Few things are as scary to a marketer than creating or redesigning a website. From site structure to page layout, color choice to imagery, there are just so many decisions to make, many of them visual requiring development behind the scenes.
Thankfully, HubSpot themes are here to save the day! With themes, all the intricate details are taken care of, perfectly packaged for you to customize and launch a site in less time and with less effort. The only problem? You need to choose the right theme for your business.
What is a HubSpot theme?
Before choosing your HubSpot theme, you first need to understand what it is. A theme is not a template. While HubSpot has thousands of templates you can use to develop individual website pages, a theme is bigger than that: it’s a collection of templates, custom modules, and settings that allows you to build an entire website without a developer’s help.
Themes are a relatively new feature, launched in 2020. Unlike templates, they can be easily modified by anyone using the drag-and-drop builder you know and love… no coding required. They also enable global content settings, which means you can change sitewide elements like headers, footers, and colors on every page from one convenient place.
Themes are often more customizable and flexible than templates, too. You’ll have all the building blocks to build the pages you need. Choose your page types, import your brand colors, and add custom modules to quickly create a site as unique as your company.
Check out our very own ’Launch Your SaaS’ theme as an example!
Choosing the right HubSpot theme for your business
With almost 150 themes currently available, selecting one can be a bit overwhelming. You don’t want to spend hours combing through every last detail of each option, but you can’t afford to pick one at random and run with it, either.
That’s why you need to be strategic about your theme. It all starts with a few key considerations. Ask yourself:
Who is your audience?
Your website isn’t for you: it’s for your customers. It’s essential to think about your buyer personas when choosing a HubSpot theme.
What kind of people are they, and what kind of sites are they used to seeing? Corporate professionals will be attracted to a very different website than a young person seeking out travel tips, for example.
What functionality will they need to work with you? What are their expectations? All of these important questions will help you narrow down your choice of themes.
There is the option to filter by industry, such as themes specifically created for professional services, but we encourage you to look beyond the filters and focus on the individual theme. You might fit the right fit for your brand in a category you don’t expect!
What’s your brand’s visual style?
Beyond the wants and needs of your customers, you probably have some brand guidelines around your visual style. After all, the theme you choose will set the tone of your site and impact your potential customers’ first impressions.
You don’t need to worry about nitty-gritty details like brand colors since themes are customizable, but you need a theme that fits the overall look-and-feel. Do you want something colorful and fun that pops, or more reserved and serious to appear professional?
When in doubt, take a look at what your competitors are doing. Find a site you love and look for a theme with the same vibe.
What pages do you need?
Every company and website is different. Some businesses really only need a home page to display their offerings and a contact page with a simple form. Others have fully fleshed-out navigation structures with 10+ pages. It all depends on what you’re showcasing and offering to your customers.
You also need to consider what kind of pages your website requires. Some of the most commonly offered in HubSpot themes include:
- About page
- Case studies
- Blog posts
- FAQ
- Landing/offer pages
- Pricing
- Testimonials
- Meet the team
Some themes have vastly different templates for each of these page types, while others have the same basic structure with just a few tweaks. You’ll need to find a theme that fits your criteria and has the right combination of pages for your business.
What sections do you need?
The individual sections that make up a website page are called modules: the building blocks of HubSpot’s templates and themes. Examples of modules include images, video embeds, CTA buttons, and horizontal spacers.
HubSpot has a long list of default modules anyone can use and are widely available in all themes. But the true advantage of themes is getting to access custom modules.
Custom modules are built by the developers who created the theme and allow you to add new and exciting features to your HubSpot site. For example, a SaaS company might want pricing tables and video headers to provide users with an even better experience.
Consider what elements and sections you’ll need to get your message across to your audience. Then, filter by page features or dive into the modules of your favorite theme to make sure you’re getting all the modules you need.
What’s your budget?
We know budget is always a consideration. The exciting news is more than 25 of the themes currently available are completely free!
Other themes range from a couple hundred dollars to $1000 or more. But given how important your website is, and how expensive it can be to hire a developer to build one from scratch, themes can be incredibly powerful AND cost-effective.
Do you need support?
How much does your internal team know about building websites? Do you have the capability to make a few adjustments here and there? If a problem came up, would you know how to fix it?
If the answer to these questions is ‘no’, don’t stress: many HubSpot themes come with support, either free or paid. And since most themes are developed by HubSpot experts and partners, you’ll be getting help from some of the best in the business.
HubSpot theme checklist
You’ve gone through the considerations, figured out your website needs, and found a theme you love. Great! Before you get started, run through this quick checklist to make sure there’s nothing you’ll be missing down the road:
1. Is it responsive?
It should be a given at this point, but your website needs to be optimized for cellphones and tablets, not just desktops. Responsive design will let you create beautiful pages perfectly suited to any size screen with no additional effort.
2. Is it user-friendly?
Make sure you don’t prioritize looks over functionality. Customers and search engines alike will be turned away from websites that aren’t clean and functional. Ensure your chosen theme has good navigation, easily clickable buttons, and a design that is easy to read.
3. Is it fully customizable?
Whether you want to add your own modules or just update the colors and font types, make sure the theme is as flexible as your needs.
4. Does it have all the settings you need?
A website isn’t just about the main pages: you need the back-end to work properly, too. Your customers might land on error pages, view search results, or need to reset their password. A good theme will have all the necessary assets built right in.
5. Is it built by someone reputable?
Some of the themes in HubSpot’s marketplace have been reviewed by users just like you. But what if your favorite theme doesn’t have any? Just take a moment to research the company who created it. If they can attest to their knowledge and experience building HubSpot sites, you’re probably safe to move ahead.
Get started with your theme
Choosing a HubSpot theme is intimidating. But if you can go through these considerations and make a list of your needs and wants, it should be much easier to find one that will check all the boxes for you and your customers alike.
Do you want help choosing the right theme for your business? Need support customizing your existing website? Our experts have created dozens of websites that increase traffic and generate more leads. Get in touch today, or try our SaaS theme with 6 dynamic page templates and 23 ready-to-use modules!
