By: Kristine Chin-Lai, ALLOY Account Service & Braxton Nelson, Digital Insights
Websites can be designed through various methods such as simple Content Management Systems like Wix, or they can be built from the ground up. For example, when buying a house, you can choose a basic cookie-cutter house that looks just like all the other houses in the neighborhood, or you can build your own. Your custom-made house will meet all of your specific needs such as an extra bedroom or hurricane glass windows. Similarly, your custom-made site will be designed and built to meet your specific business needs, consequently, allowing users to add products to a cart or chat with an online representative. Custom building means that your site can be designed to maximize your business’ KPIs. It’s an investment to get exactly what you want, so you should perform a cost-benefit analysis before deciding.
Should I build a site from scratch or purchase a solution?
Every business has different needs, so it depends. However, all solutions should be user-focused. If a unique user experience is needed for your business, custom development is the best path to take. However, sometimes there is already a great product on the market, so you don’t need to start from square one. The most important factor in choosing between a custom or an existing product is understanding your business’ needs as well as your audience.
So, how much does it cost?
What kind of business do you run? What do you want your site to look like? Many variables affect the price. The cost of the final product may also depend on the amount of time spent on each project as well as the amount of effort put forth by developers and engineers.
Ultimately, the decision is up to you. The digital space is ever changing, and to build and maintain a successful business, your site must be able to engage users, track KPIs, and achieve your business goals. Building from the ground up will produce a more flexible site that is better able to serve future needs.
We can help meet these needs. Alloy is the digital division of Intermark Group, designed to help companies utilize technology to boost marketing and sales efforts. We specialize in everything from websites to mobile apps to data and analytics. Learn more at alloy.digital.
Sources: Hubspot.com, Bcs.org
