Pros and Cons of Using Website Templates

If you want to know the pros and cons of using website templates, then you should keep reading this article. This article will give you the advantages and disadvantages of using one, especially if you are going to use it on your website.

You have many choices when it comes to building your own website. For example, you need to consider the time and effort you need to put into making them, and you also need to think about the budget for the whole project. Another thing is choosing if you are going to use a website template or get a customized one.

If you’re thinking about utilizing a website template for your site, then you should be careful and do your research well in order for it to be successful.

Many people use website templates from free website builders, such as WordPress.com, or services like Wix, Squarespace, or GoDaddy’s Website Builder.

What is a website template?

According to Techopedia, website templates are pre-designed tools that show the framework for any website’s broad layout and display of elements. Thousands of designs are accessible online, from which you can select based on your requirements and how you want to present your content. 

Choosing the right website template requires careful consideration of the pros and cons in order to create a successful website for your brand.

Website templates are pre-made models that can be bought and used to rapidly and affordably establish a website. Using website templates has the following pros and cons:

Pros:

• Quick choice to get the website live
• Cost-efficient
• Plenty of choices
• Aesthetics
• Navigation

Cons:

• Lack of uniqueness
• Limits your creativity
• Lack of user experience
• Requires regular updates
• Hard to optimize for SEO

Pros of using website templates

1. Quick choice to get the website live

Using a website template that can be found and bought online is the easiest way to get your website up and running. It usually takes at least a few weeks for you to completely build your website with the help of the template.

Business people who have little time usually resort to this kind of method in order to keep their brand running and live on the internet, but of course, they make sure that the template they chose is tailored to their business.

2. Cost-efficient

With just $30 to $65 dollars, you can now have a professionally built, aesthetically pleasing website template. The highest range you can get when you choose to let a web designer personalize a website for you can be $5,000.

Now that you know the price that you need in order to get a personalized website for your brand, you will think twice and see if a website template can do the same thing for just a small amount of money.

3. Plenty of choices

With the high volume of competition on the internet, you can easily choose from the wide variety of styles or bundles that fits the standard and brand of your company. Upon searching you will definitely meet at least two to three options that meet the standard you are looking for. Remember that when it comes to website templates, the internet is like a buffet wherein you can choose whatever you like.

4. Aesthetics

We all know that the first thing that draws the visitor to a website is the appearance of the page. Web design professionals also create templates that you can use anytime without paying a lot, you can now make your website look top-notch design quality.

Another thing is to avoid getting scammed by some websites that are hungry for sales. Keep in mind that you need to choose a website template that matches the branding of your website; everything else is still up to you.

5. Navigation

Only half of the story of your website is being told when it comes to how your website template looks. There are still a lot of questions being asked while building the website, such as, how easy is it for the audience to find the information they need? How well-matched do the design and other elements look overall? 

You should let a trusted friend navigate the website and get feedback before putting it live in order to make sure that you are making the right choices for your page.

Cons of using website templates

1. Lack of uniqueness

Even if the content you offer can be unique, the website templates won’t be. Just like what I mentioned above, the internet is a wide buffet, so there’s a chance that a website may have the same template as yours. You need to work twice as hard in order to stand out and outdo your competitors, who have the same template and business that you do.

Well, if you really do not want someone else to have the same website template that you have, you need to pay more to make sure you have it all to yourself. But if you really want to stand out among the rest, then the best option I can give you is to use a customized template to make sure that your website is original.

2. Limits your creativity

A website template can limit your creativity since it can only customize some specific tools, and it will definitely limit your creativity, especially if you want to stand out from the crowd.

Even the prettiest website design can be hard to maintain and update, which is one of the most recent issues when it comes to using a website template. Even the coding of the website template can be challenging, especially when you try to learn and understand the things needed in order for you to change how it functions.

3. Lack of user experience

Using a website template is surely a big help when it comes to your aesthetics, but one of the biggest cons it can have is that it lacks user experience. You need to make sure that even if you use a website template; it needs to look as if they customized it for your brand.

When using a website template, it can look generic and lack the fun that visitors are looking for when visiting a website. You need to keep in mind what the audience will think when they visit your website, so make sure they will enjoy every bit and make the purchase that you want.

4. Requires regular updates

To keep your website running smoothly and efficiently, you need to be aware of the changes and updates you need to make on a regular basis. Always remember that updates are designed to fix issues caused by design flaws, but sometimes the content can also be the cause of the damage.

Additionally, the version of the website template you choose may not work with all of the plug-ins you need to use.

5. Hard to optimize for SEO

Website templates are one of the foundations of your website, but they are not made well enough to be search engine friendly. But with the content of your website, you can make a big difference. Keep in mind that words are preferred over images when it comes to search engines.

You need to incorporate keywords into your content so that it will give you good traffic and draw more visitors to your website. For a website page to be seen by search engines, you need to utilize meta-tags such as the title tag, keywords, and descriptions.

Takeaway

There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to using a website template; it is still up to you if you want to use one after reading the pros and cons. The last word is still with you.

Website templates are a big help when you have specific and limited viewers. This will make the website more alluring and personal. But if you want to stand out among the crowd, then the customized design will be the answer for you who handle a more particular audience, and it will not limit your creativity when it comes to showing off your brand.

FAQ

Do website templates have an impact on SEO?

Yes, it does. That is why you need to utilize the use of different meta-tags in order for our traffic to be good on Google. You need to make sure that your website will not suffer even if you are using a template.

Are website templates more affordable than paying a web designer?

As mentioned above, website templates are more cost-efficient since they only cost you around $60. But if you really want a more personal design, then you must opt for the choice of hiring a web designer, which can be a bit more expensive since you are also paying for their time and effort.

Can website templates be altered to meet my unique needs?

The only adjustments that you can make with website templates are the simple ones, like text, font, and color scheme. Without any developer coding assistance, most of the templates won’t be able to accommodate the changes when it comes to functionality and responsiveness.