When you start building a website, you typically have several options to choose from. You can either create the site from scratch using a code or buy an already-built website.

The former allows you to customize the site the way you want, while the latter saves you from the hassle of engaging in the activity. If you look at these two options, one could be incredibly difficult yet gives you a lot of freedom. On the other hand, a pre-built website is easy but you don’t have a say on what the outcome would be. In between these two options, there exists another method of web design.

Templated web design uses templates to ease the process while still retaining the ability to change the outcome. Just like the two options, this method has its respective pros and cons. Also, if you’re on the lookout for a web design agency, you may want to search for Kitching Ltd and other companies. They should have what you need, especially if you want a site for your small business.

Pros Of Templated Web Design 

Using a templated web design is perhaps the most commonly-used method of building a website, and it’s not without reason.

1. You Can Save A Lot Of Time 

A template, by definition, is a sample document or a piece of work that already has some details filled in and only requires a few more information and input to fully complete.

With that said, it’s safe to assume the main advantage of templated web design is that you no longer have to build it from scratch. This is because the essential elements of web design are already there, thus saving you a lot of time and effort. For reference, it takes at least 14 weeks to build a typical website from scratch. Of course, you can buy an already-built webpage and get the results immediately but you still need to fill in content and other details.

2. It Is Generally Cheaper 

If you want to have a website built according to your specifications, it would usually cost you around USD$5,000. It may seem too much but it’s the average price on the market.

Meanwhile, if you create the site from scratch by yourself, it may be a bit cheaper. Although, it would still cost you at least a thousand dollars as you’ll have to buy the necessary software for coding.

These numbers become laughable once you realize you can build a website using templates with just ten bucks. Of course, that’s the minimum, but the point is it’s generally a lot cheaper.

3. Customization Is Easy 

When a developer creates a website template, they make it so the users can customize it easily. This initiative adds an advantage to templated web design. It’s especially helpful since you’ll have to customize your web design now and then to cater to your user’s demands and industry trends. But take note that while that may very well be the case, there’s a limit to how one can customize a pre-built template. This is where the cons or disadvantages of templated web design come in.

Cons Of Templated Web Design 

Much like the other two options, you’ll also find that there are disadvantages to using templates for web design, and this section will cover the two most significant cons of this method.

1. You Become Dependent 

When you start using a product, it’s easy to become dependent on the provider. Unfortunately, that’s also the case with templated web design. For example, before you can make any changes to your site, you must first wait for the developer to release updates and patches.

2. Branding Can Be Difficult 

Branding is one of the most important elements of web design. It allows you to stand out from the crowd and establish your brand among the many organizations similar to yours.

However, since templates are very accessible, as you should already know, no one’s stopping your competitors from using the same template you’re using. Hence, having a unique branding could be tricky.

Closing Thoughts 

As convenient as it may be, web design templates are not for everyone. This article should help realize that apart from pros, it also has its respective cons.

However, while it does carry disadvantages, it’s still possible to create a magnificent site given only a template to work on. This could be particularly true for seasoned web designers. Nevertheless, if you’re having doubts before, this article should hopefully help you decide on whether you’ll move forward with your decision to use website templates or not.