Is a Custom or Template Website Better for My Cannabis Business?

Is a Custom or Template Website Better for My Cannabis Business?

Much like buying a car or a mattress, websites can come with a ton of designs, options, and prices – often so many that it becomes impossible to choose where to start. So, how do you even begin to pick which website is right for your cannabis or hemp business? Let’s begin by looking at the difference between custom websites and template websites.

Template Websites for Cannabis Businesses

Usually, the best choice when you’re first starting, template websites are made to fit anyone on a budget. Template websites often come as a package you can purchase and install for a flat rate. $49 is a reasonable price to start when shopping for website “themes.” Some template websites are included as part of a monthly service fee that comes with other bonuses, including e-commerce features, often starting at $99 per month.

Because templates are built to fit any need, they come with a variety of pre-packaged designs to choose from and are typically easy to set up and use. While easy to work with, it can still take a huge amount of time to set up, make design choices and fill in the content. Because they include so many options, often more than you need, template websites often fail on performance – loading slower and sometimes impacting search engine (SEO) results. Keep in mind, these kinds of sites are low budget because they intend for you to do the hard work and often don’t have any styles specific to cannabis. Template websites that charge monthly also go away entirely if you decide you no longer want to subscribe.

If your business is just starting out and looking to get a website online, we highly recommend picking a template, especially one that gives you enough options to match your brand. Don’t be afraid to seek help, too – even though these templates are made for users with any level of experience, it is still worth it to hire a professional to help you get going.

Custom Websites for Cannabis Business

What makes a website custom? Typically when design, style, and even performance are custom-tuned to match your cannabis or hemp business’s needs. More advanced custom websites are even hand-coded to ensure every feature is fine-tuned to meet your organization’s requirements. Once your website traffic has grown beyond a small audience, performance also becomes a factor – this is where a custom site can quickly outshine a template. When your template no longer suits your needs or your marketing requirements become more demanding, it’s time to look into a custom website.

In order to create a custom website, it is important to work with an organization you trust. Be sure to work with a website designer or marketing company that understands your needs, has provable results, and has experience working with cannabis and hemp markets. Because a custom website is literally tailored to your needs, this kind of site is often much more suited for fast-growing start-ups or established cannabis and hemp businesses.

We offer our customers the best quality in custom websites, especially those looking to pivot out of using a template website or monthly website service. Our web developers have custom-coded our themes with cannabis and hemp business needs in mind and take the latest industry-standard steps to tune your site for performance.

Choose What’s Right for Your Budget

Start with getting the best website solution your business can afford! Again, like buying a car, you can spend a hundred thousand dollars on building the world’s greatest custom solution, when a minimalistic template package could be all you need to win the race. In reality, most cannabis professionals are seeking a happy medium between the two. Don’t hesitate to reach out to professionals until you find the right match in price and quality for your cannabis business’s website.

Remember, no matter which type of website you choose, template vs. custom, the important parts are still up to you! In the end, your content creation, search engine optimization (SEO), branding, and marketing are still your responsibility, and your website will only return as much as you and your business put into it.

Like opening a storefront or dispensary, once your template website or custom website is up and running, growth isn’t always guaranteed. You’ll need to focus on bringing your audience to the table with original content, social media, and your brand’s overall message. That can be a project all of its own!

Want to learn more about how to choose the right kind of website for your cannabis or hemp business or how to take your starter website to the next level? Our team of digital marketing professionals can help! Contact Colorado 420 Websites today.

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