Should I buy a Webflow template or get a custom website?
Deciding between a Webflow template and custom design? This post breaks down the pros, cons, and a smart middle-ground option that balances speed, cost, flexibility, and professional polish.
Think templates hurt your SEO? Think again. This post debunks common myths, explains what makes a website SEO-friendly, and shows you how to choose high-performing templates the smart way.
Website templates often get a bad rap when it comes to SEO. Many believe that using a template means sacrificing search engine visibility. But is that really the case? In this post, we'll debunk the myths surrounding website templates and SEO, explore why these misconceptions exist, and provide practical tips to ensure your chosen template supports your SEO goals.
Let’s address the elephant in the room — why do templates have this reputation in the first place?
A lot of it comes from past experience (or bad advice). In the earlier days of website builders (I’m looking at you, Wordpress…), many templates came packed with messy code, unnecessary features, or limited customization options. They looked nice on the surface but under the hood? Not great for SEO.
Here are a few common concerns people still bring up:
These concerns aren’t totally baseless — but they also don’t apply to all templates. Like anything, it comes down to quality and how you use it. And that’s exactly what we’ll explore next.
Let’s clear this up once and for all: a template can absolutely be SEO-friendly — if it’s built with the right foundations. When we talk about SEO in the context of templates, we’re really talking about on-page SEO — all the things that affect how your site performs in search engines based on the way it’s built and structured. (Off-page SEO, like backlinks and social sharing, comes later and depends on your content and marketing efforts.) Here’s what actually matters when it comes to a website’s SEO-friendliness:
In short, a good template should take care of the technical foundations so you can focus on creating valuable content and growing your presence — not worrying about broken structures or slow pages.
Not all templates are created equal — and unfortunately, some still look pretty on the outside but fall short when it comes to SEO best practices. Here’s how to quickly spot whether a template is SEO-friendly before you commit:
Now that you know what makes a website template SEO-friendly, let me share a few of my go-to places to find ones that check all the right boxes. These aren’t just platforms I’ve explored — I’ve either used, studied, or sold on them myself.
Still one of the best curated marketplaces out there. Every template has to pass Webflow’s internal quality checks — including SEO, accessibility, and performance guidelines. You won’t find bloated or outdated code here (at least not if the template is still live).
Plus, it’s easy to preview templates and run your own tests before buying.
👉 Pro tip: Stick with creators who have multiple templates and clear documentation.
Framer’s templates are modern, minimalist, and often designed with speed in mind. Their visual editor makes SEO settings super easy to tweak, and most templates are built by designers who care about performance.
If you’re building an e-commerce site, Shopify’s official theme store is one of the most reliable places to find SEO-optimized templates. Shopify has strict requirements for page speed, mobile responsiveness, and accessibility — so every theme gets reviewed before going live.
👉 Look for themes labeled “Online Store 2.0” for the most flexibility and performance improvements.
Some of the best templates I’ve come across weren’t found through huge marketplaces — they were from designers who sell directly through their own websites. If someone talks openly about SEO, performance, or structure in their product description, that’s usually a great sign.
Shameless plug: I personally design every one of my templates with SEO-friendliness as a core priority — from clean heading structure to fast load times. You can explore them here if you're curious.
If you’re browsing places with thousands of free or cheap templates, go in with caution. Many haven’t been updated in years and may not follow best practices for mobile responsiveness, speed, or code cleanliness. If a template claims to “do everything,” there’s a good chance it doesn’t do anything particularly well.
Both Wix and Squarespace offer templates with SEO-friendly foundations, especially for beginners. Their platforms take care of many technical details for you, and templates are generally mobile-friendly and visually polished. However, you’ll have less control over advanced SEO settings compared to platforms like Webflow or Framer. If your site has more complex SEO needs — like custom schema, speed optimization, or developer-level flexibility — they may feel limiting.
Over 150 businesses have used my templates to launch their websites faster and look more professional online. Go live in half the time and at a fraction of the cost of custom development, with one of my professionally designed and fully customizable website templates.