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Using website templates
A great way to start your website is to use a ready-made website
template. This is especially true if you are new to web page
layout and graphics techniques in general. By using a website
template you will save yourself a lot of time and learn a lot in
the process also it will go a long way in helping you to learn
how to design a website.
You can save a lot of time and effort by using a website
template as the backbone of your site. I say backbone because no
matter what type of template you use it will be impersonal and
not necessarily a reflection of what you are trying to express.
In other words you will want your website to be unique to you
and your message. So select your template carefully.
Selecting a template
I personally like to start with a template that suits my needs
(i.e. color, style, etc.) then customize it by editing. Be
careful about copyright infringement and be sure that the source
of your template offers it without any strings attached, even if
you are purchasing it. Some of the sites offering free website
templates retain their copyright and the templates they provide
are theirs, not yours. Buying the rights to a successful web
template can be an expensive proposition so choose with care.
There are literally thousands of website templates available on
the web. Some are free and some can run up into the hundreds of
dollars. Just do a search for website templates on one of the
major search engines and you will be overwhelmed by the number
of offerings that are available. Have a good idea of what you
are looking for before you start and that will help narrow down
your search.
Once you have decided on a template download it to your computer
and place all of the files into a new folder named for your
website. Using your browser click your way through the site and
become familiar with it and have a good handle on how it works.
Now its time to consider the one element that will make or break
a website, content.
The importance of content
Decide on your content up front. Your content is the heart of
your website. This is what will make it unique. Other people may
be using the same template that you are so the content of your
website is what will make it different from theirs. Also,
knowing the content of your website helps you in the selection
of the proper template to showcase what you have to say.
Summary
Every webmaster wants a unique website that stands out from the
crowd.Using pre designed templates is one way to accomplish
this. But, remember that other webmasters may be using the same
template so you must make yours unique.
About the author:
Gene DeFazzio is the author and webmaster of the Rocketface(R)
Workshop. http://www.rocketface.com/
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