- Aug 31
- 9 min read
To use a website template to make a website, you pick a design you love, customize it with your content and branding, then publish it online. Templates offer a ready-made foundation, taking the guesswork out of design and structure so you can focus on sharing your unique story with the world.
Whether you're starting a blog, setting up shop for your handmade crafts or creating a portfolio website to land your dream job, templates offer the perfect starting point. You get professional design without the professional price tag, plus the freedom to make it completely your own. In this article, we'll walk through everything you need to know about transforming a template into your perfect website.
Need ideas for your next website? With Wix’s website builder, you can build a professional website that looks exactly how you imagined. Choose from thousands of customizable templates and use Wix’s drag-and-drop website builder to make it your own. Creating a unique, professional website has never been easier.
TL;DR: How can I use a website template to make a website
You can create a website quickly by selecting a template, customizing it to fit your style and needs and then publishing it. Templates give you both a strong starting point and plenty of room for your own ideas.
Step | What it means | Why it matters |
Pick a template | Browse and choose a design that matches your goals | Saves time and gives you structure |
Customize | Add your content, swap images and edit sections | Makes the site personal and unique |
Adjust styles | Change colors, fonts and page layouts | Helps your brand come through |
Preview and test | Check how it looks on desktop and mobile devices | Ensures a smooth experience |
Publish | Set your site live for visitors | Shares your story with the world |
Discover what is a template and why use a website builder to create your site effortlessly.
What is a website template?
A website template is a pre-designed webpage layout that acts as the foundation for your site. It’s like a house blueprint where the basic structure and website design elements are ready, but you can customize it with your own colors, web content and style. Wix offers a variety of templates for nearly any goal, each crafted to provide structure and creative freedom. These templates include pre-designed layouts and placeholder content, such as sample images and sections for bios, photo galleries, contact forms or product displays, all arranged by professional web designers to ensure functionality and visual appeal.
A template is the layout. A website builder is the tool you use to edit and publish that layout, which is why you need the builder to work with the template. Wix templates are free to use on any plan, so the cost of a site comes from the plan and the domain rather than the design itself.
Explore these website design ideas and portfolio website examples for inspiration.
How to choose the right template for your needs
Choosing the right template starts with being clear about your website's main purpose and the impression you want to make on visitors. Wix provides industry-specific templates for various needs, so an online portfolio template designed for creative professionals will look different from one built for a local service business. Identifying your primary website goal helps narrow down your options quickly.
Consider your content strategy when browsing templates. If you plan to publish regular online blog posts, look for designs with prominent blog sections and easy navigation between articles. Planning to sell products? Focus on eCommerce website templates with clean product galleries, shopping cart integration and checkout processes. Need to capture leads? Prioritize designs with eye-catching online forms and clear calls-to-action.
Dafna Rabin, Wix Templates Design Team Lead, suggests starting from your content rather than the look.
“Another way to approach web design is to understand the type of content you have and what you want to achieve. For example, if you want a big image in the background, look for a template that provides a good starting point for that. If you want to include a lot of text in your welcome section or the second fold, choose a layout that aligns well with your content and what you want to say.”
Visual style matters as much as functionality. Browse templates with fresh eyes and pay attention to which designs genuinely excite you. The color schemes, typography and aesthetic should align with your personal brand and the message you want to convey. Remember, you'll be working with this design for months or years, so choose something that feels authentically you.
Don't forget about scalability. Wix supports scalability for growing websites, making it simple to start small and add new pages, sections or website features as your needs evolve. Some templates work beautifully for a single-page site but become awkward when expanded, while others are built to accommodate growth.
Take time to preview templates on mobile devices during your selection process. Wix allows users to preview templates on mobile devices, so even if a design looks stunning on your computer screen, it needs to function smoothly for smartphone users too. Most template galleries let you toggle between desktop and mobile views, so use this feature liberally.
Search performance is worth checking before you commit. A template shapes load speed, heading structure and how the layout renders on small screens, and all three feed into how search engines read your pages. Wix builds SEO tools into every site, so meta tags, alt text and clean URLs are handled in the same place you edit the design.
Learn more about how to choose a template on Wix and how to use Wix to starting building your website.
How to customize your template in 6 steps
One of the best parts is that users can customize Wix templates without coding knowledge, making design changes accessible to everyone, no matter your technical background. By following these steps, you can work through each section systematically, updating text to reflect your voice and message with ease.
01. Replace placeholder content
Customizing your template begins with replacing placeholder content with your own text, images and branding elements. Start with the most visible elements, such as your logo, main headline and hero image. These create the first impression visitors will have of your site.
Ashley Reckdenwald built the Land of Lovies charity site herself and treats the template as scaffolding rather than a finished design.
“I always tend to go rogue from the template. But it gives me a good skeleton. It allows me to take a look at what I have and then customize it.”
Discover how to design a logo that stands out with the Wix logo maker.
02. Adjust or remove unused sections
Don't feel bound to keep every section that comes with the template. If there's a testimonials area, but you don't have testimonials yet, you can temporarily hide that section and add it back later when you're ready.
03. Focus on high-quality images
Images play a huge role in your site's impact, so invest time in selecting high-quality photos that represent your brand well. Whether you're using your own photography, stock images or a combination of both, consistency in style and quality makes a significant difference in how professional your site appears.
04. Customize colors and fonts
Colors and fonts offer another layer of customization that can completely transform a template's personality. Wix offers tools for customizing colors, fonts and layouts. You can experiment and create a style that fits you perfectly, usually with just a few clicks.
05. Refine your navigation structure
Navigation structure deserves special attention during customization. Organize your pages and menu items in a logical order that guides visitors naturally through your content. Consider what actions you want people to take on your site and make those paths as clear as possible.
06. Test your changes regularly
Test your changes frequently as you work. What looks perfect on one page might create problems elsewhere, especially if you're adjusting global settings like colors or fonts. Regular testing helps catch issues early and ensures consistency across your entire site.
Dafna Rabin, Wix Templates Design Team Lead, keeps the check simple.
“It’s a simple test: publish your website, scroll through it and ensure everything is visible and nothing is missing or out of place. Don’t forget to check the mobile version as well, which is often overlooked. This applies to every website, not just business websites.”
Prefer to start with a blank canvas? Learn how to open a website without a template.
Tips for making your website unique
Wix simplifies the website creation process, empowering you to put your creative stamp on every part of your site. Making your template-based website feel distinctly yours comes down to injecting personality into every element you customize. Your unique voice should shine through in the copy you write, from playful product descriptions to thoughtful blog posts that share your perspective on topics you care about.
Jared Doster built the Texas Tough Customs store himself and found the balance was the point.
“I knew that there was enough freedom to create anything I wanted to, but enough templates to kind of guide you. Having the constraints and options to pick from, but enough options to make it unique, was really what I liked most about Wix.”
Use original photography Photography offers one of the most powerful ways to differentiate your site. Original photos of your work, workspace, team or process immediately set you apart from others using similar templates. Even simple behind-the-scenes shots can add authenticity and help visitors connect with the real person behind the website.
Add custom elements Consider adding custom elements that reflect your specific needs. Maybe you want to include a quote from a mentor that inspires your work or perhaps you need a special section explaining your unique process. Most website builders allow you to add custom text blocks, image galleries or other components beyond what comes standard with the template.
Incorporate interactive features Interactive elements can also make your site more memorable. This could mean adding a contact form with personality-filled placeholder text, creating hover effects on images or including social media feeds that show your latest updates. These touches don't require advanced technical skills, but can significantly improve the user experience.
Tell your story Wix helps users create professional-looking websites, while giving you freedom to share what matters most to you. Don't underestimate the power of storytelling in making your site unique. Instead of just listing services or products, share the stories behind them. Explain why you started your business, what challenges you've overcome or what you love most about helping your customers. These personal details create connections that generic content simply can't match.
Maintain brand consistency Consistency in your brand voice and visual choices across all pages reinforces your unique identity. Whether someone lands on your about page or product gallery, they should immediately recognize they're still on your site through consistent colors, fonts, imagery style and tone of voice.
Wix’s AI website builder helps you build websites quickly by using smart tools to create layouts, design pages and generate content tailored to your brand. If you would rather start from a description than a template, that is the other route in.
Need more guidance to get started? Check out these Wix guides:
How can I use a website template to make a website FAQ
Can I switch templates after I've started customizing one?
On Wix you cannot swap the template of a site you have already created, so it pays to choose carefully at the start. You can create as many sites as you want in one account, which means you can begin again on a new template whenever you like. Your media stays available in the Media Manager across every site in the account, you can copy elements and pages over or save sections to My Designs for reuse, then reassign your Premium plan and domain to the new site.
Do I need to know how to code to customize a template?
Not at all. Modern website builders are designed for people without coding experience. You can customize colors, fonts, layouts and content using visual editors that work more like word processors than programming environments.
How do I know if a template will work for my specific industry?
Look for templates specifically designed for your industry or business type. Photography templates, for example, typically include large image galleries, restaurant templates feature menu sections and reservation systems and business service templates focus on contact forms and testimonials. You can also adapt general business website templates to work for almost any purpose.
Can I use the same template as someone else without legal issues?
Yes, templates are meant to be used by multiple people. Template licenses typically allow unlimited use, meaning many websites might use the same base design. The key is customizing it enough with your content, images and branding so that it becomes uniquely yours.
What happens if I want to change my website significantly later?
Website templates are designed to be flexible. You can add new pages, reorganize sections, change colors and fonts and modify layouts as your needs evolve. If you need structural changes that go beyond what your current template supports, the route on Wix is to build a new site on a different template, then move your media, pages and domain across.
How can I make sure my template-based website loads quickly?
Choose high-quality templates from reputable providers, optimize your images by compressing them before upload and avoid overloading pages with too many elements. Most modern website builders automatically handle technical performance optimization, but being mindful of image sizes and page complexity helps ensure fast loading times.
