How a website template can help your business (and your mindset) flourish

Your website (or lack thereof) can often feel like a roadblock to your business growth. You start to compensate and expend energy designing ways for people to learn about your business and get in touch without a website.

This might mean relying heavily on social media (where it can be a challenge to be seen and separate yourself). It might mean relying on the phrase:

 “Just send me an email or a DM for more info, my website is under construction.” 

These options may seem easier at first glance when compared to fixing or creating a website. But here’s the thing, a website does so much of the heavy lifting for you. Wouldn’t it be easier to lay out all of your information in a convenient, enticing way ONCE on your website, vs multiple times, repeating yourself over social media, messages, and emails?

By pushing off a professional website for your business, you’re actually making more work for yourself in the long run!

Now, if you’re new to business or working with a small budget a custom website design may not be in reach yet (and that’s okay!) Today we’re going to dive into the world of website templates: an affordable, fully functional, and creatively fulfilling option to help your business flourish….*cough* and save your sanity!

WHAT IS A WEBSITE TEMPLATE 

(and how is it different from custom design)

By the simplest definition, a template is : a form, a mold, or pattern used as a guide to make something new.

A website template is a pre-assembled outline that anyone can customize to make their own. (As we’ll discuss later, a quality template is designed with specific business owners/industries in mind).

Website templates are as fully functional as custom sites! The only difference is that a template can be used by multiple people and a custom site is a more in-depth, truly one-of-a-kind option. 

Consider the difference between buying an original painting from an artist vs buying a print!

Now this certainly doesn’t mean a template will look unoriginal, it just means everyone who purchases the design will start with the same tools, what they create from there is as limitless as their imagination. (Think about it, if you gave a room of people a piece of paper and the same set of colored pencils you would still have a room full of unique works of art!).

Here’s another example: Website design is like creating a garden. 

With custom design work, there is a larger time commitment between the designer and the client and personalized attention to meet that business’s unique needs. The designer and the client start from square one together. They scope out a good spot to begin the garden and plan every little step in great detail.

With a template, the designer has readied the garden for you. Everything you need to have a beautiful, flourishing area is already in place. The designer hands over the space, shows you the guidelines for growth, gives you a set of tools, and tells you to enjoy planting the seeds of your choice! 

HOW CAN A WEBSITE TEMPLATE ACTUALLY GROW YOUR BUSINESS?

When we consider how to grow our business we create lists like this:

• Refine my services to make them irresistible
• Create engaging social media content
• Improve the navigation and user experience of my website
• Raise prices to match new experience level
• Start a blog
• Create passive income streams
• Customize or simplify your business systems
• Create lead magnets
• Enhance my SEO

Now don’t  get us wrong, all of these ARE ways to grow and scale your business. But they also all require doing MORE.

Sometimes we just don’t have it in us to do *more* than what we already have on our plate. Attempting to do more and be more adds a lot of stress. And guess what? 

The success of your business depends on your ability to manage stress. Stress has a significant impact on your physical and mental health which ultimately affects your productivity (aka: your ability to complete all of those above growth tactics)!

Okay? And this relates to templates how?

Simple. A website template takes stress off of your plate. Having a ready-made pattern and easily customizable design (that’s already built to connect with clients without you having to lift a finger) takes the time commitment stress away. 

If you’re working with a smaller budget, investing in a custom design when you’re not quite ready to can lead to stress:

“What if it doesn’t turn out? What if I can’t make back my investment?” (psst..you know you’re ready to invest in custom design when the thought of it doesn’t make you want to faint)

The stress of not having a website at all can weigh on you too! That’s why a website template is a wonderful stepping stone to get your business to the next level.

Since you’re not DIYing a site from scratch you can get back to work that lights you up that much quicker. You open up space for clarity, for creativity, and play, when “create website” is no longer a nagging thought in the back of your mind.

Other ways a website template can help you scale:

• Create confidence in your professional appearance. Something you can feel and others can sense! “With confidence, you’ve won before you started.” -Marcus Garvey

• The ability to showcase your personality in a fun and functional way. (This helps you bond with potential clients and separate from competitors).

• Fully customizable for easy drag and drop design (what we like to call “muggle-friendly”) means you don’t need to:
  • A.) Take time away from needle-moving tasks to ensure you have a clean, appealing design.
  • B.) Worry about design functionality or navigation for visitors. 

• Happiness + ease = motivation. When you finally have a home for your brand that brings you joy and sends the goosebumps skittering across your arms you’re all the more motivated to create more for the business that brings you happiness and pride.

• A template gives you room to grow (and encourages you to)! Since you’re the one doing the customizing you’ll quickly become comfortable with the software and feel inspired to update your site more often. No need to hire a designer for every little change. 

• The kick in the behind to truly show up as YOU in your business. Not only can a beautiful template get the creative wheels spinning, it’s also a commitment to yourself when you press purchase. The dream of having a professional site is now within reach.

• An elevated look and navigation easily translates to elevated pricing. (Feel comfortable charging you worth when your online presence reflects the quality of your service.

• A template gives your creative control (without the tech-heavy-headaches) which gives you a sense of independence. That satisfaction and empowerment of customizing and launching your own site will spark other areas of your business.

• If your website template has plug and play copywriting prompts, this is a chance to strengthen your brand messaging and hone your brand voice! (We’ll discuss copy prompts more below).

HOW TO CHOOSE A WEBSITE TEMPLATE

Now that we know more about what a template really is and how it can help your business flourish, let’s look at how to choose the most aligned template for you.

*Big Note* Try to resist the urge to just go searching for random aesthetic website templates (We know, they’re fun to look at). But it’s easy to fall into the “that’s a pretty website, I want that one” trap. Let’s be strategic and make the most of your investment!

Consider the platform

Not all website templates are created equal. Choosing the right platform is essential to your growth as a business.It will determine how “findable” your site is on search engines, how easy it is to customize your template, your blogging capabilities, and any future software you may want to integrate.

The most popular website building platforms are:

•  Showit
• WordPress
• Squarespace
• Wix

You can read this blog post for an in depth breakdown of each platform. The key considerations when choosing a platform are:

• Budget (how much are you able to spend on hosting and design work), 
• Your skillset (are you comfortable coding or prefer drag and drop?) 
• Available features (Do you want a platform with all-in-one features or rather integrate specialized software for different business tasks). 
  

Consider your copywriting needs

Are you planning to hire a copywriter for your brand messaging and site content? Are you looking to DIY your copy? If you’re going the DIY route, how confident are you in your ability to write clear, compelling messaging?

If you think you’ll need a little extra help, but aren’t ready to invest in a copywriter yet, you should look for a template that has plug-and-play copywriting prompts:

i.e: Each section of the demo website will have realistic copy that you can use as a guide for writing your own. Some templates may only include a line like: 

“Insert your service information here.” (But that doesn’t give you a whole lot of direction).

Other templates may just include “Lorem Ipsum” (aka: nonsense words used as a placeholder for visual effect).

Consider your brand and personal values

For the same reason you choose to shop at particular stores because you like what they stand for, try to be aware of the shop you’re purchasing a template from. Do you know what their brand values are? Are they in-line with your own?

Maybe you want to support a brand that advocates for a certain cause, matter, or topic that’s important to you. Maybe you feel comforted or at home with the owner’s vibe? You can feel so much more connected to your website template if you feel connected to the person who designed it!

Ex: If you love slow-living, earth-friendly efforts, and the occasional Harry Potter reference then you’ll be right at home with the Artisan Kind Template shop!

Make a list of dream attributes

Here is your chance to braindump all the visions you have for your future website! Reflect on the following:

• How do you want visitors to FEEL when they land on your website?
  • Inspired?
  • Safe?
  • Curious?
  • Pumped?
  • Excited?
  • Grounded?
  • Whimsical?
  • Creative?
  • Seen?
  • Ect.

• What overall vibe would you like the website to have (try to compare the website to a physical place you could visit)
  • NYC cafe vibes?
  • Cozy cabin in the woods?
  • Dark academia library?
  • Restorative yoga studio?
  • Sun-kissed garden
  • Cottagecore touches?
  • Mountain escape
  • Relaxing and beachy?
  • Bold and lively venue?
  • Minimalist art gallery?
  • Vintage shop vibes?
  • Modern, clean, and crisp?
  • Editorial magazine feel?

If your brand were a season what would it be? What about a month? A time of day? Consider all of these pieces of your brand identity and begin searching for a template that feels most aligned with your reflections.

Note: Design, copy, and brand photos all play a role in the vibe of course, but choosing a template that already aligns with that vision gives you direction for shaping your own copy and visuals. Plus if you select a template that is premade with the components you’re looking for, then you won’t feel the need to change too much of the original layout (aka: saving you even more time.)

IS AN ARTISAN KIND WEBSITE TEMPLATE RIGHT FOR YOU?

Here’s a profile of our templates that you can easily compare to the lists you just made!

Template Platform: Showit

Showit is a drag and drop website platform that offers users 100% creative freedom to design their sites. With built in SEO tools, the best support team out there, and no coding necessary to get a beautiful finished product it’s truly the only platform we can imagine working with. Not to mention it’s an eco-friendly server!

With Showit you can benefit from a number of software integrations, namely a WordPress blog! Worpress blogging allows for easy formatting and access to amazing SEO features like the free Yoast plugin. (Best of both worlds in our opinion!)

Copywriting needs:

Our templates include plug and play copy inspired by the StoryBrand Framework to serve as clear prompts for your messaging. It’s one of the features we’re extra proud of! You won’t be left hanging or wondering “what in the world should I write here.”

(Oh, and smaller sections include fun Harry Potter Lorem Ipsum text..and who doesn’t love that??)

Artisan Kind Values:

As we said above, if you’re a slow-living fantasizer and friend to the Earth we call home, you’ll fit right in here.

Here we:

• Seek out inspiration as an opportunity to grow, to improve, to become better.
• Embrace slow living and prioritize rest.
• Foster a welcoming atmosphere for all.
• Encourage intentional consumption for more mindful living.
• Engage in environmental stewardship wherever possible.

Available Templates and their characteristics:

Our current templates, Dreamers and Endless are designed with coaches in mind!

Dreamers is: Elegant, Thoughtful, Radiant.

A garden full of color, mesmerizing bird songs, and a stack of well-read books not too far away. A portal to possibilities only dreamt of. This rich and lively design is the feeling of sun-warmed skin and was crafted for those who are unapologetically true to themselves. Built for the inquisitive visionary who has the patience to nurture seeds into thriving blooms.

Endless is: Tranquil, Awakened, Harmonious.

The cool, crisp wind that awakens the senses. A clear and cleansing breath one can only experience in the stillness of nature. The very definition of going-with-the-flow. Crafted with care for the free-spirited thinker. The friend everyone comes to for inspiration and advice. For the imaginative individual in search of their next adventure.

Your perfect template is out there. Maybe you’re still searching…maybe you’ll find your home here. If your dream template list lines up with what you read above, head on over to the Shop to continue exploring!

I’m ready to build my brand a home!