The RomCom Website

Formulaic, overdone, and impossible to tell apart. Ever have déjà vu when visiting a website? Like you’ve seen the design a zillion times before?

In this special Awkward Marketing series, I’m breaking down the 5 worst types of websites. I call this one: The Template.

The Template Website looks like every other website on the ‘net. It borrows design elements from industry leaders so the whole WWW is awash in the same parallax flat lays, pictures of succulents, and clip art icons.

The problem with The Template Website isn’t that it was built with a template, which can be a handy tool for building up a website on a budget and with little coding knowledge. The problem is when everyone recycles the same look, your brand fades into the background. Your website is forgettable. (Plus, who wants a knockoff?)

Copying thought leaders won’t make you one.

Rachael Kay Albers

Rachael Kay Albers is a creative director, business comedian, and brand strategist gone wild. She writes and performs about branding, pop culture, tech, and identity. When she’s not muckraking about marketing, Rachael runs RKA ink, a reinvention studio and branding agency for businesses that burn the rulebook. She's also on Instagram a lot.