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What do you guys think of these cookie cutter website layouts?

slayer202

slayer202

Lifer
For example, there are a lot of them here:

http://templates.hostgator.com/Consulting////18/27


What are your opinions on layouts like this? There are literally thousands available from my host(hostgator), and they are all VERY similar. Usually when I come across a website that uses a layout like this I automatically get turned off, because I know its just some cookie cutter layout they either got for free or paid someone for. What do you guys think though? I guess they might look somewhat nice/professional to the average person. I'm thinking about putting together a business website for the hell of it and am considering using one of these layouts.

Opinions?
 
Question. If this kind of layout turns you yourself off why would you consider it for your own buisness?
 
Better way would be to take a CMS and customize the graphics for your needs.
Best way would be to create clean website from scratch or hire someone that can.
 
Originally posted by: Locut0s
Question. If this kind of layout turns you yourself off why would you consider it for your own buisness?
Click to expand...

because it isn't a great business idea, just something I wanna play with. And it doesn't really matter what I think if other people like it. And considering a lot of the garbage sites businesses use, anything will do lol
 
If you don't know anything about web design and you want to create a website for your business, I suggest paying a professional to design it for you. I'm not just saying this because I'm a graphic designer, I'm saying this because I don't want to see another business with a crappy online presence.
 
Originally posted by: Xanis
If you don't know anything about web design and you want to create a website for your business, I suggest paying a professional to design it for you. I'm not just saying this because I'm a graphic designer, I'm saying this because I don't want to see another business with a crappy online presence.
Click to expand...

web designers are overpaid for basic layouts IMO, and I don't need a crazy complicated layout. I could probably make it, but using one of these ready made designs + some customization on my own is tempting as well. Just trying to get opinions on how they look to other people.
 
They're ok. The worst thing you can say about them, is that they're bland. It doesn't immediately grab my interest, but if I'm interested in the information, it doesn't turn me off either.
 
Originally posted by: lxskllr
They're ok. The worst thing you can say about them, is that they're bland. It doesn't immediately grab my interest, but if I'm interested in the information, it doesn't turn me off either.
Click to expand...

thank you for the input, pretty much what I was looking for. Keep it coming fellas :thumbsup:
 
You - on your own - can build a great looking web site with Wordpress.

Ditto with Dreamweaver, but first you'll have to learn how to use Dreamweaver.

Or you can combine the two of them together to help build one web site.
 
to be honest, unless a layout is horrendously bad, layout doesn't really make an impact on me whether it's mediocre or new and fresh.
 
Don't spend a bunch of money on Dreamweaver. Use a simple html editor like Frontpage and a free graphics program.
 
I have photoshop, have dreamweaver. I feel confident I can make something decent, but grabbing one of these would be convenient and probably a bit nicer looking
 
Originally posted by: JMapleton
Don't spend a bunch of money on Dreamweaver. Use a simple html editor like Frontpage and a free graphics program.
Click to expand...

If a person knows Dreamweaver inside and out, wouldn't that allow him or her to build high quality, professional looking web sites that are on par with what a web designer can build? Just wondering 'cause you can get Dreamweaver pretty cheap if you look around.

 
Originally posted by: slayer202
I have photoshop, have dreamweaver. I feel confident I can make something decent, but grabbing one of these would be convenient and probably a bit nicer looking
Click to expand...

The cookie cutter web sites are "a bit nicer looking" than what you can build with Dreamweaver?!?! You've got to be kidding! How much experience do you have with Dreamweaver, or put another way, do you know that program inside and out? I would think that anyone who knows the ins and outs of Dreamweaver would be able to make a web site that looks 1000 times better than the cookie cutter garbage found at the link below:

http://templates.hostgator.com/Consulting////18/27



 
Originally posted by: slayer202
I have photoshop, have dreamweaver. I feel confident I can make something decent, but grabbing one of these would be convenient and probably a bit nicer looking
Click to expand...

I'm not picking on you slayer202, so don't get the wrong idea 🙂

You see, I'm on the verge of buying Dreameaver, along with Flash and Photoshop in Adobe's all inclusive Master Suite package.

I plan on using video tutorials to learn as much as I can about Flash, Dreamweaver and Photoshop. I'm going to spend several hours a day learning those programs, from morning to night, because I'm going to build my own sites and then send traffic to them.

I just have to ask that if those run of the mill cookie cutter sites are better than what you can build with Dreamweaver and Photoshop, then perhaps you must not have put in a lot of time exploring what those programs have to offer? 😕

Please scroll down to posts numbered 19 and 21, you might find them relevant:

http://www.warriorforum.com/we...er-create-webpage.html

 
Originally posted by: Soul Reputation
Originally posted by: slayer202
I have photoshop, have dreamweaver. I feel confident I can make something decent, but grabbing one of these would be convenient and probably a bit nicer looking
Click to expand...

The cookie cutter web sites are "a bit nicer looking" than what you can build with Dreamweaver?!?! You've got to be kidding! How much experience do you have with Dreamweaver, or put another way, do you know that program inside and out? I would think that anyone who knows the ins and outs of Dreamweaver would be able to make a web site that looks 1000 times better than the cookie cutter garbage found at the link below:

http://templates.hostgator.com/Consulting////18/27
Click to expand...

who are you? you obviously don't know what you're talking about. I am no photoshop pro, which is a BIG factor. Neither am I the best coder so its not as simple as just having dreamweaver...
 
who are you? you obviously don't know what you're talking about. I am no photoshop pro, which is a BIG factor. Neither am I the best coder so its not as simple as just having dreamweaver...
Click to expand...

When learning Dreamweaver, did you use books, DVD's or both?

 
I just like a website that is easy to navigate and has the info that i want/need easily accesible.

I think anandtech.com has a good layout. I'm a forum mod on another site and they asked me about site design and I basically told them to find sites that are easy to navigate and consider how their flowpaths work and how their site could be improved. I gave anandtech.com as an example to look at.
 
They're cookie cutter because they work. If you have content worth visiting, any practical layout is fine.
 
Originally posted by: Soul Reputation
Originally posted by: JMapleton
Don't spend a bunch of money on Dreamweaver. Use a simple html editor like Frontpage and a free graphics program.
Click to expand...

If a person knows Dreamweaver inside and out, wouldn't that allow him or her to build high quality, professional looking web sites that are on par with what a web designer can build? Just wondering 'cause you can get Dreamweaver pretty cheap if you look around.
Click to expand...

No better than a guy with great wood working tools but no experience can build an elaborate French styled dresser.

An html editor is just a tool, you have to have skills to make it work.

Originally posted by: Soul Reputation
When learning Dreamweaver, did you use books, DVD's or both?
Click to expand...

You can only learn by practice.
 
Websites are designed in Photoshop or similar products...not Dreamweaver unless you have a very simple, non-graphical layout.
 
Originally posted by: txrandom
Websites are designed in Photoshop or similar products...not Dreamweaver unless you have a very simple, non-graphical layout.
Click to expand...

Huh? Photoshop is a graphics design program. You cannot make a webpage that I'm aware of.

In the past two years however, most websites are coded with CSS.
 
Originally posted by: txrandom
Websites are designed in Photoshop or similar products...not Dreamweaver unless you have a very simple, non-graphical layout.
Click to expand...

typically the site's created in PS, then coded...sometimes dreamweaver will do that.

I would stay away from a template if it's a company that you plan to make money on...
 
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