Published on 14 December 2020 (Updated 14 December 2020)
Let’s say that the time has come to create or redesign your website, assume that you have chosen the most popular CMS (Content Management System) on the market: WordPress. It is a very good choice because whether you intend to create a showcase /portfolio site or an e-commerce site, WordPress would perfectly meet your needs.
With its robust and user-friendly back office, you can easily administer and manage your content. You also have a multitude of choices for customizing the visual appearance of the site.
However, the point is not to extol the virtues of WordPress but to address a question you will face at the beginning of site development: Should I choose a custom WordPress theme or a premium theme? Both options have their advantages and disadvantages. So how do you make the right decision?
What is a premium WordPress theme?
A premium theme is a professionally developed and designed theme that brings you an advanced back office configuration. There are thousands of themes to date for all tastes, all needs, and all professions. You can find such themes on ThemeForest, for example.
Multiple choices, support team, quick implementation… Premium themes are beautiful and allow you to create a site quickly and cheaply. These themes are especially suitable for non-developers as you don’t need to know how to code. Nevertheless, there are also some disadvantages linked to this type of theme, and here is a non-exhaustive list:
Uniformity of websites
Undeniably, there is a risk of website standardization. Some of the most popular themes are sold in thousands of copies. Chances are that there are many similarities among all these sites. No matter how you change the typography or the colors, the deja vu effect will be felt. If your idea was to create a unique identity, then it is not a good option.
An overloaded back office
The creators of premium themes aim to reach a large clientele and make a maximum of sales. They consequently embed a maximum of features in the back-office to satisfy as many people as possible and cover most of their needs. The risk is that the end user often ends up with many features he/she doesn’t need. This is detrimental to the fluidity, comprehensibility, and especially the site’s performance.
Longer loading times
An overloaded back-office requires more resources in CSS, JS and PHP which has a direct impact on the performance of the site. A premium theme also calls for several extensions, which considerably weighs down the site and lengthens loading time. This is undoubtedly the most problematic aspect of premium themes since Google’s referencing techniques are closely linked to the loading time. Therefore, poor performance hurts traffic and your site’s ranking.
Based on this observation of the disadvantages linked to premium themes, custom development shows its advantages.
WordPress site with a custom theme
Before embarking on developing a custom theme, the second question to ask yourself is: What are the user needs? We recommend that you draw up a list of features that you want to put in place. The goal is to target who the site is intended for and then work on a coherent graphic charter. Once this process is completed, the development can begin.
A WordPress site adapted to user needs thanks to the custom theme.
Realized by a competent developer or a specialized agency, the scripting of the theme will be guided solely by the user’s needs. The back office will be fully customized according to an optimal architecture. With no superfluous or unnecessary extensions, the code will be optimized to the maximum to consume the least amount of resources possible. In this way, the site will naturally perform better with reduced loading time.
A WordPress theme with excellent accessibility
Thanks to a straightforward development adapted to the user’s needs, a custom WordPress theme allows you to obtain a back office that is more fluid and easy to handle. The final result will be a fast-loading website that respects the accessibility standards both on computer and on mobile.
A personalized design
A website represents the identity of a company and reflects its brand image. It is a communication tool that is supposed to impress your visitors and hold their attention. Nowadays on the Internet, it is essential to stand out with a modern, innovative, durable and, above all, personalized design. A graphic designer can help you in this process to create a theme that meets your aspirations, appeals to your targets and is in line with your objectives.
A custom theme is hence a choice with lots of benefits. It uniquely meets the formulated needs with a customized design and optimized performance. Of course, it requires a higher initial investment than simply purchasing a premium theme and demands more time to design, develop, and implement in general.
☝️ Example of a WordPress custom site developed by Peexeo
In summary
To sum up quickly, a company highly concerned about its brand image, performance, and maintainability of its site would be better off with a custom WordPress theme. On the other hand, an individual who wants to create a portfolio that is fast and cheap will be right to choose a premium theme that responds sufficiently to his/her needs.
It is important to measure all the advantages and disadvantages of these two solutions in order to make the right choice. Moreover, it is also necessary to carefully study your business needs and your real objectives 🙂
ARE YOU INTERESTED OR DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS?
Are you interested in creating a custom WordPress site for your business? Do not hesitate to contact our team, we will be happy to answer your questions.
