Your website is your digital handshake
The right template isn’t about trends—it’s about solving your problem. Start by asking: What’s this site for? Selling? Showcasing work? Sharing ideas? Match the template’s bones to your goal. A flashy portfolio design will drown an online store, just as a minimalist blog won’t fit a bold creative agency.
Speak your audience’s language. A Gen Z crowd craves bold visuals and interactivity; corporate clients want clean, trustworthy layouts. Scroll competitors’ sites. What feels fresh? What feels cluttered? Steal inspiration, but stay true to your vibe.
Keep it stupid simple. Fancy animations and complex menus backfire. Test templates on your phone—does it load fast? Can your grandma find the “Contact” button in 3 seconds? If not, skip it.
Leave room to grow
Today’s blog might need an online shop tomorrow. Can the template handle new pages, plugins, or features without a total rebuild? Flexibility beats flashiness.
Avoid shiny traps. “Universal” templates are rarely useful. Skip designs packed with features you’ll never use (looking at you, parallax sliders). Trendy templates age like milk—stick to timeless foundations. And always check if the template’s code is well-documented. If the setup guide reads like hieroglyphics, run.
The secret? Your template should disappear, letting your content shine. Demo a few, imagine your words and images living there, and test-drive with a friend. If they “get” your site in 10 seconds, you’ve nailed it.
