Whatã¢â‚¬â„¢s Wrong With Using Design Templates?

Key takeaways

Treat templates every bit a starting indicate
Have a web developer on board!
Custom designs enhance user experience
Personalized website emphasizes your business organisation points
Cull loftier quality over low costs

There'south no denying that website templates dominate the spider web design scene today. Many businesses jump into this opportunity considering they're and so affordable and simple to set up up. Templates serve equally the "good enough" selection, helping organizations that bargain with limited funds and tight schedules. And they're clearly on their fashion to dominate the market – already 3 years ago, Moz published this blog post citing all the reasons why custom pattern is dying.

1. They aren't flexible

You can't go creative with a template. Sure, you lot can add your content like images and text, but that's inappreciably a customization characteristic. If you're looking for unique layouts and structures, steer articulate of templates – they unremarkably exploit very like models which aren't easy to customize. A website based on a template will never be unique. Imagine beingness stuck with this kind of crazy horizontal and vertical navigation mix.

ii. They often hide problems under the surface

This is a real problem. Many templates look amazing on the surface, but one time you dig a little in their code, you might spot some serious problems. Many of these self-build templates in fact offer to add together features and customize the design for additional fees. In the finish, people end up paying for features like SEO analytics and marketing, which just isn't fair. Only take a look at premium plans available to WIX users, who plainly accept to pay even for connecting the temple to a domain.

three. They're cheap

And this is their main selling point. Yet, when buying 1 you should remember that yous're getting what you lot pay for. They're inexpensive and they expect cheap. Since a website basically serves as the start impression to consumers, using a template might trigger negative responses from the online community and touch the image of a brand. Just take a look at this 1 – information technology's difficult to believe it costs almost $70!

If you'd like to apply a template and nonetheless build a positive make paradigm, choose recognized template providers and consider purchasing plans that grant access to more unique designs.

iv. Users recognize them

Since providers of these templates utilise lots of advertizing, they also help consumers to acquire what website templates look like. Together with their generic titles and badly designed navigation, these features are distinctive enough so visitors instantly know that the make didn't invest in a custom blueprint and chose an unprofessional solution.

Website templates suggest lack of inventiveness and laziness – and because of these, brand image tin only suffer. Be honest, how many times have you seen this blueprint around the web? It sure looks familiar to any user with proficient eyesight.

5. They're often non responsive

The situation is changing, only this nonetheless holds true for many self-build themes and templates out there. Obviously, edifice a website which isn't responsive is unforgivable in 2016. Mobile web usage is growing and today it surpasses desktop usage. eighty% of internet users own a smartphone today. Using a template, brands risk losing with their competition on the mobile scene.

At that place exist methods for transforming a non-responsive template or theme into a responsive 1. You can attempt a plugin, for instance Device Theme Switcher. But yous can also delve into the code and update the container set width values – set the width to 100% and then specific a max-width for large screens. You can deal with responsive navigation with a plug as well – Responsive Card is a practiced choice.

vi. They're not unique

Template companies usually categorize their offer to reflect the demand of dissimilar industries. The thought is good, but the execution is ofttimes lacking. Every industry is characterized past variety. How is one template supposed to piece of work for all the different options? Will it help these businesses to differentiate themselves from others and exist really applicative to their needs? Non very likely.

Plus, choosing a popular template, you'll find hundreds if not thousands of websites that expect remarkably like. And that'southward manifestly not a method for continuing out on the market. A archetype example of this problem is Bootstrap framework which turned out to be too popular for its own expert.

7. They resist change

Websites change over time. Technologies are under constant innovation and developers update websites to keep upward with the requirements and stay competitive. Building a website on a system created past someone else is a sure style to lock yourself out of these options. Otherwise, y'all might find yourself having to start rebuilding your website from scratch. By the time you're done, the business concern might lose to their competitors.

viii. SEO might become a problem

Sure, some templates might be designed with SEO in heed, merely that'south non ever the case. In fact, you lot've got no guarantee any that the template y'all're building on volition positively touch the website'due south search rank. Many designers never think about SEO when putting together pre-made templates. And developers working with custom base of operations elements most often know what they're doing when information technology comes to SEO.

Still if you're using a template there are a few things yous tin can do to boost its SEO. Make sure to personalize your titles, create a custom logo, work on your meta titles and short meta descriptions, characterization your photos and write content that makes employ of the keywords you're targeting.

Takeaways

Templates aren't the most terrible thing that could happen to web blueprint, merely they should be treated as a starting point – and zilch more. Because all the problematic issues that are part of using templates, having a developer on lath can easily turn out to be much more price-constructive.

Contrary to templates which are designed for a broad business organisation category, custom designs are built by experts to meet specific business needs. A great website is more than than stunning visuals and smart widgets. Custom designs are personalized at a conceptual level, delivering nifty user feel on desktop or mobile, and engaging users to follow your calls-to-activity.

Founded on the business brand, custom spider web design allows more command over creative elements, helping businesses to forge a meaningful connection with their audiences. With custom design comes customized support of a designer able to perfectly align the look of the website with specific concern needs.

If you're opting for a custom design, here are some questions y'all should ask your spider web designer:

What is included in your website packet?
Will I be able to edit the website on my own?
Practise you lot provide free after care sales and support?
Do you lot offering a website guarantee?
Is SEO and internet marketing included in your package?
What type of businesses do you usually work for?
How well practise you know my niche?

If you programme to start your design with a template and want a unique-looking website, here are some questions issues to cheque before choosing a template:

Does it take features you need?
Is the source of the template reliable?
Does information technology fit your manufacture?
Does it offer the level of customization you lot need?
Will it support your content?
Does it match your brand epitome?

Find a solid template and customize it to perfectly reflect what your business organization is nearly – that' how you stand a hazard at keeping the evolution procedure swift and cost-constructive.

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Businesses are enticed by cheap and hands bachelor web pattern templates. However, templates present a range of issues that make the solution ultimately less toll-effective.

Choosing a web design template, businesses save up on time and cost of developing their website. Templates are often hard to customize and generate a range of other issues that affect the website's performance an negatively affect the make. Opposite to custom design, templates can just serve as a starting bespeak for creating a spider web presence.

About the Author

Susanne Loxton is a modern technology enthusiast who combines her interest in all things new with a passion for writing. On a daily ground, Susanne works for Aubiz, a compendium of knowledge about companies in her native Commonwealth of australia. Follow her on Twitter @LoxtonSusanne.