Every once in a while you look at your bedroom closet and realize that you have a lot of things you rarely (or never) wear. Unless you are going to an 80’s party (or even 70’s), it is time to clean out the closet. I was faced with this task this weekend. I found a lot to give to charity, and the result is more room and better organization.
So what does this have to do with your website you ask? Well, as a web guy, most things I do make me think of parallels in the web world. I got to thinking and the same thing that applies to your closet, also applies to your website. Every once in a while, clean it out.
Here’s a short list:
No one enjoys cleaning out their closet, or things like spring cleaning. But it does make your life easier, and in the case of a website, safer. Try to to utilize my list a couple of times a year, you will be happy you did.
With WordPress one of the key questions you have to ask yourself is should I have a custom theme built for my website or should I use a premium theme that I can purchase?
My answer depends on a few things:
Depending on your answers, I can come up with an option for you.
Type of Business
I always think people in creative fields should lean towards more custom themes. For instance, I look at some website designer’s website and I see a purchased theme, to me that doesn’t seem quite right. I mean if your selling your creativity, you should at least show you are creative, right? However, for many professions, or small businesses, a premium theme is fine. There are thousands, and with some customizations, you can make it your own.
Time to Market
If you are in a rush to get a site done, then your answer is simple, go with a nice premium theme which will cut the time down by 60-70%. If you have months, then you can consider a custom design. As the design process takes a couple of weeks on average, and building a custom theme can add a few weeks, you can see where time to market is considerably longer.
Budget
If you have a small budget, then go with a premium theme. If you have $2000 and up you can consider the custom design route. The reason is that having designs created takes time and money. And coding a custom theme can take weeks, which is where the cost adds up.
So, I know you are going to ask, what do I prefer? Well, in a perfect world, a custom, unique theme is what I prefer. But in reality, the things we spoke about come into play. Budget and time to market are so important. Whichever way you go, you can have a great site. If you aren’t sure, then ask me. I am happy to help you decide.
