Selecting the right business website template is a crucial part of site building. There are a number of things that you need to consider - the type of website you’re creating, the features you want your website to have, the different options for customizing your digital space and your budget. Here at Strikingly, we keep on building on our collection of business website templates to adopt to the changing design trends and user interface requirements of entrepreneurs.
1. Content width
There are two types of content width used on small business websites today - boxed width and full-width. The former - which is composed of visible left and right frames on the screen - is most commonly used for business websites because it feels more professional and traditional. Spectre and Profile are two examples of Strikingly templates that are commonly used on professional websites.
Spectre
Profile
2. Header layout
The header is the first thing that visitors will see when they land on your website. You want to make sure this component can create a good first impression to entice users to stay. There are a number of header layout options that you can consider for your business website template. They can range from having a simple logo on one side and main navigation on the other side followed by your banner image. Some headers feature slideshows, video backgrounds and images with text overlays.
Select a captivating visual to create a positive user experience. Combine this with great website copy and a CTA that is difficult to resist.
3. Navigation bar
A clear navigation helps visitors get around your website easily. You want to keep this component of your business website templates free from clutter. Pages and sections should be laid out in order of importance and you want to keep the menu options to a minimum. This allows your customers to focus only on the most important messages on your site and not feel too overwhelmed by the options.
On Strikingly, use the Styles editor to customize free small business website templates and select a format for the navigation bar. For a more classic look, keep your navigation bar at the top and, if you have longer content, consider keeping the menu fixed at the top so it stays there no matter how far down your visitor scrolls.
If you have too many graphics on your website as in the case of online portfolios, you might want to consider using vertical navigation instead. This is particularly appropriate for menu items with longer titles or if you have a lot of menu entries.
4. Features
Strikingly lets users customize the look and feel of their professional business website templates to create websites that are uniquely their own. With the different style editing options, you can mix and match different color schemes, menu styles, headers and typography according to your personal preference.
The ability to build a full-featured website out of a business website template is one of the most important factors that will influence your choice of site builder. Ideally, you want the ability to add different apps and extend the features of your website to include different functions such as ecommerce, chatbots, social media streaming and newsletter campaign management. Explore the Strikingly app store to check out the many features that you can add to your website template to make it more functional.
5. Budget considerations
The best business website template is useless if you it’s way beyond your budget. Ideally, you want to get a great template at a low cost. Some businesses, in the hopes of ending with a unique looking website, opt to pay extra for their web templates. Paying for a template compels you to use this template. With a free theme from Strikingly, you can switch to a different one if you feel that your selection is not working right for you.
