Choosing the right foundation
There are two main directions we could take for the website: using a CMS or platform such as Shopify, Squarespace, or Wix, or building the website completely custom. Neither option is necessarily better. They have different strengths depending on what you want from the site long-term.
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At a glance
CMS
Shopify / Squarespace / Wix
Custom Website
Built around your business
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The timeline
The timeline difference is not necessarily huge for a relatively straightforward website. Depending on the features and functionality we want, a custom build may only add around 2-3 weeks to the overall timeline.
That additional time would primarily go toward creating the custom design, building the site structure, setting up the functionality, and testing everything. More complex functionality could increase the timeline, but for a standard business website, the difference can be relatively small compared to the additional flexibility a custom build provides.
When products are involved
A CMS like Shopify is particularly convenient for e-commerce because product management, inventory, checkout, payment processing, orders, customer information, shipping, discounts, and other common features are already built in. It is much easier to manage without needing a developer every time you add a product or make a change.
A custom site gives us much more flexibility around the shopping experience, but it can be more expensive and take longer to build. We can create custom checkout flows, subscriptions, memberships, custom pricing, product configurators, or other functionality that does not fit neatly into a standard Shopify setup. Those features would need to be built and maintained rather than simply turned on through a platform.
If selling products becomes a major part of the business, a CMS can provide a lot of convenience and built-in functionality. A custom build becomes more compelling when the business needs a highly specific or unconventional e-commerce experience.
The tradeoff
A CMS is generally about convenience and ease of use. It is faster to develop, less expensive upfront, and easy for a non-developer to manage. The tradeoff is working within the platform's structure and limitations.
A custom site is generally about control and flexibility. We can build the design and functionality around exactly what the business needs, with more control over technical SEO, performance, and architecture. The tradeoff is more upfront time and cost, and some changes may require a developer.
Search performance
Both approaches can perform well in search engines. Choosing a custom site does not automatically improve SEO, just as using Shopify, Squarespace, or Wix does not automatically hurt it.
With a custom site, however, we have more control over page speed, code, URL structure, internal linking, structured data, and how the site is built for search-engine crawling. That gives us more flexibility to optimize the site over time.
If we are moving an existing site from a CMS to a custom build, the migration itself is important. We would preserve existing URLs and content where possible and set up redirects for anything that changes so we do not unnecessarily lose the SEO value the current site has built.
In summary
Faster, lower upfront cost, easier for you to manage yourself, and equipped with built-in e-commerce tools.
More control, flexibility, and customization, with the ability to build functionality specifically around the business and its long-term needs.
The right choice comes down to whether the priority is ease of management and getting the site up quickly, or having maximum control over the design, functionality, and long-term development of the site.
Talk Through Your Options