Buying a Website Template? 8 Mistakes to Avoid Before You Purchase
You found a website template you love. The colors are gorgeous, the layout is exactly your style, and you're this close to clicking “purchase.”
Before you do, there are a few things you should know.
Because while buying a website template can save you thousands of dollars and weeks of work, choosing the wrong one can leave you with a website that looks pretty but doesn't actually work for your business.
I've seen it happen more times than I'd like to admit.
A template gets purchased because it looks beautiful, only for the buyer to realize later that it doesn't have the pages they need, isn't easy to customize, doesn't work well on mobile, or doesn't give them the flexibility they expected.
The good news? You can avoid all of that.
I've been designing websites since 2008, and I work exclusively with Showit, so I know exactly what makes a website template worth buying and what should make you pause before hitting that purchase button.
Here are the biggest website template purchase mistakes I want you to avoid.
Mistake #1: Choosing a Website Template Based Only on Looks
Let's start with the obvious one.
Yes, your website template should be beautiful. You're going to be looking at it a lot, after all!
But pretty isn't enough.
A template can have gorgeous fonts, beautiful photography, and an Instagram-worthy layout while still being completely wrong for your business.
Think about your website like a house. You wouldn't buy a house because you loved the front door and then ignore the floor plan, storage, kitchen, and number of bedrooms.
Your website needs to work the same way.
Before buying a website template, ask yourself:
- Does the layout make sense for my business?
- Can I clearly see where my services or products would fit?
- Does it have the pages I need?
- Does the navigation feel intuitive?
- Will this template help guide visitors toward taking action?
- Can I picture my own brand and photography in the design?
Avoid this mistake by: Looking beyond the pretty pictures and evaluating whether the template actually supports your business and your goals.
And if you're still trying to figure out what type of website template is right for you, I've written an entire guide about how to choose a website template. It's a great place to start before you make a purchase.
Showit bonus: Showit templates are incredibly flexible. You're not locked into the exact layout you see in the demo. You can move sections, change layouts, add pages, and customize the design to make it your own.
Mistake #2: Ignoring the Mobile Design
This one is a biggie.
Your website might look absolutely perfect on your laptop and completely fall apart on your phone.
And that's a problem.
When you're shopping for a website template, don't just look at the desktop demo. Open the demo on your phone.
Scroll through the homepage.
Open the menu.
Look at the typography.
Check the buttons.
Look at how the images stack.
Pay attention to how the sections flow.
Mobile design isn't simply about making everything smaller. Your mobile website needs to be intentionally designed for a smaller screen and an entirely different browsing experience.
Avoid this mistake by: Testing the template demo on your phone before you purchase.
Showit bonus: One of the things I love about Showit is that you get separate desktop and mobile editors. You can customize your mobile layout instead of being stuck with whatever happens when a desktop design gets squeezed onto a phone.
Mistake #3: Not Checking How Customizable the Template Really Is
This is something I wish more people considered before buying a website template.
Some templates look customizable in the demo, but once you purchase them, you discover that you're essentially swapping out text and photos.
That's not the kind of flexibility I want for you.
Your website should feel like your business, not a slightly edited version of someone else's website.
Before purchasing, find out:
- Can you change the fonts?
- Can you change the colors?
- Can you move sections?
- Can you add or remove sections?
- Can you add pages?
- Can you change the navigation?
- Can you customize the mobile design?
- Can you make the template work as your business evolves?
Your website may look very different a year or two from now. The template you purchase should be flexible enough to grow with you.
Avoid this mistake by: Looking for a template that gives you a strong starting point while still allowing you to make meaningful design changes.
Showit bonus: This is one of the biggest reasons I recommend Showit. You have a tremendous amount of control over the design, so your template can become a starting point rather than a box you have to stay inside.
Mistake #4: Buying a Template on a Platform You Can't Easily Use
Here's a question you absolutely need to ask before buying:
“Can I actually edit this myself?”
The whole point of purchasing a website template is to make the process easier.
If you're not comfortable with code and the template requires you to dig into HTML or CSS every time you want to make a simple change, you're probably going to end up frustrated.
And suddenly that “affordable” website template isn't so affordable anymore because you're paying someone else to customize every little thing.
Avoid this mistake by: Choosing a platform that fits your skill level and gives you the control you actually want.
For my templates, I use Showit because it's visual and incredibly intuitive. If you can drag, drop, click, and edit text, you can make changes to your website.
It's one of the reasons I often describe Showit as Canva for your website.
Mistake #5: Forgetting About SEO
A website template can look beautiful and still make your life harder when it comes to search engine optimization.
Before you buy, make sure the platform and template allow you to control important SEO elements like:
- Page titles
- Meta descriptions
- Heading structure
- Image alt text
- Page URLs
- Mobile design
- Page content
You don't need to be an SEO expert to buy a website template.
But you do want to make sure the template isn't limiting your ability to optimize your website later.
Avoid this mistake by: Checking what SEO controls you'll have before you purchase.
If you're new to SEO, my Simple SEO Workbook can help you understand how it all works and guide you through SEO step by step.
Mistake #6: Not Checking Which Pages Are Included
This is one of the easiest mistakes to make.
You fall in love with the homepage and assume the rest of the website will have everything you need.
Then you purchase the template and discover that it only includes a homepage, About page, and Contact page.
Oops.
Before buying, look carefully at exactly what pages are included.
Depending on your business, you might need:
- Home
- About
- Services
- Individual service pages
- Portfolio
- Contact
- Blog
- Sales page
- Pricing
- Testimonials
- Resources
- Shop
- FAQ
You don't necessarily need every single one of those.
The important thing is that the template gives you the right foundation for your business.
Avoid this mistake by: Looking at the complete list of included pages before purchasing instead of assuming the demo represents everything you'll receive.
This is another reason I recommend choosing your template based on your business needs first and aesthetics second.
Mistake #7: Shopping Only for the Cheapest Website Template
I completely understand wanting to save money.
That's one of the biggest benefits of purchasing a website template in the first place!
But there's a difference between finding a good value and choosing the cheapest option you can find.
A website template should save you time, stress, and money while giving you a professional foundation for your website.
If a $50 template takes you 40 hours to customize because it's difficult to use, doesn't include the pages you need, and doesn't offer any support, it may not actually be the better deal.
Think about your website as your digital storefront.
It's often the place where potential clients decide whether they trust your business enough to take the next step.
Avoid this mistake by: Thinking about your website template purchase as an investment rather than simply an expense.
Look at what's included, how customizable it is, the platform it's built on, the quality of the design, and the support you'll receive.
Mistake #8: Buying a Template Without Checking the Support
This one is easy to overlook until you're sitting there staring at your new template wondering:
“Okay… now what?”
A good website template should come with some kind of guidance.
That might be video tutorials, documentation, email support, a community, or a combination of all of the above.
Because even when a platform is easy to use, building your own website can feel overwhelming.
You shouldn't have to figure everything out completely on your own.
Avoid this mistake by: Checking what support and resources are included before you purchase.
When you purchase one of my Showit templates, you also get access to my Showit-Off eCourse, a library of bite-sized video tutorials designed to walk you through the process step by step.
And one of my favorite things about Showit is their support team. They're incredibly helpful if you get stuck with the platform itself.
What Should You Look for When Buying a Website Template?
So, what actually makes a website template worth purchasing?
Here's my quick checklist:
✓ A design that fits your brand
You should love the aesthetic, but it should also make sense for your business and your ideal client.
✓ The right pages
Make sure the template includes the core pages you'll actually need.
✓ True customization
You should be able to change fonts, colors, layouts, images, sections, and more.
✓ Mobile-friendly design
Don't assume the mobile version is good. Check it yourself.
✓ An easy-to-use platform
You don't want to need a developer every time you want to change a headline.
✓ SEO flexibility
Make sure you have control over the basic SEO elements of your website.
✓ Helpful support
Tutorials and support can make the difference between launching confidently and getting completely overwhelmed.
✓ Room to grow
Your website should be able to evolve with your business instead of forcing you to start over every year.
Why I Recommend Showit for Website Templates
I've designed websites on a lot of platforms over the years, but I choose to design my templates exclusively for Showit for a reason.
It checks so many of the boxes I talked about above:
- Drag-and-drop design freedom
- No coding required
- Separate desktop and mobile editing
- Complete control over the visual design
- Flexible page layouts
- WordPress blogging integration
- SEO-friendly functionality
- A huge amount of customization
- Excellent customer support
And most importantly, you don't have to sacrifice beautiful design for ease of use.
Whether you're a photographer, coach, service provider, or creative entrepreneur, Showit gives you the freedom to create a website that feels like your brand instead of looking like everyone else's.
You can give Showit a try if you're curious about the platform.
Ready to Buy a Website Template?
If you've been thinking about purchasing a website template, don't let the fear of making the wrong choice keep you stuck.
Take your time.
Look beyond the pretty homepage.
Make sure the template fits your business, includes the pages you need, gives you enough customization, works well on mobile, and comes with the support you need to actually get it launched.
Once you've found the right fit, the next step is actually getting it customized and launched. My guide on 3 Steps to Customizing a Website Template Quickly walks you through that process, too.
And, of course, if you're ready to start shopping, you can [shop my Showit website templates. They're designed specifically for creatives who want a beautiful, strategic website without starting from a blank screen.
Your website template doesn't need to do everything for you.
It just needs to give you the right foundation.
And when you choose the right one, that foundation can save you an incredible amount of time, money, and frustration.
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