4 Tips to Make a Website Template NOT Look Like a Template
Are you considering purchasing a website template? Purchasing a template can save you tons of money compared to a custom web design project, but you may feel some reservations about it. How do you make it look like you didn't actually purchase a template? How do you customize it to make it unique to your business? With the four customization tips I share below, you'll be able to take any website template and make it your own.
Invest in a Premium Template
The key to creating a website that truly has a custom feel to it is starting with a high-quality website template. You want to make sure the template you're purchasing comes from a reputable designer or developer that has built the template in a way to allow it to be customized.
Let me explain.
As a template creator, I take into account ease of use for my clients when building my templates. Will my clients be able to easily customize what I've created? Are there going to be issues switching up what I've done in the base template? How can I create the template in a way that encourages ease of use? These are all questions I asked myself while designing my templates.
Some key features that you should look for in a high-quality template include:
Understanding why the template is built on a particular platform. In my case, I built my templates exclusively for Squarespace because this is a platform that is easy to use and manage by most people (even non-techy ones.) Furthermore, Squarespace is a multi-million dollar company with robust features embedded into its platform. I may not have included a particular feature on a template design, but if it's natively built into the platform, you're free to use it on any template I've designed. On top of that, Squarespace has award-winning support to assist you with platform issues beyond the support I provide through my template shop.
Templated section designs. This will allow you, the user, to move section designs from page to page without compromising the design and functionality of your website.
Comprehensive tutorials or documentation on the template. This will ensure you are able to use the template with ease without having to contact the template designer.
Implement Custom Branding to the Template
This one is probably obvious, but it makes a huge difference to the overall aesthetic of a template. Changing the fonts, colors, and branding associated with a website template can immensely shift the look and feel of the template.
The Amilia website template is customized with my personal branding.
My templates, in particular, are built using Squarespace's native design features in mind.
The native typography options native to Squarespace are robust. They have access to both the Adobe Font library AND the Google Font library. This means you have access to thousands of fonts to create a font system for your website that is unique to you. For those that want more robust features though, I do offer some tutorials on implementing custom type. This means if you already have set fonts for your brand that aren't natively included in Squarespace, I will teach you how to upload and implement them to your website.
For the colors, I built my templates keeping the Squarespace section themes in mind. Squarespace is built in a way that supports the use of a color palette to create robust sections with ease. This means that through the implementation of your brand colors, you will see the template shift to match your brand color palette.
Implementing custom brand elements on your site will also help it look custom as well. Have a logo? Add it to your website to add that extra touch of personalization. Have a brand mark? Make it your website favicon. These personal touches will take your website template to the next level.
Invest in High-Quality Photos
Websites are inherently visual. For this reason, it is crucial for you to use high-quality photography on your website. I recommend using a combination of brand photography and stock photos on your website to really make it stand out.
First and foremost, hiring a photographer for even just one photoshoot will make a huge difference on your website. High-quality photography can elevate the way other perceive your business and make it look more high-end. It helps your potential customers or clients see you in a more elevated way, and makes them more likely to take you seriously as a service provider. It is always my recommendation to use brand photography on a website whenever possible. Plus, you can use these photos in your business marketing as well.
That being said, I understand that sometimes you may not have the means of getting brand photos right away. And I'm here to tell you that's ok. In that case, I do recommend you get a close friend, family member, or someone you trust to help you take at least a few photos for your website. Some key photos include a portrait-style photo of you (presumably the business owner) for your about page and a few actions shots of you doing work for your business. From there, I recommend that you supplement the rest of the photos on your site with high-quality stock photography.
These days, there is no excuse for having bad photography on a website. There are so many options for high-quality free stock photos online. I even have a whole blog post dedicated to the subject. Often times I use a combination of brand photography and stock photos on client websites to create visual interest on website pages. My recommendation is to look for photos that are relevant to your business and match your brand color palette. That way they'll be pretty easy to mix add into your website template.
Rearrange the Order of the Sections on Your Template
I covered this briefly in the first section, but it is key that the website template you purchase is built in a way that allows you to customize it. Reordering the sections you've been given, or potentially moving them to other pages is key to creating a website structure that is unique to you.
My website templates are fully templated. This means that each individual section is created in a way that allows it to be implemented on other pages. Furthermore, pages are duplicatable, allowing you to build out the pages you need for your site with ease (you don't have to have just the pages included in the original template design.) My templates come with tutorials and guides to show you how to create, edit and move each section of the site with ease.
Your Website Template Doesn't Have to be Bland
Many people start out with websites built from templates. This not only saves them money but allows them to create a reputation for themselves before investing in a custom website project.
You shouldn't have to compromise on style when working with a website template. I hope you keep these techniques in mind when customizing a template that you purchase.
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