How To Build a Powerful Website Theme That Attracts Visitors and Converts Them Into Customers.

Posted by Anya Sleezer << back to blog

Last Updated on January 24, 2024

The online marketplace is competitive. If you want to stand out — and drive business — it’s essential to build a strong website theme that attracts visitors, converts them into customers, and communicates who you are as a brand.

Your website theme must be powerful enough to transcend your logo; it should communicate your essence, offerings, and uniqueness in every visual and verbal element.

Before you can customize your website’s theme to incorporate your brand’s identity, you must first identify and build a strong and powerful brand first, starting with your #rallypoint.

Next, you need to decide whether you will use a pre-built template theme or a custom-built theme for your website. Let’s look at the pros and cons.

The Pros and Cons of Custom-built vs. Template Website Themes.

The difference between a custom-built website theme and a template theme is the difference between a tailored suit and one off the rack at a department store. Or fresh-baked cookies versus cookies from a box.

While it may be tempting to save a little money (on the front-end at least) with a pre-built template, a website that has been customized to your unique needs will give you the most bang for your buck. Here are a few pros and cons to consider.

Pros of a custom website

Customizable: The big benefit is in the name itself; custom-built website are customizable. This gives you greater control over the design, content, and functionality, as well as more flexibility to adapt and grow the website with your business. If a website requires complex functionality, it is almost impossible to find a template that completely satisfies your needs.
Unique: Custom websites are designed based on your business’s unique needs. With templates, it’s more than likely that thousands of others have purchased the same template as you. So you may stumble onto “your” website when you visit your biggest competitor if you choose to work with a template.
Smoother User Experience: Custom websites give you the freedom to provide a more tailored user experience that is more appropriate for your customer’s typical buyer journey. The better the user experience and flow, the more you’ll boost your conversion rates.

Cons of a custom website

Pricier: Many small businesses choose templates to save on the initial costs. However, in many cases a custom-built website provides greater marketing results, making it worthwhile in the long run.
Time constraints: Custom-built websites can take longer, as there is more work involved. Again, this is the difference between creating something that is unique to you – or buying “off the rack” that is the same thing as everyone else.

Pros of a template website

Cheaper: There is usually a smaller upfront investment if you choose a template.
Quicker: Since the template is already pre-built, all you need to do is insert your content and images, and maybe perform some minor edits. But remember, that’s all anybody else who buys the theme has to do too.

Cons of a template website

Limited customization: Pre-built websites are not nearly as customizable as custom-built websites. You are limited to only certain customizations and often cannot make changes to most of the theme.
Run Of The Mill: Your website will look similar to many other websites which used the same or similar template. One of them could be your biggest competitor.
Difficult to find the perfect template: Since template websites are pre-built to appeal to many businesses, it’s unlikely you’ll find one that truly reflects your business and meets all your needs.
Slow site speed: Most template websites are not optimized for site speed and can take a long time to load, disrupting your audiences’ user experience. This often increased bounce rates and ultimately can impact sales.
Responsiveness: Not all website templates are responsive, which is very important to your search engine rankings and mobile user experience.
Limited functionality: If a template lacks certain functionality, it is quite difficult to add or alter unless you’re an expert.

As you can see, if you use a pre-built theme, a competitor can easily reuse “your” theme (because it’s a template anybody can purchase) as their own by inserting their logo and changing the colors. Not good.

A custom them is the best way to make your website truly yours. If you have the budget, a custom-built website theme will allow you more freedom to incorporate your brand identity, while attracting and converting more visitors.

Now that you’ve decided which type of theme to use, let’s make it sing.

How do I infuse my brand identity into my website theme?

Choose a Layout that Speaks to Your Brand
Your website’s layout impacts both user experience and brand perception. Opt for a layout style that resonates with your brand personality, whether that is more professional or creative. Think through how you want a visitor to navigate your site and the story you want to tell. Select layouts that help walk a user through your brand’s story, all the way to a conversion.
Follow ADA Standards to Make Your Theme Accessible to All
We believe everyone should have the opportunity to collaborate and consume what your brand has to offer. There are many benefits to ensuring your theme is accessible for all, including boosting performance, improving search rankings, and more. Trust us, it’s much more cost-effective to build in accessibility from the start, rather than retrofitting it after design and development. So, make sure to follow the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). Learn more here.
Utilize the Power of Color
Your website’s color scheme goes beyond aesthetics. Colors convey messages and evoke emotions. Use your brand’s colors wisely and strategically throughout your theme. Be sure to use HEX or RGB values, as PMS and CMYK colors will not display correctly on screens. Also, make sure to use contrasting colors for maximum readability and meet all WCAG requirements. Use brighter more vibrant colors to highlight important information and calls to action. These will draw the viewer’s eye and give each page easier to navigate.
Take Typography Seriously
Typography is more than just a font. It’s a powerful communicator of your brand’s personality. Use your brand’s web-friendly global fonts to ensure your copy stays brand consistent across different devices and platforms. Select fancier display typefaces for large headlines and call outs and more standard fonts for all of your body copy to ensure legibility. Again, we recommend following the WCAG’s to ensure accessibility for all.
Tell Stories Visually
Images and graphics tell powerful stories and evoke responses in viewers. Use visuals that reflect your brand’s values and messaging, maintaining a consistent style and quality throughout your site.
Craft Your Copy to Embody Your Brand’s Voice and Tone
Use your brand’s voice consistently across all of your website copy. This creates a strong identity and seamless user experience.
Make Sure your Content and Design Reflects your Brand’s Essence
At a glance, a visitor should be able to understand the essence of your brand and what you stand for. If your brand is irreverent, fun and cutting-edge, your content of your theme should reflect it. If your brand is tranquil, relaxing and organic, the content of your theme should embody those traits.
Fuse the User Experience (UX) with your Brand Values
Your website’s user experience, or UX, must convey your brand’s essence. Ensure your website’s easy to use, flows well, and communicates who you are as a brand.
Elevate with Custom UI Elements
Implement custom UI elements to add uniqueness and memorability to your website. Ensure these elements enhance usability while staying true to your brand’s style.

Whether you’re launching a custom-built website theme or are seeking professional guidance on a pre-built template theme, Levo can show you how to succeed.

Who we are at Levo, and how can we help you.

As marketing professionals, we believe your website’s potential as a powerful and dynamic marketing asset. A strong website theme communicates your brand identity, essence, and values, telling your story while transforming visitors into customers — and driving business objectives.

However, just like a house or car needs consistent maintenance, your website does too. Actually, a high-performing website requires a lot more than that —management, maintenance, optimization, innovation, redesigning, and content creation (to name a few). This demands a dedicated team of specialists equipped to navigate the ever-evolving landscape of technology, Google algorithms, web design trends, and SEO strategies.

That’s where we come in.

At our Tulsa, Oklahoma-based web design agency, we align your website with your business goals, creating a compelling online presence that forges enduring customer relationships.

Ready to get started?

Level up your theme – and build a website you can be proud of – with Levo!

Anya Sleezer

Anya Sleezer is the owner of Levo, a full–service marketing agency, focused on helping companies from all industries who are concerned with their marketing results, traffic, branding, advertising, or websites.

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