Most Accounting firms have limited options regarding setting up a website. One possibility is to make use of a template; a pre-built site that was created by a pro designer for sale "as is". Most website hosting services offer templates bundled into their basic offering, and there are literally hundreds of websites that sell them.

Your other options are to make an effort to create the site on your own 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 custom design process can drag, and this can really drive up your expenses. If you weigh the benefits and decide to take this route be aware that each time you redraft or add to the site your costs are going to rise significantly.

This is why, for most firms, it best to use a template from a company that specializes in designing websites for accountants. These sites are usually very attractive. They often include premium design features like flash animations and almost always include third-party plugin and HTML support.

Remember, before selecting a template, you will need to identify the goals for your website. What do you want the site to look like? How do you want it laid out? 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...

* You won't need to worry about layout and navigation. When you use a template this is already laid out for you.

* Design consistency can be a real problem for do-it-yourselfers. It can be hard to develop different pages with different content and at the same time keep a similar look and feel. Templates take care of this problem for you by offering standard content pages.

* Templates include professional graphics. Filling a site with professional photos can be expensive and time consuming. The alternative, looting the internet for images, is usually illegal. 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 website packages that include tools particularly useful to CPA and accounting practices like file transfer portals and newsletters. They also automatically update pages that are generally specific to websites for accountants like tax due dates and accounting specific "free reports".

Of course, there are potential limitations to consider:

* Graphically templates usually come "as is" unless you can code in HTML and have access to graphics software like Photoshop. Some providers will make changes for you (for an added fee) but in most cases you'll need to hire a web professional to make graphic changes to a template.

* Some website managers are easier to use than others. Many templates make it very difficult to make changes unless you know HTML. These templates can still significantly reduce your costs, but you may still need a website professional to set up and maintain it.

* 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.

* The right to use a template does not imply ownership. Unless you specifically buy the copyright to the template the designer will be able to sell the same template to other website owners.

Of course you want your website to stand out. A template may just be able to help; you have the basic layout and structure of the design, but then you can go in and change out the colors, images, etc.

Building a custom website, from scratch, is a big accomplishment and for some firms, especially larger ones, is an appropriate use of resources. It will cos a lot more. Custom sites start a about $2000 but you'll have complete creative control over the entire process.

Weigh the purpose of your site against what you want it to do and how much you want to spend. 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. Templates come in all kinds of styles and colors. You should have no trouble finding one that suits your firm. It is best to find a service that specializes in websites for accountants and bundles lots of features for a single price, rather than buying everything individually. It may not only save money, but also the hassle of asking any questions to several different vendors, rather than one.

About the Author:
Brian O'Connell is the CEO and founder of CPA Site Solutions, one of the United States' largest web companies oriented solely to Websites for Accountants.