I decided to write this article for the “Do It Yourself” audience out there that is looking to make their sites a little “spicier”! With numerous themes and templates available at your finger tips the problem is not a lack of choice but rather too much choice. Here are a few ways in which you can make the choice of a web theme or template a little bit easier.
What Platform is your website built on?
Depending on which platform you decide to build your site with there are many advantages to designing your website based on a pre-built web software platform like WordPress, Dural, Expression Engine, Magento and many others that are available to download and run for free. If you’ve chosen the custom built path there are options out there for you to buy a website theme but they are usually harder to implement so your skill level with programming, customization and general website maintenance is more important with implementing a website theme or template.
Getting back to the “pre-built” option, once you know which platform you want to use on your site you can then start looking for website themes by searching in search engines like Google or checking out your favourite review site (wink wink). Normally this option is less costly because if you know how to buy and implement a website theme or templates you can have a new look on your site in no time at all! Another good reason for choosing a pre-built platform is that there is usually a larger developer community that posts fixes, monitors bugs and adds enhancements to the software faster than any custom work you are likely to have developed for you.
How much are you prepared to spend on a template?
Usually when you buy a website template for pre-built web software you are going to find that depending on which vendor you buy from that they are all pretty similar and yet each of them varies depending on what you are looking for. Some people want support or unlimited updates on a web site theme or template; others want something that is inexpensive and built well. In either case you can bet that with a little searching online you are going to find a web site theme that is going to fit you just right. The price of website templates ranges from FREE to thousands of dollars depending on what you are looking for. Some of the website theme and template vendors that we showcase on SpicyWebDesigners.com include WooThemes, WP Remix, SilverThemes and StudioPress
How good are you with HTML/CSS, FTP and all that?
This is one of the big questions that many people who first start a website have about any sort of website theme or template they buy. Let’s face it, not everyone knows the ins and outs of coding HTML pages or how to upload web pages to an FTP server and depending on your skill level this can affect how quickly and easily you get your website up and running. After all that is why you bought a template to begin with, right?
Some potential problems with buying website themes & templates include…
- Problems installing the web pages, templates and software
- Issues with having to additional coding for the website theme or template to function as desired
- Required knowledge of a scripting language like PHP, mySQL, JavaScript or another language to make changes to the layout of the site
Implementing web technologies sometimes come with their own host of issues and most times the best way to learn about anything is by working through the problems you are faced with. Think about the last thing that you learned and you’ll probably find that you learned something because of a problem that was put in your path. The same is true with web design and implementing website software like WordPress or Magento.
As a “Do-It-Yourself” web designer there are a number of things that you need to know. You may be an entrepreneur, the owner of a company, someone building their first website or blog or any number of other people out there looking to start a website. There is a lot to learn and whether you decide to hire a web designer or take the “DIY” route and learn the ins and outs for yourself.
