When it comes to building your own website, attention to detail is important. All the design elements that you choose should contribute towards achieving your digital marketing objectives. This includes your choice of website templates to start off your web design project. The right template gives you a solid foundation for creating a highly effective site that represents your brand and products.
Because of the introduction of templates and website builders, small businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs do not need to create their websites from the ground up. As a leading internet company, Strikingly features an expansive collection of modern web templates that enable users to create unique websites that can compete with the biggest brands. What sets this collection apart from Wix templates or Wordpress templates is that the entire library can be accessed even on free accounts. We have lowered the barrier to entry for upcoming brands to equip them with a good starting point for their websites at a more affordable cost.
But with a library chock full of options, how do you choose the right template design for your business? Here are a few guidelines to think about.
1. What kind of website are you building?
The first step is to look towards your own brand and what kind of website are you looking to create. Your choice of template should be able to accommodate the kind of content that you are putting up. For instance, if you are planning to put up an online store, you want to choose a template that is designed for ecommerce websites. A blog template may not be as effective layout wise and design-wise.
Having said that, you want to think about the kind of features and content you want to see on your website before you choose a template. What do you intend to do with your site and what are your objectives for building one?
2. Responsive design is always the way to go
With most web experiences happening through mobile devices, you will never go wrong with responsive web design - go for a template that will look great on all screen sizes. Fortunately, Strikingly got you covered on that end because all templates are mobile responsive so you don’t need to worry about adjusting the backend code to keep the user experience on your site consistent regardless of the device and platform.
3. Design considerations
Functionality and user experience should be prioritized when selecting website templates but you must also consider aesthetics. Your website should also look good if you want to attract the attention of your visitors.
In terms of design, there are 3 criteria that you should look into when making your choice:
- Content width - go for a full-width layout if you’re leaning towards a more contemporary design for your site. Full-width content where the background stretches the entire width of the screen is a popular choice for creative industry sites, personal blogs and portfolio sites. Meanwhile, you might want to go for a more traditional box-width layout if you’re designing a professional, business-oriented website.
- Header design - most website templates have distinct header designs. The header is typically the first thing that people see when they land on your page so you want to make it look inviting. You can go with a static header image that doesn’t have any content at all or you can opt for an image with a text overlay and a call to action. If your business offers different products or services and you want to cater to different audience groups, you might also want to consider a slideshow header.
- Menu bar placement - where your menu bar is located may not seem important but it can actually affect how people see your brand. As a primary tool for navigating around your website, you want to ensure that you create a clean and clear roadmap for your visitors to help them focus on the most important aspects of your website.
4. Take your time
When it comes to choosing web templates, we recommend that you take your time and browse through all the options that interest you. Strikingly’s template selection is divided into different categories to help you streamline your search. You can start browsing based on the type of website you intend to build and preview templates to get a good sense of what your site will look like.
Choosing a poor template or one that is ill-suited to your content may affect the effectiveness of your site. Fortunately, Strikingly lets you switch through different templates if you find that the one you chose is not working for you. You can implement changes at any point in the website building process and even after you publish your site.
5. Look towards other websites for inspiration
Running out of design ideas for your website? Check out the competition. Go through websites similar to the one you intend to create and get inspiration from them. Identify designs and features that you find effective and interesting. Experiment with the website builder and discover how you can incorporate various elements into your own design.
Ready to build your own website? Discover the best website templates today.
