Introduction
WordPress and other page builders such as Wix or Squarespace have long been popular options for building websites, and for a good reason. They’re user-friendly, versatile, budget-friendly, and can get you something up and going in a matter of hours. However, as the web development industry has evolved, many businesses and individuals have found that the many limitations of WordPress and other page builders no longer align with their needs and can be frustrating at times. In this article, we will explore the benefits of a hand-coded, custom website over a WordPress or page builder-built website, and why this change is becoming increasingly popular among business owners in every industry. Whether you’re a small business owner, a freelancer, or just someone looking to take your online presence to the next level, you’ll learn how switching to a hand-coded website with us can lead to a much better and unique online presence.
Performance
Performance is one of the many essential aspects of any website. Hand-coded websites have the upper hand when it comes to speed. With the large increases in dependence on websites for information, it’s important that your website loads as fast as possible. While a lot of the web utilizes WordPress and other page builders, a large percentage of these sites fail to load within a reasonable amount of time for the amount of content it has. For every second that it takes for your website to load, you lose potential clients who didn’t want to wait. Believe it or not, you’re actually losing money by having a poorly performing website.
There are many reasons why WordPress or other page builder-built websites have poor loading times. Reasons include having large, unoptimized images, overuse of plugins, poor website hosting, and even shipping tons of unused and overly bloated code to the end user. Websites that are built with WordPress or other page builders such as Wix or Squarespace are categorized as dynamic. Dynamic websites require additional steps and server-side technologies in order to reach the end user which can ultimately have a negative impact on loading times.
Hand-coded websites on the other hand do not require these extra steps and are categorized as static. Static websites consist of plain HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files that are served directly to the user’s browser and don’t require any additional steps in order to render. HTML, CSS, and JavaScript are the core building blocks of the web. It’s well-known across the web industry that static websites are king when it comes to performance. Luckily for you, we specialize in web performance, and our websites load instantly. Here are a few additional reasons why our website load instantly:
- Optimization and compression of all assets such as images and video
- No need for any plugins
- Use of fast Content Delivery Networks
- Clean and minimal code structure
Google’s ranking algorithm actually prefers faster websites as opposed to slower ones. You can test how fast your website is by using Google Pagespeed. Based on research on our local competitors, We are proud to say that here at Rivas Web Designs, we offer some of the highest-performing websites in Tulsa and the surrounding areas.
Security
Another important aspect of any website is security. WordPress is well known for its security vulnerabilities. Some of the third-party plugins that WordPress relies on for added functionality can introduce vulnerabilities to a WordPress site if they are not often updated or are poorly coded. Many WordPress themes are still using older versions of certain technologies that have since been updated for security reasons. For example, tons of themes use JQuery, a JavaScript library that helps build some of the functionality. JQuery is still being maintained to this day but past versions have many security vulnerabilities that can introduce cyber attacks. I’ve done research on some local competitors in the Tulsa area and many of them are using older versions of JQuery that need to be updated. If you have a WordPress website, double-check that everything is updated. Another reason for these security vulnerabilities is improper website configuration. Incorrectly configuring a WordPress website and its components, such as the web server, can make the site vulnerable to attacks. Agencies charge business owners thousands just to keep these security vulnerabilities in check.
On the other hand, static websites have some of the best security. A big reason why static websites have some of the best security is their simplicity. Static websites are simple and straightforward, with no dynamic content. This means that there are fewer potential attack vectors for hackers to exploit. A hacker will literally have to open my personal computer and know my passwords just to have a small chance to get into one of our sites. Ain’t nobody has time for that. We don’t need to install tons of plugins or themes because we meticulously hand-code our websites line by line and do industry-standard quality assurance. Security is never something you will have to worry about with one of our custom-coded websites.
Responsive Design and Mobile-First Approach
More than half of all internet usage comes from a mobile phone. It’s more crucial than ever before for a website to be accessible and user-friendly on all devices. A responsive website provides a consistent and optimal user experience no matter the device trying to access it. There is also evidence that Google prefers and ranks mobile-friendly websites higher.
A downside of using page builders like Wix or Squarespace or themes from WordPress is that they are usually not great when it comes to responsive design. With these page builders, you start building your site from larger screens and have to cram everything down for mobile devices. Any experienced Developer or agency knows how difficult it can be to translate some designs from desktop to mobile. This is where mobile-first development comes in.
Mobile-first web development means that we start building our websites for mobile screens and keep adding code for larger devices such as tablets, laptops, and desktops. We use industry-leading testing platforms such as Browserstack to test the mobile responsiveness - and browser compatibility of all our websites. You can rest assured that your hand-coded website will be mobile-friendly and fit all devices.
Conclusion
A business owner may turn to website builders like WordPress, Wix, Squarespace, Godaddy or others due to their perceived low cost. However, these “free” plans often come with hidden fees and limitations. Using a generic template from these providers can result in poor website performance and low Google search rankings. To achieve a truly effective web presence, it’s recommended to invest in a hand-coded static website. These websites are known for their high performance, SEO benefits, robust security, and unique design capabilities. Our agency specializes in hand-coded websites and offers a comprehensive monthly subscription plan for $150. This includes custom design and development, unlimited edits, 24/7 developer support, analytics and more. Let us take care of the technical aspects, so you can focus on growing your business. For more information, please don’t hesitate to reach out.