If you’re reading this, CONGRATS! Choosing the right website template is a huge decision for any small business owner. It sets the tone for your brand, influences user experience, and can either make or break your website’s success. Especially if you’re running an online business, your website will be the primary touchpoint for anyone considering buying from or hiring you, making the template you choose more crucial than ever.
No worries bestie, I’m about to give you all the features you should look for when trying to choose the best website template for you. By understanding these key features, you’ll be better equipped to select a website template that not only looks great but also performs well and meets your specific needs. Let’s dive into the details that will make your website stand out for all the right reasons.
Choose Your Platform
Before we get into the features to look for in a website template, it’s probably good to know which website platform you want to use for your site! While my platform of choice is Showit, and it’s who I host my own website with and sell website templates for, there are several great options. First, figure out what functionality you need then make a decision from there. Most creative entrepreneurs and service providers (think coaches, designers, virtual assistants, social media managers, influencers, etc) would be the best fit for Showit.
Some other creatives might prefer Squarespace for a pretty well-rounded option that includes e-commerce as well. However, the design freedom on Squarespace is more limited than Showit. Any e-commerce or retail brands with a large suite of physical products and a high volume of site visitors would be best off using Shopify for their website. All of these platforms have a wide range of templates to choose from.
Let’s get into the features to look for in a website template!
1. Plenty of Space for Copy
When it comes to website design, great copy is your BEST friend. Your website template should provide plenty of space for you to plug in your copy, including long enough headlines and paragraphs for body text. Your KEY focus here is ensuring that your message is conveyed clearly and compellingly throughout your website. Otherwise people are not going to be buying.
While your copy doesn’t have to match the template’s exact word count, having the flexibility to include longer text is critical. It’s way more challenging to squeeze lengthy, meaningful content into a template that’s designed for short quips & “cool” text design. A template with plenty of space for copy allows you to express your brand’s message without constraints, so that your audience can engage with your content fully and without distraction.
2. Clean & Simple Design
While a website with tons of different design elements might be eye-catching, it’s important to consider the bigger picture of website functionality and user experience. Templates with a collage or maximalist style can often become visually overwhelming for your user, leading to an unpleasant browsing experience. People expect websites to be extremely simple to use, and visual complexity deviates from those web design standards.
Users typically seek clarity and ease of use when navigating websites. Especially for small businesses, your website design should align with your users’ expectations rather than attempt to be different or unique. Your website should serve as a connection point between your business and your audience, not a barrier. By opting for a template that prioritizes simplicity and user-friendliness, you’ll ensure that your site’s design improves, rather than hinders, the user experience. Remember, a website that is aesthetically pleasing yet straightforward is more likely to retain visitors and convert them into customers.
3. A Committed Designer
While there are exceptions to this, I have noticed that the highest quality website templates I see belong to people who do very little or no custom design work. Their commitment to primarily being a template shop allows them space to create high-quality templates that cater to a wide range of user needs and scenarios.
Creating website templates requires designers to invest time and resources into understanding always-evolving web standards and user preferences, so they can ensure their templates are not just visually appealing but also highly functional and user-friendly. Designers who reply on templates as their primary income source (rather than having custom design be their main focus) have to be more educated on the nuances of template design, such as ease of customization, layout adaptability and the overall template experience.
As a result, when choosing a website template, it’s beneficial to consider the designer’s primary business focus. Templates from dedicated template creators are likely to offer a more polished, well-rounded product, giving you a solid foundation for your online presence.
4. Designed for Scannability
In our digital world where attention spans are short and information overload is common, designing for scannability is not just a recommendation—it’s a necessity. Statistics show that 79% of website users scan new pages, with only 16% reading word-by-word. I cannot stress to you enough the importance of selecting a website template that helps your visitor have quick and easy comprehension of your website content.
An easy way to test a template’s scannability is the ‘squint test.’ Squint at the template until the page becomes a little bit blurry. Can you still easily locate the main headlines? This simple test can reveal a lot about a template’s design effectiveness. The headlines in your chosen template should be prominent, easy to read, and simple to scan. They act as guideposts for your visitors, helping them navigate through your content and quickly grasp the key points of your copy.
Selecting a template designed with scannability in mind ensures that your visitors can easily absorb the MOST important points of your message, enhancing their overall experience and increasing the likelihood of engagement.
5. Looks Amazing on Mobile
In 2024, mobile browsing is more common than desktop browsing. The mobile design of your website template should be the number one priority, way above desktop. A common pitfall in many templates is poor mobile optimization, which can significantly reduce the quality of your user experience. Templates from website builders that allow for completely separate mobile design, like those offered by Showit, are usually a better choice.
When you’re judging a template’s mobile design, pay close attention to design choices made by the creator. There should be nice margins down the edges of the screen, which means text boxes should not stretch edge-to-edge and everything should have room to breathe. Also, font size matters for readability and accessibility. Any font size below 12px can pose readability challenges, especially on mobile devices where screen real estate is limited. I recommend having a paragraph font size of 14px or above. You can check this using the WhatFont Chrome plugin and by resizing your browser with the inspect tool to preview the website template on mobile.
Ensuring that your website template is optimized for mobile use isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s about functionality and accessibility. A mobile-friendly design ensures that your content is easily accessible and enjoyable for the vast majority of people who will visit your site on their phones or tablets.
6. Plenty of Support and Guidance
Choosing a website template is truly just the beginning of your website creation experience. The process of customizing it to fit your brand can be intricate and sometimes you might run into questions you don’t know how to find an answer for. This is where support and guidance from the template creator become invaluable. When choosing your template, it’s SO important to consider not just the design and features, but also the level of support offered by the designer.
Many reputable template designers provide customer support, offering assistance as you navigate through the customization process. This support can range from courses, to detailed documentation and tutorials, to direct assistance for troubleshooting issues or answering specific questions. Having access to ask your designer any questions you have can significantly streamline the customization process and make it less intimidating, especially if you don’t have prior experience with websites.
For example, my Showit website templates come with an entire customization and setup course with any info you might need to set up your new website, as well as access to me through email and DMs to get your questions answered as you go!
Before committing to a template, check if the designer offers support services. Knowing that help is available if you encounter any roadblocks can be reassuring. It ensures a smoother experience as you tailor the template to meet your website’s needs and reflect your brand’s identity.
7. User-Friendly Design
The ultimate goal of any website template is not just to create a visually appealing site but to ensure a seamless and intuitive user experience. Out of all the features to look for in a website template, this is the most important one! User-friendliness is a cornerstone of effective web design, directly impacting the ease with which visitors can navigate and interact with your website. A template that confuses or frustrates users can drive away potential customers or followers very quickly.
A user-friendly template should have clear navigation, a structured layout, and clean, simple design elements. It should guide visitors naturally through your content, allowing them to find the information they need without confusion or unnecessary clicks. Pay attention to how the template structures its menus, the way headlines and paragraphs are aligned, and the overall flow of the design.
When evaluating a template, consider how a first-time visitor would perceive and interact with your website. Can they quickly and easily understand how to navigate and find what they’re looking for? If the answer is yes, the template likely has a strong user-friendly design, setting the stage for positive user engagement and potential conversions.
Now Choose Your Website Template!
Selecting the right website template is a decision that can significantly influence the success of your new site. In this blog post, I’ve given you seven crucial features to look for in a website template when you’re making your big choice. Each of these things plays a major role in not only how your website looks but, more importantly, how it functions and engages your audience.
Remember, a good website template is more than a beautiful design. It’s a tool that should help you convey your message effectively, connect with your audience, and achieve your online objectives. As you begin the process of selecting a template, keep these features in mind to ensure that your choice aligns with both your design preferences and functionality needs to have the biggest impact possible for your business. Again, CONGRATS on making this big investment into your business!
And, of course, feel free to shop my Showit website templates which meet all of the criteria above. Can’t wait to see your new website!
Addy Lopes
The girl behind Encontro
Hey, I'm Addy! And I believe that marketing becomes enjoyable for everyone when brands put people first.
After 5 years of running my business, I realized I had let a lot of stale information clutter my brain and hold me back. I wanted to move on from the marketing status quo.
I decided to reimagine the way I market & grow my business. I ditched the constant opt-in freebies, launches based around urgency, and shouting into a void on social media. Cozy marketing was born.
There are no silver bullets in entrepreneurship, but by creating a brand you (and your audience) can’t wait to show up for, you dramatically increase your chances of success.
Let me teach you how to build a world that invites people in & makes them feel at home. Your journey begins with my Build Your Brand World mini course, linked here.
