Template Web Design – Key Strategies to Make Yours Stand Out
by Heather Melcer
Many small business owners are forever thinking about ways to save money on start-up costs and do as much behind-the-scenes work as possible. Which is why opting for a template building system might be a sound choice. You can quickly log-in and make changes anytime you want, you are in full-control and let’s face it, it’s cheap. Templates have come a long way over the years and for merely $5-$10 per month you can have a hosted website up and running with a few simple clicks. You are going to have to pay for hosting anyway so it sounds rather tempting…but are a few clicks really sufficient to create something that looks professional enough?
The answer is yes. However, it requires a few tricks to create a site with a bit of personality and professionalism that doesn’t feel like it was made out in your own backyard. Here are the key steps to make your template look like a creative original, not just another click of the mouse…
- 1. Write your website first.
The key to any great website is good content. It’s natural to want to start playing around with the design first. Resist the temptation! You’ll wind up wasting countless hours playing around, instead of cost-effective time developing content.
A good tip for most independent entrepreneurs is to simply create one Word document for each page of your website. This will help you work through the organization and copy of your site, word by word. A good business website is not just about flashy looks, it needs clear, user-friendly, organized content if you really want your business to succeed. Plus if you have a website with significantly more than 5 pages you may opt to choose a template with navigation buttons going down the side as opposed to across the top to avoid congestion. Just one of the many reasons to have your copy completed first.
2. Use professional stock photos.
There’s not doubt about it, we live in a visual world. The images you choose to communicate your business are important and they need to be professional. What used to be reserved for high-end graphic designers and companies who could afford major licensing fees, has completely been revolutionized. You can buy good quality stock photos from many third-party sites for literally $1-$3 dollars.
Contemplate what kind of image conveys who you are and what your business stands for and also make sure that the photos on each page compliment one another. My resource of choice I’ve been using for years happens to be BigStockPhoto, but there are many affordable places to go, just Google it. Be sure to notice the keywords on each photo, as that will teach you how to search better and find the images you really want.
3. Select templates by graphic elements, not themes or colors.
Most companies offer dozens of templates for many categories of business. Look beyond the themes and colors and consider the basic template style and overall structural design to determine what works with your content on the whole (which of course you’ve already written, lol). A good website template service will allow you to go in and change any colors as well as swap out the main template photos. So for example if you have a life coaching business, don’t be scared to look in the restaurant or travel categories. Godaddy.com’s Website Tonight has many user-friendly features like these that I have used over the years.
4. Select 5 other websites you like and evaluate them.
This is an important step, whether you are going to build it yourself or hire a designer. Make a list of at least 5 websites you are drawn to, and jot down what key features you like about each one’s design. This will give you a road map to understand the style and tone you truly want your finished piece to model.
5. Get help if you need it.
You may have opted for this solution because you want to save money, but once you are knee deep in mouse clicks, you might realize it does in fact take a keen eye and a bit of tech savvy to create something that really stands out. Don’t be afraid to hire someone for a few hours to help get things creatively flowing.
6. Use Notepad or TextEdit at the end.
On a technical side note, when you finish writing your copy in whatever word processing program you use, do this step: copy and paste all the text into a text edit only program such as Notepad (on a PC) or TextEdit (on the MAC). This will strip out any technical formatting code in the background, which can sometimes lead to technical problem on your website pages. You want to remove all formatting (fonts, bold, centered, italics, etc.), then save it and re-open it up and paste that plain copy into your online website building system. Then use their system for formatting your text, making things bold, centered, adding bullet points, etc.
There you have it. Following the above tips will take any lackluster template and turn it into a strong, professional looking website and create a more solid, polished business. Sure it’s possible have a site built in a day with a few clicks here and a few clicks there, but any solid business needs to invest in the time to make those clicks count.
