When we began building WordPress websites ten years ago, the designs were pretty simple. Each page was laid out the same way; header image and navigation at the top, sidebar and a little text in the center of the page. Once we agreed on the look and feel of the first page assembling a website, even one with quite a few pages didn’t take very long at all.

As the web design themes got a bit more sophisticated, we were able to build a distinctive home page but all the interior pages were exactly the same. Then came the option to eliminate the side bar to create a full width display. While too large for just text pages, the wider display was ideal for portfolios and photo galleries.

Web Design Today

With themes like Divi by Elegant Themes, the interior page constraints are gone. We have the ability to make each page look completely different. The greater design freedom is both good and bad for small business owners. So, should you consider taking full advantage of this new trend? Here some things to consider:

The pros:

• No more compromising on one page so another looks good. Custom layouts allow you to display all your information in the very best layout possible.
• If your internal pages are filled with interesting content and indexed correctly, they may perform quite well in search. As a result they may become landing pages (a point of entry for visitors). Having the ability to create a unique layout allows you to add custom greetings and page specific conversion forms.
• Custom headers give you a place to put all those images you took out of the rotating slider.
• The overall site is more interesting. The content is more compelling when it is displayed correctly so visitors may actually stay a little longer.

The cons:

• Creating custom landing pages takes more planning. You’ll need to think carefully about the purpose of each page so your web team can create the right design for each page.
• It will cost more to create a different layout for each page since you can’t just copy and paste the content into a master template.
• It will take longer to build the full site. Each of those unique pages takes more time to build than just copying the layout you have already chosen.
• If you want to do the editing on your own, you will have a steeper learning curve as you learn the nuances of each page .

So should you bother with a different design for each page? For most small business owners the best choice is probably somewhere in between. If you are considering updating your website, be sure to have the conversation about unique interior pages with your web team at your kick off meeting.

Here are a few other questions you should think about as you start your web design project.