When you’re putting your website together, you have a lot of decisions to make:
- Which hosting site should you use?
- Which direction do you want to take the copy in?
- How much will you DIY and how much will you outsource?
- Will you use a website template or have it custom designed?
…And about a million and one little decisions in between.
For me, one of the biggest decisions was deciding which Showit Website Template I wanted to use.
See, I’d already made the decision to go with Showit thanks to this blog post which made that big decision much easier to make.
But when it came to deciding which template I wanted to go with, I was stumped.
You’re probably expecting me to tell you that the website copy is the most important part of your website, being that I’m a website copywriter and all.
But good website copy combined with good design is really where magical things happen. You can’t have one without the other.
It’s like peanut butter and jelly. Tomatoes and basil. Feyre and Rhys. IYKYK.
Ok I’m done, you get the idea.
Beautiful, intuitive design elevates website copy, and thorough, reader-focused website copy provides depth to that same beautiful design.
And so with all of that pressure, I couldn’t pick any ol’ template. I had some specific criteria that it had to cover.
But before we go into what that criteria was, let’s chat about why I decided to go the website template route, because it might be a good option for you as well if you’re on the fence.
Why I Decided To Buy A Showit Website Template
While I was so tempted to work with a website designer on the design of my website, I knew that right now, a template would suit me better. (This was a big girl decision I made in the first year of business that should probably be covered here.)
Being that my business was in its early stages, I knew that this first iteration of my website wouldn’t be my last. With time, I’m going to discover more about who my brand really is and what I want it to look and feel like. It’s going to grow and evolve, and I want to give it the space and time to do that, without feeling like I have to stick with a website I spent thousands on.
And so I would rather spend the time and money on custom website design after this site has had time to breathe. You know, after I get a better sense of all of the above. Because if I did all of that now, I’m not sure how long it would stay aligned with me, given all the inevitable growth in the early days.
And while there’s something incredible to be said about custom website design, I’ve learned that website templates are an amazing option!
There are so many different kinds out there (which, yes, was a tad bit overwhelming. But better to have more options to choose one that matches your brand perfectly, no?), and you’re able to play around with them as much as you like.
And if the timeline is important to you, templates can help you get your site up faster than if working with a designer! You won’t have to worry about getting into a designers calendar or going through all of the much-needed time it takes for a designer to thoughtfully build your website.
So for someone just starting out and looking to get they’re first website up, a template is a really good option to think about.
What I Was Looking For In A Showit Website Template
When I was scouring the internet for a template that felt aligned with my business, I had certain elements I was looking for.
Minimalistic and uncluttered design
For my website in particular, with the emphasis being heavy on copy, I didn’t want the design to take away from the copy itself. Or worse, make it look cumbersome and too wordy.
I wanted the design to elevate it. And so I was looking for something that was more minimal and incorporated lots of space to let the copy shine.
When writing copy, you want to be mindful of breaking up large chunks of text to improve readability. The design you go with can make or break the overall readability. So by including plenty of space around the copy, it becomes softer on the eyes, making it easier to read.
Tutorials on how to use the template
As this was my very first website (and being that I still have an android and am the least tech savvy person you’ll meet), I was a little nervous about playing around with Show It. So in my search for a template, I was looking for one that had good support.
Whether that meant I could reach out to the designer with questions or that the template came with a detailed tutorial on how to actually use the template. I knew I needed something.
A comfortable price point
As I said earlier, I know that this current website iteration wouldn’t last forever. Eventually, it’s going to evolve, and at that point, I’ll likely invest in custom website design.
Knowing this, I didn’t want to spend an arm and a leg on a template that I wouldn’t use forever.
But at the same time, I also didn’t want to cheap out, because I still wanted my website to be good quality, super professional, and look gorgeous.
The great thing is that Showit website templates come in at all price points, which makes them really accessible. You can find them anywhere from around $200 to over $1000, ranging in quality.
A dedicated blog page and single blog post page
As you can imagine, with such a wide price range, each template includes different pages. So it’s important to first identify which pages you need to have.
For me, aside from all core website pages, I knew that I would be blogging, and so having a dedicated blog page and single blog post pages was an absolute must have.
Many website templates simply didn’t have the combination of pages I was looking for, which helped to narrow down my search even more.
I will add that finding a template that has everything is hard. For instance, I also wanted to have a freebie landing page. The template I went with didn’t have that, but it was a simple enough page that I knew I would probably be able to fudge my own.
My Showit Website Template Options
With all of my searching high and low, I finally ended up falling in love with one by website designer Sarah Kleist. If you haven’t seen her work before, it’s stunning. I’m in awe of what she can create.
And so when I realized she offered templates and stumbled upon her The Narrative template, I was SO excited — it was exactly what I was envisioning.
I went with this option for a few reasons:
- I loved the minimal and clean feel of it.
- It had all the pages I was after.
- She offered SO MANY how-to videos. Seriously, they saved my life.
- There were some great bonus pages, like an error 404 page and a links page.
- The price point fit perfectly with my budget.
- Her work is gorgeous.
I still stand by my decision to go with this template! I’m in love with my website and I know it’s going to last me a pretty long time. And with all of her thorough tutorials, I was able to put it all together completely painlessly, customizing it to my needs.
Considering your options
If you’re also out there looking for a Showit Website Template, here are a few options to throw into the mix to help you find one that is a match to what your brand needs.
Obviously, I’m a big fan, so of course I’m going to tell you to check out her templates! She has three template options to choose from, and each of them is just as gorgeous as the next. With all of the reasons I listed above, her templates fit every one of my needs!
I discovered Aubre after I launched my website, but I’m in love with her website template offerings! I know they would have made my decision even trickier if they were in the mix while I was deciding between templates.
Her prices are very accessible and each template has a clean and fresh feel that’s perfect for different kinds of coaches and service providers.
You can check them out here and save 20% off at checkout with code KACOPY if one calls to you!
The difficulty with Tonic is deciding which template you love most. At a higher price point, each of them is stunning with plenty of options for different kinds of businesses. Plus, they offer plenty of add-ons, like sales pages and social media templates.
At the end of the day, I’m wildly happy with my decision to choose a Showit website template over a custom design. And I’m even happier with the one I chose.
I actually feel like my using a template allowed me to better connect with the overall vision I had for my brand. By getting my hands dirty, I learned more about what my brand is and what my brand isn’t. Which is beyond valuable in itself.
It did take me a couple of months to ultimately decide which direction I wanted to go in, but with something this big, it was worth taking the time to be intentional about what I wanted.
Your website has so much weight attached to it — you need to make sure it’s just right.
Hey, I’m Kristie! And besides writing website and email copy for the best businesses, I also help business-owners like you feel grounded and less chaotic.
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