These days, anyone can be a businessperson-turned-web developer. Just pick a theme, input some content, and you’re live for the Internet to see. But just because you can do something, does it mean you should? (Yes, we’re going back to elementary rules). Custom web development is the not-so-secret weapon of brands. When you have a custom website, you have better security, SEO, flexibility, and rank high on the unique scale. What are you waiting for?
What do we mean by custom web development?
Custom web development is basically the opposite of using a templated website. You know, like the ones you can pull from Wix, Squarespace, or WordPress. For a custom website, you need the expertise of a web developer. And if web development is the “engine under the hood of your shiny new website,” developers are the engineers. They help you build, create, and maintain your brand’s website so that it loads correctly on all browsers, processes e-commerce transactions, and collects leads, among other things.
Some other key terms in the custom development world are front-end, back-end, and full-stack.
Front-end refers to the site interface that’s consumer-facing. It’s “a combo of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript being controlled by your computer’s browser” that includes things like fonts, images, and sliders.
The back-end is where the data is stored and has the serve, application, and database. It’s also where trickier coding comes in for a custom website.
Lastly, full-stack developers can work on both the front-end and the back-end of a site and “offer the full package.”
Now that you understand the basics let’s dive into the benefits.
Benefit 1: Uniqueness
Maybe one of the most compelling reasons to seek out custom web development is having a unique website that you can be proud of. One tailored to fit your brand goals and unique brand voice. When using a templated website you can certainly still find your unique voice and integrate brand colors, but it’s harder to customize the site to your exact specifications. Especially if you need a custom coded e-commerce site or fillable forms.
For custom sites, “there is no theme. The architecture of your website is built to your specifications and does not carry any limitations or restrictions on how the site will look.” Essentially, whatever you envision your website to look like and function like, custom web development can bring it to life. Custom coding can do things like create dynamic e-commerce pages, fillable custom forms, and even visually-pleasing animation.
Benefit 2: Better user experience
Along with being beautiful and unique, a custom website can offer a better user experience. That’s because the website is built with no holds barred to your expectations and brand goals. If you want users to seamlessly navigate the site and end up with an item (or five) in their cart, you can do that. If you want to host custom forms and collect data on your products or services, you can do that too.
Everything from “unique steps for user interaction with the site, workflows for your staff, [and] third-party integrations needed for your business” is fair game. Without the fluff of some templates, your site can be both simple and functional. And that good flow keeps your followers happy.
Benefit 3: Security
Sure, it’s not as sexy as design, but security is important. When you host anything on the web and gather information from customers, you want to be sure that your site is secure and that your customers can trust you. Basically, avoid pulling an Equifax.
With custom web development, the developer works with more advanced programs and coding to ensure your data is secure. Google Chrome now warns users “if they’re entering any information on a form that’s hosted on a page that does not have SSL installed.” If you don’t know, SSL is the standard security technology of an encrypted link between a server and browser. In layman’s terms? It’s now the gold standard for website security.
When hiring someone to custom build your website, it’s a good idea that they’re developing with SSL in mind and that their source code is proprietary. Which “automatically decreases the risk of a breach.”
Benefit 4: Speed
That hair-pulling almost throwing-your-laptop-out-a-window frustration when a site lags should be the number one thing your site avoids. With custom web development, the sites are fast. So fast that it “can be the difference between landing and losing a customer.” When a web developer builds your site from scratch, they can eliminate “bloatware” that slows down your site. Optimized functionality means that those load times are further reduced, and users can spend more time on your site interacting and purchasing than waiting for the spinning wheel of death to stop.
Benefit 5: Better SEO
We’re no strangers to the benefits of SEO. And neither should your brand be. Custom websites help you maximize your SEO, mainly done through the back-end. This includes SEO built into the framework, alt text, and metadata. And it doesn’t stop there. When combined with an optimized back-end, a front-end with keyword-rich content is something “that search engines like Google value.” Combine that with custom imagery, and your brand can stand out among competitors, both on the surface and within the algorithm.
Benefit 6: Flexibility
Let’s face it; brands change. And you should be able to do so without reinventing the website wheel. Custom web development allows for more flexibility. As trends come and go or your business model changes, you can easily modify your site to meet new requirements or goals. Plus, when you hire an experienced developer like ours at Savy, you will be trained on your new site’s ins and outs. Something that makes editing your site and being flexible as simple as hitting a few buttons.
Benefit 7: Scalability
The final benefit of custom web development is scalability. The dynamic nature of a custom site allows it to grow as your brand does. As a startup, you may have little need for all the bells and whistles. But as you grow, those might be things your customers need. The bottom line? “Having your design custom done gives you the opportunity to have it customized on an ongoing basis.”
Stay Savy with a custom website
There’s a lot to consider when taking the leap from a generic site to custom web development. But, in the long run, the main benefits far outweigh initial costs and time spent. When you’re ready, Savy is here with an in-house development team backed by insight, understanding, and technology.