Websites for Accountants- The Value of Pro Templates

Most CPAs have limited options in regards to building a website. One possibility is to use a template; a pre-designed site that has been created by a pro for use "as is". Most website hosting services offer templates as part of their basic plan, and there are literally hundreds of websites that sell them.

Your other options are to endeavor to design the site yourself or build a custom website from scratch using a professional designer. Not many accountants have the marketing, artistic, and coding skills needed to build a website themselves, and a professionally designed custom website is very expensive. For most accountants a template is the best option. A template is quick, easy, and inexpensive. It also gives you the ability to then customize a few things, here and there, to make it more personalized. A website from scratch is more expensive, yet again it all depends on what you want on the site and how 'complete' you would like it. The more ideas, the more the designer will charge.

This is why, for most firms, it best to use a template from a company that specializes in designing websites for accountants. Some also come with a graphic introduction page, which offers images that slide/transform.

Remember, before selecting a template, you will need to identify the goals for your website. How would you like the layout to look? Don't be afraid to browse the web for ideas. What colors do you want to use? What images? What kind of pages do you want to offer. When you have everything together, it becomes much easier for yourself or a professional designer to build the template.

Here are some typical advantages of using a template...

* Templates provide the basic page and navigation layouts.

* Templates provide a consistent look and feel for the site.

* Most come with professional graphics. Templates also allow you to customize those graphics to a more personalized look.

* Most templates support HTML editors so you can make changes to your site without needing any coding skills.

There are other advantages, too. Template sites that come as part of a hosting package will be updated regularly automatically. Of course these changes are particularly relevant if your website template is provided by an industry specific host. There are a lot of companies that specialize in websites for accountants and CPA's. These companies usually offer a complete web design package, which includes features like a client portal and a monthly newsletter.

Like everything in life there are some possible limitations you need to keep in mind as well:

* Graphically templates usually come "as is" unless you can code in HTML and have access to graphics software like Photoshop. Some companies will make changes for you for a small fee, but this is the exception rather than the rule.

* Depending whether or not your template includes an editor it sometimes becomes difficult to make text content changes unless you are skilled at HTML. You'll still save a lot of money over a custom design from scratch, but be aware you will probably need to use a professional web designer to set up and maintain the site.

* Some templates require extensive modification to make them suitable for your specific business. If the website wasn't designed specifically for accountants expect to spend some time and money adding industry specific and interactive content.

* You do not own the copyright of the template, unless you purchase it from the designer.

Of course you want your website to stand out. Using pre-designed templates is one way to accomplish this; you can get a good looking site with an established layout and structure. Even if it's not quite "perfect" it's still cheaper to modify an existing template than it is to build a new site from scratch.

So how do you decide which to use? Simply weigh how much you want to spend against what you want your site to do for your firm and how much work you want to do setting up and maintain it. You'll need to decide for yourself whether to use a template or to build a custom site.

If you decide to go with a template, choose a good one. Since many of them come in a variety of specific themes and color schemes, you should be able to find one that is right for your site. It is best to find a provider that specializes in websites for accountants and bundles many features for a single price, rather than purchasing these features piecemeal. It might not only save money, but also the exasperation of asking any questions to many different providers, rather than one.

Brian O'Connell is the CEO and founder of CPA Site Solutions, one of the country's leading edge website businesses oriented solely to Websites for Accountants.