How To Create a Custom
Site Build It (SBI) Template
How to get your own custom SBI template and transition to a clean, professional website design.
June 28th, 2010 by Becky Turner
Custom SBI Templates |
If you're using Site Build It to make your own online business, you're already sitting on everything you need to make money online.
However, the one problem many people identify with SBI is the design templates: edit them too little and you have a very generic website design. But edit them too much and you can have a big artistic dud on your hands.
Now you can order a professionally designed template for your SBI site. Ours is the only dedicated service that creates unique website designs which are 100% SBI compatible. So you can have a gorgeous web design that screams out the USP of your site - and wow your readers too!
This page showcases some of the many SBI templates we have made for fellow SBIers over the last two years. They are all created by Pete Casale, an expert website designer with a special insight into the SBI model.
My Old SBI Template
When I launched my first Site Build It website in 2008 it looked like this.
I'm told I shouldn't be embarrassed about this, because some of the most successful websites in the world are actually very basic in design. But I can't get my head around the simple fact: if I'm not impressed with the visual impact of my website, how can I expect my readers to be?
My New SBI Template
That's when I set Pete to work. I introduced him to Site Build It's template technology and he created a very special design template which would easily slot into SBI's Upload Your Own HTML function. Voila!
The new design is clearly much easier on the eye. It creates a much stronger brand recognition (being 100% unique to me) as well as a more functional drop-down menu. The latter means I can link to ALL of my pages from my menu without hundreds of buttons running down the page.
The right-hand column is a must-have feature, enabling me to put affiliate banners or Google AdSense on every page, which overhauled my capacity for monetization. What's more, the design is Google-optimized; after installing my new template my Google Page Rank and Alexa Rank increased noticeably, and Google Analytics showed me that people spent more time on the website. Result!
How to Get a Custom SBI Template
Very soon, other SBIers began asking me where I got my website design from - and how they could get one too. Pete's design skills were in high demand and he has been making bespoke design templates ever since. Here are some more examples of his custom SBI designs, made to the specification of each client.
>> Click Here to View The Full Gallery
>> Click Here to View The Full Gallery
These customers and others have been delighted with their custom SBI templates, some of whom have reported back the positive impact it had on their traffic statistics and their motivation for developing their sites.
Here's exactly what you get when you order a custom SBI template:
- Unique Elements - a custom-designed header image based on your brief, plus your choice of fonts and colors for the text.
- Standard Elements - a white page, a fading gray background, an expanding text menu OR button menu, a text footer, and an empty third column for your advertising.
Extra, Extra!
You may notice that some of our SBI templates include extra elements, such as a bespoke background image (instead of the fading gray). This is available at an extra cost.
Remember that a bespoke website design is an investment in your business, and once you make this one-off purchase, you will have a professional SBI template that will last you for years to come!
How to Order a Custom SBI Template
Please note that due to the limitations of BlockBuilder, these templates are only compatible with SBI's Upload Your Own HTML.
Personally I found BlockBuilder quite slow and limiting, and transitioning was very smooth and easy with SBI's Transition Guide, enabling me to see exactly what my pages look like as I build them. All you need is a HTML Editor (there are free ones you can download, just Google it). I highly recommend it if you have basic technical skills and want more flexibility.
Ordering your new template is easy: select which option you want then make your secure payment via the PayPal button.
After you checkout, follow the PayPal instructions to return to this website and get full details of emailing Pete your design brief.
Instructions: Creating Your Design Brief
These are the instructions you will receive after you pay for your new template via PayPal. They are provided here for your reference.
Once you have placed your order via PayPal, FORWARD your PayPal receipt in an email to Pete with the following info (if you don't forward your receipt it will take him longer to process your request).
- Your SBI domain - eg www.World-of-Lucid-Dreaming.com
- Your choice of color scheme - eg purple and gray. It's best to pick just two or three complimentary colors. If you don't know what colors go together, just pick one and he will work with that. If you have a logo you want to keep, it'll be those colors.
- Your complete design brief - eg woman, happy, jumping, clouds. Explain everything you want to see in your design, as it will be too late to add things in afterwards. It's critical to put all your ideas up front at the start so you get exactly what you want at the end. You can attach any images you like from other websites as this helps Pete understand what you have in mind. But remember, he can only use your images if you own the copyright (ie it's your own logo or photo, or you've purchased the image at a stock photo library).
- Your choice of menu style - eg buttons or drop down text. You can see a drop down menu in action at World of Lucid Dreaming, which is good if you have 100+ pages. A button menu is in action at Sheltie Planet and looks cleaner but only if you limit the number of buttons. The text or button color will match your header.
That's about it! All you need to do now is sit back and await your new professional website design.
Common Questions
How soon will my template be ready?
Providing you give Pete all the information he needs, he aims to present the finished template within 10 working days (but it's usually sooner).
Can I ask for several mockups to compare?
No - not unless you want to pay for each design. This option is usually only available to corporate clients who pay thousands of dollars to see different designs and logos; it's a very different proposition. However, if for any reason Pete fails to meet your original design brief, he promises to incorporate the necessary changes or start over.
What if I don't like the design?
You do have the right to ask for small changes to your SBI template. You'll be sent one draft mockup based on the design brief you give at the start. Then it's your turn to identify any tweaks and changes you'd like. The aim is to make it fair to both parties, and Pete respects your need for a professional SBI design that you are truly happy with.
However, please don't ask Pete to start over just because you've changed your mind. No designer wants to spend twice the amount of time making a second mockup for free when they have already done a great job!
How do I upload my new template?
Pete will give you step-by-step instructions for uploading all your new files to SBI using the Upload Your Own HTML function. You will need to download a HTML Editor (many are free, although I use Adobe Dreamweaver as it does everything) and learn the basics by watching the SBI Transition Guide, which helps you transition from BlockBuilder to Upload Your Own HTML. The benefits and flexibility of using HTML with your new design are extremely rewarding and I highly recommend it.
That covers everything on SBI templates. I think you'll agree they make the world of difference to the look and feel of your website and can even have a dramatic effect on your traffic count, motivation and monetization!
 |
