Type the above phrase into a Google search bar and take a look at some of the posts on the page.
Most of these posts have been written by WordPress developers advising ways of getting around some of the issues that are inherent in WordPress, such as:

• Security
• Poor quality plugins
• Software updates causing problems
• Server needing constant surveillance
• SEO limitations
• Content management difficulties

There are advantages of using a WordPress theme. You get an off the shelf design that is “mobile ready” which can save time and money.

You may have to compromise on quality and your content will have to fit into the design theme that has been selected, but if you are on a tight budget, then this solution may suit you. Design themes can be sourced from a variety of providers; some are free but most have to be purchased.

Design theme costs
Most themes are governed by a licence fee and, depending on the provider there will be a one off payment or monthly cost for the use of the theme. One source of themes is Envatomarket’s Themeforest. They offer two licence options (taken from their website):

1. Regular licence (typically $59) - Use, by you or one client, in a single end product which end users are not charged for
2. Extended licence (typically $2,950) - Use, by you or one client, in a single end product which end users can be charged for

If the end product, including the theme, is going to be free to the end user then a Regular License is what you need. An Extended License is required if the end user must pay to use the end product.

These themes take a considerable amount of time to develop and design, so agencies using these themes will have to pay to use them and will pass those costs on to their fee paying clients.

You may want to check with your developers how this cost is being passed on and that the theme they are using to build your website has been licensed for you.

Custom design and build or WordPress theme?
There are some initial questions you need to ask to help you decide which route to take:

1. Do you want a design and custom built functionality that is unique to your business? Do you want your developers to understand your business and its requirements and design a website that is built around your content? Then you will want a custom design and build
2. Are you happy to select a design theme that you can insert your content into? Do you mind if your website looks similar to a lot of other websites? Then a design theme may save some time and cost, depending on how much the licence fee is

At Crystal Thought, our preference is to build custom websites after meeting you to find out about your business, target audience and competitors. This way, you get a unique site that will meet the challenges of your business that also has the ability to grow as your business develops.

However, we understand there are times when a design theme will work well for a business and with this in mind we have developed a selection of design themes customers can choose from. The advantage of developing our own themes are as follows:

• Better security
• Intuitive content management system
• More stable and better build quality
• Better control of the hosting and server maintenance
• Mobile optimised
• Improved SEO
• No license fees

Call us to discuss your preferred option.

Mark Langston