If you are planning to set up a new website or intend to refresh an existing design, you will be faced with two main options: should you build every element from scratch to ensure it is fully customised to your brand or do you rely on AI to get things up and running quickly?
The decision you make at this stage will have a direct effect on the launch of your website and its success, so you need to carefully weigh up all the factors.
We look at the pros and cons of traditional web design versus AI web design so you can decide which one is more suitable for your business.
What Are the Advantages of Using AI Web Design?
If you want to use AI website builders to create your site, it can offer benefits such as:
- You won’t need to be a technical or coding expert to get started, as the artificial intelligence built into the software will take care of that for you.
- It shortens the time taken to create an eye-catching website, ensuring you can be live in a matter of hours, instead of having to wait weeks or months.
- HTML edits will not be required, as you can make changes to the design or content using simple inputs.
- Images, designs, copy, layouts and more will be recommended by data and learning algorithms, based on your requirements.
- You can spend more time focussing on growing your business safe in the knowledge that you can have all the essential website fundamentals ready to go.
What Are the Disadvantages of Using AI Web Design?
While AI website builders can offer numerous advantages, there are some drawbacks to be aware of:
- AI web design depends heavily on the effectiveness of its algorithms. Users may encounter design or functionality limitations if the algorithm is not stable or reliable enough.
- Creativity can be limited, as you will only be able to pick from a select range of algorithmically generated options, rather than modifying each element to suit your preferences.
- While AI website builders will provide a host of recommendations, it may not be apparent how or why they are being made.
- There can be instances where websites share common AI-influenced patterns, which makes content feel less fresh and original.
- Some AI engines can impose stricter content guidelines, which leads to the filtering out or re-writing on content it believes to be unoptimised.
What Are the Benefits of Using Traditional Website Design Methods?
Traditional website design gives you the advantage of:
- Accessing a broader range of design templates and themes that are tailored to the specifics of your brand and target audience.
- Working with professional designers enables you to draw on their first-hand experience and knowledge, making it easier to problem solve and implement long-term solutions for the site.
- The option of handcrafting every single element, including bespoke features and unique selling points for your services and products.
- Managing and changing the backend of the website and source code, so you can implement proactive and reactive changes as needed.
- Using a wider ecosystem of extensions and plugins that can increase functionality and the overall user experience. This can include things such as social media feeds, e-commerce addons and other custom elements.
- Less reliance on black box algorithms that may be responsible for introducing unwanted choices that are not suited to the existing design and presentation of your brand.
What Are the Disadvantages of Using Traditional Website Design?
Some issues to be aware of when using the traditional website design approach include:
- Compared to AI website design builders the project will take longer to complete – this is due to the high level of detail and precision involved in crafting a customised design.
- You will need to be familiar with HTML/CSS markup and web design techniques – working with an experienced designer can ensure this won’t be an issue.
- The site will require ongoing updates and maintenance to ensure smooth functionality – this is something that can be managed by outsourcing to a design team.
- All the content will have to be created from scratch – although this also means it can be tailored to match your brand message, whilst also having more control over the inclusion of natural SEO techniques to boost search engine presence.
Summary
Many people find that the best way to approach building a new website is to integrate both approaches. Where AI web design can enhance efficiency and convenience, traditional website design gives you more precision and a wider variety of options. At Webshape we focus primarily on traditional website design, whilst also leveraging AI tools where appropriate. This allows our clients to benefit from our hands-on approach and website building knowledge, and to take advantage of the latest AI innovations that can boost their online presence.
