There is a temptation when website budgets are tight to use one of the cheap design companies found online. A Google search will yield many bargain website template options, but you should be very careful before pursuing them. Here are some questions to ask before you purchase a cheap $500 website design template.
How many other companies use this template?
A pre-designed template will most likely be used by many other sites. Having a unique site is important, so be aware that there will be many other people with sites that look identical to yours.
Will the design hurt my brand?
Your brand is what makes you different from your competition. If you have invested in building a unique identity then a website template is not going to match the rest of your brand. If your brochures and business cards don’t match your website there will be a major disconnect in your customers minds.
Are there hidden costs?
Sometimes cheap websites don’t tell you all the fees associated with your purchase. Does the cost include customization? Will you need to hire a developer to deploy the site? What about hosting? Make sure you know what you are getting into before you fall for a “too good to be true” sales pitch.
Is the content unique?
Some pre-designed websites sell content as well as the design. You can pick and choose from the articles and pre-written text to fit your needs. This is a major no-no if you want to be found by search engines. Google rewards unique content and penalizes sites that aren’t authentic.
What are the long-term costs?
Think about what will happen a year from now when you realize that your bargain website is completely unusable. Consider the money lost throughout the year and the additional burden of starting from scratch now that you see recognize your mistake.
Purchasing a pre-designed website template is definitely a website budgeting mistake. Luckily, there are affordable alternatives that result in high quality templates. Give us a call and we will show you how budgeting for your website doesn’t mean you have to end up with a low quality product.