There are two different processes i.e Customization of an existing WordPress theme and the creation of a custom WordPress theme design but many WordPress users do not know the difference between the two. One key difference between the customization of an existing WordPress theme and the creation of a custom WordPress theme design is the graphic designer. A professional graphic designer is trained at a university or college in the art of design and he knows that colors and fonts are much more than just pieces of theme code. A professional graphic designer will see color schemes and typography as part of a brand identity and much more then code within the WordPress theme.

When the service of WordPress theme customization is given to a graphic designer then he will start from a clean state and not from a readymade WordPress theme. A graphic designer will work with clients to understand their company, product and service offering, target market, objectives and marketing goals. Then the graphic designer will make sure that he creates a completely unique website design which matches those requirements. This is the process which is referred to as a Custom WordPress theme design because a professional graphic designer will create a WordPress theme that is unique to the company which purchased it.

The other process requires an individual who customizes as existing WordPress theme. There are lots of these people available for hire in the WordPress market. They can have different titles but their role is similar. A WordPress customizer helps a client to modify a ready made WordPress theme to meet his specifications. The important thing is that the client specifies what should be done and provides the design direction. In this case the client has already picked up a WordPress theme and he has a list of modifications that need to be completed. These include things like changing the color scheme, resizing a content area, modifying the fonts and styling a plugin to match the theme. This type of process is called a theme customization as the changes are done into a theme which thousands of other people are using. This process doesn’t equate to a custom design because the majority of the design is not unique to the user. This type of work doesn’t require a graphic designer because the client already has a base design in hand when he purchased the theme. It simply requires modifications to the existing look and feel.

There is a huge demand for both type of work.

Questions to ask Yourself before Deciding

If your business needs something unique then you absolutely need a custom design. Otherwise a readymade theme can do.

If your business need to highlight call to actions and direct website visitors to take action then you should consider a custom theme design. The reason is that you need a professional help in designing a website that can guide visitors through the right flow and the actions you need them to take. This kind of design is a targeted design that is specific to your call to actions and this can be very difficult to do with a readymade theme.

If you find any existing stock themes fitting your needs and you have minimum requirements and just need the visitors to pick the phone and call you, then the purchase of a stock theme can work great for you. This is many times a case for a small restaurant, small brick and mortar stores and small medical offices.

Important points to Consider

Time:-

A custom theme design takes many weeks to design and code. Hence if you have decided that you need a custom theme design created then you have to allocate time for this process. Mostly it can take weeks and not days, to create a professional design and code that in WordPress.

Waiting List

Quality WordPress designers and coders are very busy with work due to growth of WordPress which means you might need to get on a waiting list. Hence you should allow time for this and start looking for a website designer well before you plan to start the project.

Cost

Keep a reasonable budget for your custom theme design. This is because a custom theme design requires a team of people. You need someone to design the templates and then you need a developer to code the design into a WordPress theme. Sometimes a project manager and a marketer is also part of this team. This team can create a great project but it requires an adequate budget.

 

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