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

To create professional websites is not an easy task by any means. There are many things that you got to take into consideration 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 the website is designed.

The only option that most of us have in order to design a good website is to hire a web- designer. Web-designers can help you come up with 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 can be 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 include

  • 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 as compared to 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 .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 non- 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 will 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 same template can be resold by the template provider 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 purchase of specific templates.

    Editing images and graphics

    You would require PSD files in order to edit images and graphics like change image color; add/remove image layers etc. PSD files are those created using Photoshop and can be edited using Photoshop, ImageReady, imac 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 content of the template, 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 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 are provided by most template providers.

    Domain registration and hosting

    Domain registration and web hosting are crucial for your website to appear online. There are many template providers who 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 many 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 your-self these seven questions before making a buying decision.

    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 complimentary 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), http://www.templatemagic.net (offers quality affordable templates), 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)

    About the Author

    http://www.icongalore.com is a quality web portal that offers high quality professional XP icons. Their XP application icons come at extremely affordable prices and can be used for web designing, software applications and print media.

    In The News:

    pen paper and inkwell


    cat break through


    Website Design Mishaps - How to Avoid Costly Errors That Can Crush Your Chances of Success

    Designing your website can be a difficult task especially if... Read More

    Website Design For Small Businesses

    There are many different website design companies, offering different facilities... Read More

    Graphic Design Using Color

    Color is everywhere and conveys a message even if we... Read More

    Top Ten Fonts for Website Design

    The top ten fonts for website design might change in... Read More

    Pop-Ups Still Work. At Least For The Time Being

    Do you remember playing with the jack-in-the-box toy as a... Read More

    Flash - To Use Or Not To Use?

    Out there in the WWW there are thousands sites using... Read More

    Maximising Web Site Viewability - Browsers

    With so many different configurations internet users have their computers... Read More

    Top Ten Website Design Secrets for Internet Marketing Success

    When it comes to marketing your website, you should really... Read More

    E-covers for Your Niche Market

    When creating an e-cover the what's the first thought that... Read More

    How to Choose a Website Design Company

    The internet is full of web design companies pleading for... Read More

    6 Design Flaws Newbie Web Designers Make: Fool Everyone Into Thinking You Know What Youre Doing

    Even if you're not an accomplished webmaster you can still... Read More

    Mini Site or Content-based Web Site?

    Are you in a dilemma whether to create a mini... Read More

    The Most Important Question To Ask About Your Web Site!

    When you design a website how do you start ?Do... Read More

    Content is Crucial!

    Content is undoubtedly the most important element of a website.... Read More

    The Right Trigger Words

    CNN.com's designers have gone out of their way to make... Read More

    Website Design - Choosing Your Colors Wisely

    Colors convey emotions and emotions heavily influence the decision-making process.... Read More

    Tableless Web Designs: Why I Switched

    Since I made the switch 6 months ago to a... Read More

    What to Ask Your Web Designer

    If you need a web designer, but have no clue... Read More

    Be Inspired to Create Better Websites

    Being a writer, when I was asked to do some... Read More

    Is Your Website?s Copy Up to the Mark?

    The Internet is a relatively new medium. What works for... Read More

    When Good Computers Go Bad

    Remember the day that you got your new computer (or... Read More

    Website Design Firm

    Website design firms come in all shapes and sizes.When choosing... Read More

    14 Ways to Add Content to Your Web Site - Part 1

    When I surf the Net, I often see web sites... Read More

    How to Create A Homepage That Works

    Want to know what the worst thing to say on... Read More

    Web Copy - What You Should Know First

    Just what is web copy? Some people think that web... Read More

    Whats Wrong With My Website?

    I ask myself that question about once a month.My website... Read More

    Choosing Form Over Function Kills Your Site

    Never put form over function. Why? Because it's crucial that... Read More

    Business Opportunity for Graphic Designers

    As a graphic designer, you are sitting on a gold... Read More

    So Much About META Tags!

    I've written about META tags in the past, and I... Read More

    Website Savvy: 10 Key Steps to Turn Your Customers ON!

    "How to turn "slightly interested" customers into "I've got to... Read More

    8 Tips for Designing a Great Website

    Square buttons, round buttons, flashy buttons ? will they match... Read More

    Simple Steps To Proper Web Design

    Over the course of the last decade, the Internet has... Read More

    Cheap Web Design In London

    Due to the large number of people offering web design... Read More