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

Creating professional websites is not an easy task by any means. It would help if you considered many things, like easy navigation, strategic links, clean coding, professional layout, easy downloading, scanability, usability, etc. These are the elements that differentiate a professional website from a mediocre one. So, 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 to 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.

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What are web templates?

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

Why are web templates considered semi-finished web pages?

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 aspects that you need to add include

Links
Page ContentPage 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 between $20 and $100. This is way lower than what a web designer would ask you to design your website, not to mention the time factor. Copyrighted templates with exclusive rights could cost between $350 to $1800 per template. Some template providers like http://www.buytemplates.net can offer high-quality templates for much lower costs.

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

The files you get when purchasing a template differ from vendor to vendor, depending on the template’s type/feature. 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, other files, such as the .js file (for JavaScript templates) 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 use 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?

There are two types of templates: exclusive (copyrighted) templates and now-exclusive (non-copyrighted) templates. A complete template gives you ownership rights over the template, whereas a non-exclusive template does not give you ownership rights but only usage rights. Full web templates are costly; ensure that the template is not resold to any other customer. You may use the template as you 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 per your needs but cannot resell it 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?

Editing involves inserting the content, changing the style, and adding/changing graphics. This can be done using the PSD, index.html, and other files 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 changing image color, adding/removing image layers, etc. PSD files are created using Photoshop and can be edited using Photoshop, ImageReady, image, or other editing software programs. You can also change images to your liking. The best place to look for quality template images 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. All template providers provide the index.html file, which 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 to remove/replace images, change links, add meta-tags, add alt texts, add a title, and modify 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 to multiple pages, like text color, text/paragraph spacing, headings, links, etc. 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 editor. If you find the editing part difficult, you can use web template customization services provided by most template providers.

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 purchased the template. Can I find quality web templates here?

The internet is filled with websites that offer web templates. All 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 do you find the best web templates in this heap load? The best way is to ask yourself these seven questions before buying.

Questions to ask before buying web templates

Are the templates conversant with my company’s 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 cheap templates), designgalaxy.net [http://www.designgalaxy.net] (this site also provides 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)