Web Templates: Both Hands of the Argument
I remember last week getting an email from a company in Essex that sells web templates (so a competitor I guess). Basically he wanted to know if I wanted to sell his templates for him and I would get a 20% commission for every one I sell.
I was speechless (only for a minute of course). How dare this individual try and ruin my business persona by suggesting I sell his pre-packaged templates!
Only on receiving a call from a prospective customer did I warm, if only slightly, to templates. You see this fellow had started up his own business a couple of years ago and as he was strapped for cash at the time, he bought one of these templates. Now he had a bit more time and money to invest, he wanted a revamp and some sort of recognition in the search engines.
On one hand, yes web templates are cheap and they are good if you are a small business starting out and what very little money you have has been eaten by tools, machinery, materials, etc (believe me I know). They get you online quick and its great to have a website address displayed in your "Opening Soon" advert.
On the other hand, and my prospective backed me up on this one: As web templates consist of a set number of pages, you have to create content if you fall short of the quota of pages or even worse merge content onto one page if you have more. Content keeps any website interesting, but as any new business owner starting out will tell you, time is one thing you don't have. Also this particular website had more graphics than content. A bad idea, I am sure you will agree.
Also the search engine weapon in these templates consisted of Meta tags, the same page title and that was it.
Another disadvantage and I have thought this since I first heard the initial concept: Every business is unique, therefore every website should be unique as well. There should be no set number of pages or logos of a certain size or images that don't fit in. Some businesses want 5 pages and some want 50 pages. It is a personal choice. If every single company in one sector of the market had the same web template, there would be no real identity. How could a customer differentiate between you and say, your main competitor who has the same layout website?
In summary, I would say Ok if you're strapped for cash and need a website very quickly, by all means opt for template. But as soon as you are established enough, go for your own image.
And did the template salesmen get a reply back from me? That almost doesn't deserve an answer.
I was speechless (only for a minute of course). How dare this individual try and ruin my business persona by suggesting I sell his pre-packaged templates!
Only on receiving a call from a prospective customer did I warm, if only slightly, to templates. You see this fellow had started up his own business a couple of years ago and as he was strapped for cash at the time, he bought one of these templates. Now he had a bit more time and money to invest, he wanted a revamp and some sort of recognition in the search engines.
On one hand, yes web templates are cheap and they are good if you are a small business starting out and what very little money you have has been eaten by tools, machinery, materials, etc (believe me I know). They get you online quick and its great to have a website address displayed in your "Opening Soon" advert.
On the other hand, and my prospective backed me up on this one: As web templates consist of a set number of pages, you have to create content if you fall short of the quota of pages or even worse merge content onto one page if you have more. Content keeps any website interesting, but as any new business owner starting out will tell you, time is one thing you don't have. Also this particular website had more graphics than content. A bad idea, I am sure you will agree.
Also the search engine weapon in these templates consisted of Meta tags, the same page title and that was it.
Another disadvantage and I have thought this since I first heard the initial concept: Every business is unique, therefore every website should be unique as well. There should be no set number of pages or logos of a certain size or images that don't fit in. Some businesses want 5 pages and some want 50 pages. It is a personal choice. If every single company in one sector of the market had the same web template, there would be no real identity. How could a customer differentiate between you and say, your main competitor who has the same layout website?
In summary, I would say Ok if you're strapped for cash and need a website very quickly, by all means opt for template. But as soon as you are established enough, go for your own image.
And did the template salesmen get a reply back from me? That almost doesn't deserve an answer.
Posted: 28 September 2005
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