There are very few industries in which looking like everyone else pays off. Once a template is chosen and purchased, you are limited in the content you can add by the design parameters. Support is more costly and difficult to come by when using a template. Even if you get a website up and running, without a solid understanding of SEO, the website may not show up anywhere near the top pages in online searches.
Don’t look like a copycat. You are not alone if you choose to go with a website template for your pharmacy. As in, chances are there is someone out there with a virtually identical website design. Even if it is a different business, your patients may notice and wonder why pharmacists use a cookie-cutter template for their thriving practice. Yes, you may buy exclusive rights to a particular template, but you will pay much more than expected. Remember, many others may have already used that very template, so it is not exclusive if you think about it.
What do you mean I cannot fully customize my website? Well, templates allow for limited customization. You basically have to follow their guidelines, or the website may not work effectively. Pharmacists who appreciate the value of quality content may find the restrictions damper the information they can convey through their website. Most template design companies will not refund your money when you realize the template is not a good fit for your practice.
Advanced editing skills and software acquisition may be necessary to customize. As a pharmacy owner, your time is most likely spent caring for patients or managing your drugstore, as it should be. At the same time, there is a possibility the template is editable by user-friendly software, which may be an extra purchase. If it is a more complex design, you may need coding skills and specialized website-building tools (and the knowledge to use them) to edit or update your website. If you have to hire a web developer to work within the template and make updates, it negates the purpose of a DIY template.
Google Penguin does not like my website. Google has recently updated its search algorithms. It is the content of a site that draws the attention of the search engine. The website template itself does not incorporate search engine optimization (SEO). The most attractive photos and Flash animation may look good, but besides potentially slowing your site down, they do not count positively in the “eyes” of the search engines.
If you are interested in a custom website developer, check O360, the #1 website design service provider for pharmacies nationwide.
If you have any doubt about the performance of a template, check how analytics can help you decide.
