Designing a website whether it is for a business or a personal endeavor can be fun and interesting, but it comes with a myriad of questions! Such questions can include “What color scheme should be, used?” “Should there be a dropdown menu?” and “What pictures, should be included?” While these are valid questions, there are some other questions that need to be answered way before the designing process starts. Perhaps the most important question that should be asked is “Should this website be custom designed or can it be professionally created using a Content Management System (CMS) such as WordPress?” For some people the answer may be a no-brainer, but after looking at the options, the answer may not be so simple.
The first, and maybe logical question to ask, is there someone in your organization that has the knowledge and time to design the website using a CMS? It is true that many CMS have templates that can simply be “plug and chug”, but even within CMS, there are many options that can really enhance the website if the person designing it is aware of the options.
Another major consideration to think about is the time factor. Does the website need to be up and running within the month or can it be built over a few months? If there is an urgent need for the website to be up in a short period of time, then utilizing a CMS is probably the best bet. However, if it is important that the website has some unique look, as well as has some special features, then having it custom designed is probably the preferred option.
The third, and quite possibly the biggest question is how much will the website cost? On one hand, a CMS like WordPress is probably the cheapest. It has some free templates (or themes) that are available. WordPress also has some paid themes that are available. Additionally, within WordPress,, there are plugins or mini programs that can enhance a website look. These include such things like slideshows and advanced form options. While these plugins can be free, often times they come with features that would be impressive, but are only available with the paid version of the plugin.
In contrast to using a CMS, having a website designed to your specific desires can be an awesome experience, but so can the price tag! Going with a web design firm tends to be more expensive, but there are valid reasons behind this. Essentially, a team of people are working on the website. This can include a graphic designer, a programmer, a SEO strategist, and possibly a content specialist. With all those people, it is bound to be a little more expensive, but not all web design companies have expensive rates. For example, Media Services Unlimited is a marketing company whose sole purpose is to offer marketing services like web design to small businesses and nonprofit organizations that may not have a huge marketing budget, but still need to perform marketing activities to foster their growth! This does not mean that their work is cheap by any stretch of the imagination; however, they believe in doing excellent work, but at a fair price that the middle man can afford! So, whether you have a website that needs to be designed or there is a WordPress template that needs to be put together, contact Media Services Unlimited. We are confident that they have the skills to get the job done at the right price!
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