Doing business in this modern-day digital era has become a lot more interesting but also quite challenging. While the internet has opened many doors and changed how marketing is done and businesses are run, all these options can be a bit overwhelming. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the definitions of custom web development.
One thing that many companies may struggle with is deciding whether they want to use custom web development or an off-the-shelf web application software that could solve the same goal. Just like the word says, if it’s something very custom that you want to solve via web development and coding, then maybe custom web development is the answer, but in an extreme example, if you need CRM web app software, then you probably don’t need to build something custom since you have solid solutions such as HubSpot and Salesforce to name a couple.
A quick breakdown…
What Is a Website?
Without getting too technical, a website is a set of interlinked web pages that can be accessed universally. These pages are all under one domain name and typically contain information in text, image, or video form.
For the most part, there isn’t much that website visitors can interact with, except buttons that let them move from one page to another, interact with elements, or maybe play videos. There can be forms as well, where visitors will input data such as their names and email addresses.
E-commerce websites have a few extra features that make it possible for visitors to buy products.
Other than that, there isn’t much for a visitor to do other than scroll through the information provided.
Although websites on their own are awesome for achieving business goals such as showing off products or attracting attention to services, they can be limited when it comes to improved engagement and interactivity.
That’s where custom web development, or web app development, comes in. So, what are we talking about here? Let’s find out!
What Is Custom Web Development?
Custom web development is an important factor for many businesses, from young startups to well-established ones. Having a custom website is far more desirable than a static one. There is so much more you can do with it.
Customization is a lot more effective and easy with a custom website than you would be able to enjoy with a static or semi-custom website.
Using code and tools to create the website you have in mind is highly beneficial to companies. This can give them an edge over their competition.
Why Go For Custom Web Development?
With custom web development, you can make your website, and by extension, your company, stand out from the competition. Customization also allows you to turn a static, boring website into something more exciting and engaging with the help of advanced tools and optimized coding.
As a business, it’s only natural that you want a one-of-a-kind website that can introduce your brand and products to your visitors in a natural way. You can’t really do that with a template or limited web development source like WordPress. Sure, you can use plugins, but they can make your pages load a lot slower, negatively affecting the user experience and they might not actually solve the exact need.
If you need a complex website, templates will be your enemy. You can’t add unique features or functionalities only for use by your business because they don’t exist. However, with custom website development, every idea you have can be implemented (within reason, of course).
Another element that makes custom web development stand out to businesses is the visually branded elements. Your brand is unique, and you need a website or web app that reflects your brand’s personality and can resonate with your audience. If you have a cookie-cutter website or web app, then that could potentially lessen the credibility of your website’s user experience without having that thoughtful, branded, stylized essence.
SEO is also a factor to remember. Websites built on templates don’t always have good SEO (Search Engine Optimization) to offer, and when they do, it’s rather inferior. As a result, your website might not perform as well as you would have hoped, and may not even show up on the first few search engine result pages.
With custom web development, you’re able to create a website that is highly optimized, which can be more supportive of your SEO strategy and integration of SEO tactics.
Also, custom-made websites tend to be a lot more secure and safe than WordPress sites and those like them.
What is Web Application Development?
Web applications are actually just really interactive web pages. These pages let users add inputs to get data in many different ways through interactions. They can be similar to other apps. The biggest benefit of web applications is that they are stored through the internet. This means they can be accessed on browsers as opposed to years ago, when there would be on-premise local servers with business applications running.
The most famous web app is Google Docs. Google Docs lets you create documents and save them on your Google Drive account or your computer all through a web browser. You can also share, print, and download them in various formats (PDF, EPUB, DOCX, etc.). Netflix is also an example of a web application.
Because web applications run on web browsers and are supported by most of the existing browsers, they are super convenient. New updates can be released without requiring a manual update or installation by anyone using the application.
Keeping data safe and secure is also much easier with web applications. They’re simple to back up in case something goes wrong.
Generally, web apps are most popular with tech-forward and friendly companies, whether it’s B2B or B2C companies. Businesses use web application development to create something innovative and interesting that is unique but also easy to use.
Web applications are highly beneficial for B2B businesses because they’re not platform-specific, and you won’t have to rebuild them for each platform your customers use. Maintaining them is also significantly easier than native phone apps or software, and they’re ideal for creating customized user experiences since they allow you to test and receive feedback with ease.
The only real drawback businesses face with web application development is that they’re not as easy to build unless you have the right knowledge and expertise. You may have to hire a custom web development agency with related experience in creating scalable and thoughtful web applications if you want to take your best shot at bringing your web app to life.
Do Web App Development the Right Way With GoingClear
Now that you have more information about custom web development, you can start planning your own custom website features or complete web app. Make sure it includes your core feature and functionality list needed for your initial early-stage MVP app, and then include a few wish-list or phase two features you are looking to have integrated as well. When in doubt about whether to include a feature, try to anchor it back to your website visitors/users and what will best help them win as a result of using your web app. Connect with us to explore how we can help with your custom web development needs.
The Ultimate Guide to B2B Web Design
Check out the Ultimate Guide to B2B Web Design and download our checklist!
