Templates

How To Set Up A Professional website On Your Own Using Web Templates

Creating professional websites is not an easy task by any means. You got to consider many things, like easy navigation, strategic links, clean coding, professional layout, easy downloading, scanability, usability, and so on. These are the elements that differentiate a professional website from a mediocre one. So in a way, it’s not designing the website that counts but how it is designed.

The only option that most of us have to design a good website is hire a web- designer. Web-designers can help you develop a great website that looks professional and is coded to perfection, but what about the time factor? Leave alone the costs. Here’s where web templates come to the rescue.

What are web templates?

Wondering what web templates are? Well, to put it in simple terms, web templates are semi-finished, pre-designed web pages that can be used to create and host websites in less time. They are coded and have everything from graphics to logos and customized if required to add new pictures, content, etc.

Why are web templates considered semi-finished WebPages?

Web templates are semi-finished in the sense that they are not ready to upload as they are. You need to add certain elements to make them look complete. Some of the main elements that you need to add includeWebsite

Links
Page content
Page titles/header/footer and tags
Company Logo, images, etc
After adding these details, the web template becomes ready to be uploaded using a web host for the world to see.

What is the price range of web templates?

Web templates range in price depending on the type of templates, terms of usage, package deals, membership deals, files provided, etc. Typically a professional template with non-exclusive rights could cost you anything between $20 to $100. This is way lower than what a web designer would ask you for designing your website, not to mention the time factor. Copyrighted templates with exclusive rights could cost you anywhere between $350 to $1800 per template. Some template providers like http://www.buytemplates.net can offer you high-quality templates for much lower costs.

What are the files I should get with the purchase of a template?

The files that you get on the purchase of a template differ from vendor to vendor depending on the type/feature of the template. Regardless of the type of template, some files that should accompany your purchase are as follows,

  • Index.html file
  • Jpeg/Gif image files, font files
  • External CSS Style sheets
  • PSD files

In addition to these, some other files such as the .js file (for templates that use JavaScript) and readme.txt files can also be provided. Generally, these files are provided in a .zip format, and you may need to unzip them for usage. You can make use of unzipping software like WinZip to unzip the files. This software can be downloaded from winzip.com.

What kind of rights do I get over the web templates?

Basically, there are two types of templates; exclusive (copyrighted) templates and now-exclusive (non-copyrighted) templates. An exclusive template gives you ownership rights over the template, whereas a non-exclusive template does not give you ownership rights but only usage rights. Exclusive web templates are a bit costly and ensure that the template is not resold to any other customer. You may use the template as your like and even resell it to other customers. A non-exclusive template, on the other hand, is cheaper and gives you only usage rights over the template. This means you can modify the template as per your needs but cannot resell them to a third party. Non-exclusive templates also mean that the template provider can resell the same template to more than one customer.

How do I edit the web templates?

Basically, editing involves inserting the content, changing the style, and adding/changing graphics. This can be done using the PSD, index.html, and other files that the web-template provider gives you on purchasing specific templates.

Editing images and graphics

You would require PSD files to edit images and graphics like change image color, add/remove image layers, etc. PSD files are created using Photoshop and can be edited using Photoshop, ImageReady, image, or other image editing software programs. You can also change images to your liking. The best place to look for quality images for your templates is ‘gettyimages.com.’

Editing content

If you only need to change/insert the template’s content, you can go for editing the index.html file. The index.html file is provided by all template providers and can be edited using Html editors like FrontPage, Dreamweaver, Golive, etc. You can also edit content using text editors. Index.html can also be used for removing/replacing images, changing links, adding meta-tags, adding alt texts, adding a title, and changing image sources.

Editing layouts and styles

For editing layouts and styles, you would require a CSS style sheet. A CSS style sheet is a document that lets you make changes like text color, text/paragraph spacing, headings, links, etc., to multiple pages. Always ask your template provider to give external CSS style sheets as they are easy to edit. CSS can be edited using any HTML or text-based editors.

In case you find the editing part difficult, you can make use of web template customization services that most template providers provide.

Domain registration and hosting

Domain registration and web hosting are crucial for your website to appear online. Many template providers offer allied services like domain registration and hosting. Some even provide services like content development and search engine optimization. So be sure to buy templates from template vendors who offer these additional services. Some template providers like ‘buytemplates.net’ offer template-related services irrespective of where you actually purchased the template from.

Where can I find quality web templates?

The internet is filled with websites that offer web templates. All that you need to do is insert a keyword like ‘corporate web templates’ in Google or Yahoo! to get a SERP crammed with web template providers. But finding quality templates from this crap is a bit difficult. A template may look glossy on your screen but may contain bad coding and low-grade graphics. Some may be cheap but will have bad or no service associated. So how to find the best web templates in this heap load? The best way is to ask yourself these seven questions before making a buying decision.web template

Questions to ask before buying web templates

Are the templates conversant with my company objectives and goals?
Will they appeal to my end users?
What kind of support does the web template provider offer?
Does the web template provider offer complementary services like hosting, customization, SEO, etc.?
Is the template compatible with all editing software programs?
What kind of files does the template vendor offer me?
What are the membership options available?

Best web template providers online

Some of the best web template providers online who offer high-quality web templates at affordable costs are www.buytemplates.net (Buytemplates.net offers quality templates at affordable rates. They also provides allied services like template customization, content insertion, Search engine optimization, and web hosting), (offers quality affordable templates), designgalaxy.net [http://www.designgalaxy.net] (this site also offers logo designs, flash intros, Photoshop designs and PowerPoint templates along with web templates.) and interspire.com (This site is a must-visit for anyone looking for free website templates. Their free templates are of good quality and are updated regularly. You can also get hold of free newsletter templates and logo designs here)

Related posts

How to Design a Website From Pre-Designed Templates Using Microsoft Frontpage

Paul C. Lafferty

Step with the aid of Step Process to Create a Free Blog on Your Own FTP Within Your Web Template

Paul C. Lafferty

FCA running institution mulls more than one fund price templates

Paul C. Lafferty