I have redesigned my student online journal. Website templates can be very challenging to work with. Choosing the most suitable template to meet the specific needs of a site can be frustrating.
A number of elements need to be considered.
Choosing a hosting platform
Hosting platforms such as Wix, Weebly, WordPress and Squarespace differ in varying degrees. Some are suited to the beginner. Others are geared toward people with advanced developer skills. Apps are also available for many, offering a means to post and blog directly to your site from handheld devices. Before choosing a hosting platform, the following should be considered:
Web design experience
App availability
Range of templates
Client — Self or others
Cost
Template basics
Each hosting platform offers a variety of templates. Some templates are free while others must be purchased. Basic design elements within a free or purchased template (such as fonts) can be easily customised.
Primarily these are related directly to aesthetics and functionality.
Font sizes and colours (including links and metadata)
In-text image display
Unique gallery displays
Summary block gallery displays
Image captioning
Linking (URL/PDFs/Downloads/Direct email/Phone call) options
Choosing the right template
Functionality varies from template to template. It is important to research the template features. Read the information provided by the hosting platform. Navigate and look through previews of templates you are interested in.
A well-designed website should be visually appealing on any device. However, compromises when choosing a template are particularly relevant in relation to desktop or handheld device optimisation. Knowing the intention of the website and the target audience is critical.
An example of this is if the target audience is industry professionals, who will most likely be viewing the website on desktop devices. In this instance, it is important to understand how images and image galleries behave within different templates. Some template image galleries do not show captions others show captions on desktop devices only.
Writing a list of what is and is not needed will help in choosing the most appropriate design template.