Why hand-coded websites outperform WordPress and Wix

Many Businesses have paid for websites built on page builders such as WordPress. Page builders are visual drag-and-drop editors that allow users to create custom designs and layouts without any coding knowledge. While page builders can be useful tools for building websites quickly and efficiently, they can also allow amateurs to overcharge for poorly built and slow websites that don't bring any real results.

In this blog we will discuss why hand-coded websites out-perform cheap page builders.

Website Speed

A hand-coded website can be faster than a website built using a platform like WordPress for several reasons. When developers hand-code a website, they have complete control over the code, which enables them to optimize it for performance. They can streamline the code by removing unnecessary elements, reducing the size of images, and reducing the number of HTTP requests required to load the page. By minimizing the size of the code and the number of requests, the website loads faster, providing a better user experience.

Moreover, hand-coding allows developers to optimize the website for specific devices and screen sizes, reducing the amount of data that needs to be downloaded, which further reduces loading times. This optimization also ensures that the website is responsive and looks good on any device, which is important for user experience.

Website speed is a key SEO metric and can be tested on Google's Core Web Vitals Checker. Most Wordpress websites fail this assesment or score between 10-60 on mobile. Our hand-coded websites score between 98-100 giving our customers a massive advantage over the competiton who have slow websites that are not optimised for mobile devices

Below is an example a page speed analysis of one of our clients against one of their competitors who use a WordPress website.

Page Builders are often not optimised for Search Engines

A lot of web designers who use page builders do not know how to provide a website with On-Page optimisation, provide keyword research or structure the code properly for Googles Web Crawlers. This is because when you do not know how to write code you will not know how it should be structured or optimised.

A website that is not SEO optimized will not provide value to a business because it will be difficult for potential customers to find it. SEO, or search engine optimization, refers to the process of optimizing a website to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). When a website is optimized for SEO, it is more likely to appear at the top of the search results when someone searches for a relevant keyword or phrase.

If a website is not optimized for SEO, it will likely appear lower in the search results, making it less likely that potential customers will find it. This can have a negative impact on the business's visibility, website traffic, and ultimately, their bottom line.

In addition, a website that is not SEO optimized may have issues with technical SEO, such as slow page load times, broken links, or duplicate content. These technical issues can also negatively impact the user experience, making it less likely that potential customers will stay on the website or return in the future.

Overall, SEO optimization is essential for any business that wants to succeed online. By optimizing their website for SEO, businesses can increase their visibility, drive more traffic to their website, and ultimately, increase their revenue.

The Importance of Mobile Optimization

It is crucial for businesses to have a mobile-optimized website as a majority of internet users access the internet through their mobile devices. In fact, statistics show that about 60% of internet users are on mobile devices. A website that is not optimized for mobile will provide a poor user experience, leading to frustration and potential loss of customers.

Additionally, load time is a critical factor for website success. It is reported that for every second of delay in website load time, businesses can lose customers who will leave the site and go elsewhere. This can have a direct impact on a business's revenue and success.

Furthermore, Google has stated that mobile-friendliness is an important ranking factor for search engine results pages (SERPs). This means that if a website is not mobile-optimized, it may be penalized and lose ranking in search results, making it even harder for potential customers to find the website.

Every website we code is built with a mobile first approach. By starting with a mobile-first approach, we can ensure that every website we design is optimized for the mobile experience. This not only ensures a better user experience for visitors but also increases the chances of engagement and conversion rates helping our customers stand out from their competition