A website template is like a blueprint for the construction trades. Like the blueprint, a website template is a plan for construction, the construction of a website. It’s a design guide showing what goes where. An image goes here, text goes here, a video goes here, and a menu goes here. More importantly, the template might show the size of the image, the font of the text, the purpose of the video, and the character of the menu.
If a new home builder follows a blueprint, the end result should be a beautiful new home, and in the same way, if a website builder follows a template, the end result should be a beautiful new website. For someone who has never built a website before, a template may be indispensable, but even experienced website builders will sometimes rely on a template for inspiration and guidance.
The history of website templates essentially mirrors the history of the Internet. As the Internet came to fruition in the early 1990s, along with it came the development of templates. They were primitive, clunky, pure HTML templates in the early days, but a start was certainly born.
The development of the website template scheme continues to this day, and now even the most highly developed website might very well start with a template. In 2016, there are thousands of templates to choose from, HTML, WordPress, Joomla, and more.
Some are free, but many are for sale. Those for sale may sell for as little as just a few dollars to as much as a few thousand dollars. Generally speaking, website templates are easy to use so that even a novice can use one to build an impressive website, but some still require advanced skills and even a little bit of coding. Building a website with a template can provide a valuable learning experience and even the novice will gain skills and knowledge while building a website.
Fresh Free Website Templates 2016
- Airspace
Airspace is a bootstrap-based free HTML 5 website template from Themefisher, located at themefisher.com. Bootstrap is a framework made for developing responsive HTML templates. Bootstrap is a collection of tools for building websites in HTML, and it focuses on making a website responsive. Responsive websites are mobile-friendly, and that is essential in the current Internet environment.
Google and other major search engines have adopted a preference for responsive, mobile-friendly websites, and if a website is not mobile-friendly, it will lose Internet traffic to Google’s design. Bootstrap provides more than just an HTML website builder, but it can be used purely for that purpose.
Airspace promises a fully responsive layout based on Bootstrap 3.3.5. The design is described as clean and refreshing, and it includes documentation and full support from Themefisher. Airspace can be downloaded for free from Themefisher.com, and the free version does include support, but a license is also offered for $12, which allows the removal of the Themefisher link from the template. Visit Themefisher.com for an instant preview of a website built with Airspace.
- Classix
Classix is a free HTML 5 template intended for classified ads, directories, and job portal websites. Classix is also built on Bootstrap, but Bootstrap 3.3.6, the latest version. It is offered by Graygrids, located at Graygrids.com. It is possible with Classix to build a website where directory listings and classified ads are sold to subscribers or where ads and directory listings are given away for free. In the same way,
job listings can be sold or given free. The template provides two home page versions, along with 23 optional pages to add or omit. There are 300+ icons, along with the Revolution Slider, to display a series of images or pages and a working Ajax contact form. The template includes pricing tables, and it is SEO-optimized to help with building traffic to the website. Download the reduce-feature version free from graygrids.com, or buy the full template for $16.
- Zerif for WordPress
If you are a WordPress user, you may be looking for a new theme. WordPress templates are generally called themes, and just like with HTML, there are thousands of WordPress themes available. Your website host might offer free WordPress themes since those are often available with web hosting . Here is one of the newest, released August 10, 2016. Zerif is available free from themeisle.com.
A great benefit of WordPress themes is that they generally include a developer interface or console where website builders can interact directly with the theme to change logos, links, colors, and layouts. Simply log in to the theme options panel and easily make changes. Zerif is designed primarily for use by lawyers, but it may be used for any website.
It promises full browser compatibility beyond Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Chrome, as well as localization, meaning it can be translated into multiple languages. View a demo at themeisle.com and join more than 180,000 users by downloading it for free.
Fresh Paid Website Templates 2016
There are many thousands of website templates offered worldwide, both free and for sale. One might expect that a template that is paid for would offer more features and better functionality than one that is free, and generally speaking, that is true. For most users, even a free template will suffice, but for the more demanding user, it may be worth the price to buy a template. Prices vary from $10 and less to $1,000 and more.
- SEO Agent
The SEO Agent template is sold for $75 at templatemonster.com, where it is listed as a Best Seller. Add-ons will actually raise the price to $299. It is listed as a multi-purpose HTML template, and it includes stock photos and free 24/7 support. Satisfaction is guaranteed! Click the tab and view a free live demo. The template includes cross-browser compatibility, a Favicon, live search, Google fonts, and a Google map. A working contact form and subscription form are included to enhance visitor interaction.
Like all good templates today, this template is responsive, so website traffic is assured and protected. This is a great template to be sure and it promises to improve the Web image of your company. Is it worth $75 or more? Only you can decide that, but you can at least get a good look at it while deciding.
- Bridge
WordPress templates are for sale, too. Again, WordPress templates are known as themes, and there are many excellent WordPress themes available for purchase. WordPress templates might also be offered free by a host as a part of web hosting. The bridge is offered by Themeforest at themeforest.net for $59, or subscribe for $19 per month and get any and all themes that they offer.
Bridge is described as multi-purpose, meaning it is usable for any website, whether personal or commercial.
More than 53,000 copies have been sold, so it might be in wide use. Even still, it can be completely customized to make it unique. It offers more than 200 demos which are intended to make the theme easy to use for website building. It is, of course, fully responsive, with 500+ customization options. It is fully optimized for SEO and includes a handy admin panel for easy management.
For e-commerce websites, it is useful to know that the theme is fully compatible with WooCommerce, the free WordPress e-commerce plugin used for selling products with a WordPress website.
Website Templates Make Website Good Website Building Possible for Anyone
Website template options are nearly limitless today, and any user can surely find a template to fit the website building purpose. The user might be challenged to master implementation and adaptation but can still build a website in just hours. Templates come pre-designed, but the goal will nearly always be to add a custom modification to achieve personalization.
Website builders are advised to evaluate one or a few free website templates before investing in template purchases. Templates certainly provide many opportunities for high-quality website development, which will far exceed the quality that can probably be achieved by inexperienced website builders.
Google provides nearly unlimited references to templates and template providers, and days can be devoted to exploration. At the same time, the real idea behind the template is to speed and streamline website development. By choosing a template, the website developer can have a website built in just a few hours.