So you’re looking to launch a Framer website but don’t have the time, skill, or resources to make a website yourself. What’s your option?
Using a Framer template is a great solution.
Framer templates are well-built, highly customizable, and relatively affordable (often even free).
However, If you're new to website design and development, there might be a bit of a learning curve.
But don't worry—this comprehensive guide will teach you everything you need to know about customizing a Framer template so you can launch your website quickly!
Step 1: Choosing The Right Framer Template
Identify the Purpose of Your Website
To choose the right template, first identify the purpose of your website.
Are you creating a landing page for a specific product? Is it a full-fledged informative website? Or maybe a portfolio to showcase your projects?
Whatever your website needs to do, keep that in mind when choosing a template.
List Essential Features and Functionalities
Determine the essential features your website will need.
For example, you might require a contact form to capture visitors and turn them into leads, or a filtering system for your projects.
Find a template that covers your core features. If you can't find one, consider contacting the template designer or hiring a Framer expert to add these functionalities.
Browse Through Different Framer Templates
There are many places to find Framer templates, but the best place? You guessed it; the Framer marketplace.
Why? Quality control.
Submitting a template on Framer requires passing various quality checks, so you know you're getting the best.
Browse through over 1,000 templates to find one that fits your business goals and design language.
Most templates range from $0 to $100, making them an affordable option for many.
When selecting a template don’t worry too much about the colors, as these can be easily changed.
Step 2: Get the Framer Template
Once you get the Framer template, you'll receive a remix link. This allows you to copy the template into your own account.
Create a free Framer account and paste the remix link into the URL bar. You'll then be taken to the template where you can start making changes.
Step 3: Remove Any Unwanted Pages
Before you start editing your website, review the pages you wish to keep and remove.
To delete a page, hover over it in the left sidebar, click the menu icon, and select “delete.”
As of now, Framer doesn’t allow you to “hide” pages from the deployed website. If you want to remove a page but don’t want to lose it, duplicate whole project and keep the page there. You can restore it by copying and pasting it when needed.
Step 4: Customize Your Framer Template
The level of customization needed will vary from business to business and template to template.
Here are some of the most common ways to edit a template:
Editing Text
Editing text in Framer is really simple. There are two types of text you'll often edit:
Non-component
Components
Non-components: These are elements you can edit right away by double-clicking on any text layer, just like in any text editor. They have a blue outline.
Components: Sometimes, you’ll need to edit text inside a container, like a button. These text layers are components and have a purple outline.
Here’s how you can edit the text within components
Select the component you want to edit.
Go to the right-hand side panel and scroll to the component fields (under the "Transform" section).
Find the layer that corresponds to the text you want to change.
Changing Images
Changing images is similar to updating text layers.
Double-click any image layer, and an overlay will appear on the right-hand side, allowing you to change images.
Like the text layer, there might be some component elements, and you would edit them the same way as the text layers, but selecting an image layer instead.
Ensure you add alt tags to the images that describe the picture. This helps with SEO and accessibility.
Updating colors
Updating colors is by far the easiest thing to do in Framer but it varies depending on how the template has been designed.
To edit colors in Framer:
Head over to “Assets” tab
Scroll down to “Colors”
Edit the colors that are used on the website.
If you don’t see any colors here, you’ll need to go into each element individually and change the colors (Yikes!).
Ensure the template you get has the colors available under assets so you can change them in bulk.
Edit CMS
A CMS allows you to edit content that will be dynamically updated, such as blogs or portfolio projects.
To edit the CMS:
Head over to the CMS panel on the top bar
Select any content you wish to edit or add a new one
Press “save”
Step 5: Updating The Layout (Optional)
Updating a layout in Framer is easy but can get complicated.
It’s advisable to keep the layouts as is to avoid breaking the website.
However, if you want to change the layout, here’s how:
Select any element you would like to edit the layout of
Head over to “Layout” section on the right hand panel
Change the direction to either vertical or horizontal
Step 6: Modifying Framer Components
Components are UI elements with multiple variants that can be used throughout the project.
Once you make an edit to a component, it gets reflected everywhere, making it very scalable.
Most templates will have variables for components allowing you to edit them without messing around with anything else.
However, if you wish to edit other features of the components
To edit components:
Double-click a component you wish to edit.
Make changes such as changing colors, images, or text, as discussed before.
Step 7: Optimize For SEO
You're almost there!
Before you go live, you NEED to make changes to rank higher on search engines like Google.
Update the Page Titles and Meta Descriptions
Page titles and meta descriptions are what’s shown on Google when someone searches for you.
To edit them:
Click on the settings button in the top-right of your page
Use the left sidebar to navigate your pages
Customize the page title and descriptions
Update Your Alt Text
All the images used on your website need to have an alt tag. Alt text describes your images for search engines as well as for accessibility reasons.
To edit your alt tags:
Click on any image (this can be on your canvas or in the CMS)
Add your description in the “Alt Text” field.
Step 8: Ready To Launch
This is the final step!
Connect Google Analytics
First, connect your Google Analytics. This will allow you to get extensive website data you can use to drive marketing decisions.
To do that:
Log in to your GA4 dashboard
Copy your measurement ID.
In Framer, head to your site settings
Go to “General” and scroll down until you find the Google Analytics section.
Paste your GA measurement ID
Save the changes
Connect Your Domain
Now that your website is ready, it’s time to go live.
Figure out which plan you need, then head to your site settings and click on plans. Select the plan and follow the outlined procedure.
Once you’ve done that, you’ll need to connect your domain name.
To connect a domain to your Framer website:
Go to Site Settings
Domains
Custom Domain
Connect a domain you own
Finally hit “Publish” and you’re all good to go!
Closing Thoughts
Customizing a Framer template is an excellent way to launch a professional website quickly and affordably. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can choose the right template, make necessary customizations, and ensure your site is optimized for SEO.
However, If you're feeling overwhelmed or simply don't have the time to customize a template yourself, All About Framer is here to help.
You can reach out and we can make it happen!
