In recent years, Dubai has emerged as a major global e-commerce market. The UAE has the second largest economy in the Arab region and attracts new business due to its open economy policies. Foreign investors are also eager to setup online business in the region since custom duties are at an all-time low and there is no taxation on corporate profits. Dubai’s ideal central location, active tourism and business diversity has turned it into a thriving e-commerce hub. To keep up with the competition, online businesses should have a website with captivating web design. The choice between a template and a custom-built website should be made after careful assessment of user needs and your business goals, since this decision could either pave your way to success or create further obstacles.
Although using a pre-built website template may seem like the cheaper and simpler solution, it can have numerous drawbacks. Studies show that a custom-built web design generates higher traffic, and hence has a higher return on investment. Meanwhile, a cookie-cutter template generates lower conversion rates, resulting in a low return on investment. Pre-made templates often lack an in-built SEO admin panel, and as a result business end up paying more in the long run for modifications as well as constant maintenance. In contrast, custom made web designs contain built-in SEO support system, which cuts down SEO expenses to around 50%. One of the upsides to a custom web design is that the design is created with the targeted audience in mind, and focuses on enhancing the user experience. Pre-built templates usually have a monotonous web design aimed at the general audience. A Custom website grants you full control over expansion and enhancements through a CMS of your choosing, without compromising the site’s security. Templates on the other hand do not allow much expansion options and changes outside of color scheme. This can prove problematic if you get stuck with an unfavorable CMS and faulty security. Generally, a template is estimated to last up to 1.5 years while a custom website can prove useful for last twice as long. The infographic below is compiled and designed by team GO-Gulf that explains why custom made websites are a more favorable option than templates.
Author:
Asad Ali is a talented online marketing veteran with a 7 years’ experience in marketing and web design industry. He has offered services for several renowned companies and currently works for GO-Gulf Dubai website development company offering web development services for custom online solutions. You can reach him on LinkedIn.
