As a web design agency, we are often asked what our preferences are when it comes to selecting a CMS.
We love WordPress and use it almost all the time. Why? Well, maybe that’s mostly a personal matter. One agency swears by this and the other is very comfortable with that.
So, it all depends on the needs of each individual customer. In this article we will try to explain why we prefer using WordPress for your website, as well as talk about some other options that can be used instead of WordPress or in addition to it.
For us, it weighs heavily that WordPress is an open source solution. that means it is freely available to everyone. It is constantly being developed further in this community. We think that’s a great principle. Furthermore, it is also very user-friendly and easy to expand. For us, WordPress is the undisputed number one.
Interesting facts about WordPress
- 35% of the web uses WordPress.
- WordPress is, by far, the most used CMS.
- WordPress dominates google’s serp with 2.28 billion results.
- WordPress is available in 196 languages.
- There are currently 54,000+ free plugins.
- WordPress takes care of 80-90% of google’s crawling issues.
What’s the price range for a WordPress website?
That is the most frequently asked question. Although this may not be customary in a FAQ, we would like to ask a question in return. Namely: how much does a car cost? Maybe this article could be interesting to read as well!
You feel already: that is difficult to answer. A € 5.000 car drives, so does a € 50.000 car. But the way in which, therein lies the difference. It is about the same with a website. It all depends on the number of pages you want, the functionalities you choose, any links, integrated plugins and all those other features that are possible. In addition, a webshop is many times more laborious than a regular informative website without complicated functionalities.
But to give you some direction: a basic website with custom design and development requires an investment of at least € 3.000. What we make sells for an average of € 4.000 to € 8.000. Please note: these are not hard guarantees for your website!
The difference between a template and bespoke website
Template based website are those that have been developed and updated by a developer and listed for sale. Price ranges can vary significantly from the cost of lunch on the lower end to € 1.000+ on the higher end. Costs can increase if you are needing more involved features like ecommerce functionality, media galleries, deep aesthetic customization, or customer facing interfaces. Generally speaking, the more money you are spending on a template based website, the more functionality and control you’ll be getting in return. Higher priced templates will more often than not also look more attractive and stylish out of the box, however, even the most sophisticated premium themes will often require some degree of tweaking to match your desired layout and functionality.
Usually, the decision to use a bespoke design or customised theme boils down to budget and timeframe.
A custom build means that your website is designed uniquely to you, without using a customised theme. These type of bespoke websites are used to match the design to the branding of a company better, implement desired features, streamline backend code, and create features that serve the customer/user base. This type of design work will typically range from the thousands to tens of thousands (€ 4.000 to € 100.000+) with eCommerce and high traffic websites costing more.
Differences explained
With all this quickly compared, this does not mean that we do not want to help you with a premium theme, on the contrary. But we want to point out the differences now so that you do not make the wrong investment and decision and regret it later.
We believe that our webshops and websites should not only look good, they should also work well. The navigation must be intuitive to follow, the products can be ordered quickly and safely, and the information must be obtained smartly and adequately. And all that packaged in a cut-to-the-bone design. of course, that too.
What we prefer?
If your budget allows is, it’s way better to invest in bespoke websites. There are several reasons for that like listed above. You want to be seen. You want to guide visitors through your website easily. You want to provoke them to action. Motivate to buy something. Or whatever.
But, first of all: we are not only developers but also designers. And designers design things themselves. Second, we believe it is impossible for a template based website to match your wishes 100%. Third: standard templates always have design limitations. Fourth, they slow down a website by loading unnecessary functionality. Fifth: if you want an extension or adjustments afterwards, you depend on the code of the template creator. That almost always causes problems.
In short: we make beautiful, functional, contemporary, steady and tailor-made websites.
Which route is the best?
Budget and timeframes will dictate whether a bespoke website or customisable theme is best for you. Before commissioning a website, talk to us so we can advise you for the best approach.