includes a thorough planning, design, development, and testing process. That means every website includes the above benefits, tailor-made for specific business objectives, target audiences, and conversion goals.

If you want to learn more about the benefits of a custom-built WordPress site and whether it’s right for you, contact us. We can help you better understand the costs, timeline, and benefits associated with that process for your unique business and situation.