Some HOAs don’t have a website because they over-complicate the process of building one. The good news is that times have changed. With an HOA website template, you can easily set up a public website without technical skills.
If you’re not familiar with the term HOA website template, it’s a ready-made website layout that your community can use and customize. A template offers the design, structure, and features that the site will display to visitors. Then you personalize it to make it truly yours
In this article, we’ll look at the main benefits of HOA website templates and the added value they can bring to your community.
1. No technical knowledge is needed
What you need to know is that an HOA website template is designed for board members who aren’t tech-savvy. Though they can be used by anyone who wants to save time on building a site from scratch. They’re not complicated to use or technically challenging. There’s no need to install or download any software or app, everything is online.
The first step is to pick the design and create an account on the provider’s website. Once you sign in, the first step is to define what your website name will be. This will become your web address (or domain name). Example: yourcommunity.com. A domain name usually costs between 10 to 20$ per year.
Once this is set up, you can start publishing information on your website. Most templates offer placeholders where content such as text can be copied, edited and images can be added.
2. Fast and easy set up without coding
We’re not lying when we say that you can build your site in a few hours. Using an HOA website template, you don’t need to spend a lot of time setting up a public-facing website.
A template doesn’t compromise quality or efficiency either. When a developer builds your website you never really know how the final product will look like or function. This is worrying. Imagine investing time, money, and effort and not being satisfied with the end result. This happens more than you can imagine.
HOA website templates are designed using a principle called “WYSIWYG” or What You See Is What You Get. In fact, templates come with a preset design. You can tailor it to your community’s identity by adding your logo, colors, and text but the layout will remain the same. This is very helpful because you know what the final website will look like before you start.
Take a look at our short demo video to understand better how easy and intuitive it is to create your own community website using a template.
3. Low costs
A custom website built by developers has its price. HOAs usually don’t have the same budget as for-profit organizations that can allocate money for building a site from scratch. Still, online presence matters, whether you’re an association or a lucrative company. Website templates exist for people with small budgets who can’t afford to invest in building a custom website.
Besides, by choosing an HOA website template you won’t only save money now but it will also save you money for the future. Most website developers charge high fees for website maintenance. You won’t have to worry about that with website templates, as the company that provides the templates will do that for you.
4. Wide choice of designs
These days, you can find many HOA website template providers in the market. Each one of them offers a collection of designs. You just need to pick the one that matches best with your community’s lifestyle and needs. Choosing from a large collection of layouts is painless compared to building your website from scratch. You don’t need to spend hours thinking about the framework, the colors, or the features you may need. Also, passing your vision to a developer doesn’t guarantee you the end product will be exactly what you imagined. With an HOA website template, you just need to choose an existing one. You may also be surprised to find functionalities or website structures you would have never thought of and that are perfect for your community’s needs.
5. HOA oriented features and functionalities
A regular website template is useful but may not contain all the features or functionalities an HOA requires. Communities have special needs. For example, you may want to allow residents to reserve amenities directly on the website. Perhaps, you’d like them to be able to add maintenance requests on it too. Regular website templates usually don’t offer these types of features.
That’s why, if you’re a community association, choosing an HOA website template will be more appropriate. Apart from features, the website layout may have various relevant sections such as community map location, images of your community and amenities, and much more.
6. Customer support
Even though setting up a website with an HOA website template is a piece of cake, help is always available. Most template providers offer assistance with building up the website and with maintenance. These vendors usually provide support through different channels. For example, some offer video tutorials that guide you through the whole process. Others have chat support, video calls, or can even be reached by phone during working hours. That service exists to avoid excluding anyone, especially seniors. HOA website templates are for everyone. Yet, for people that aren’t tech-savvy, the process can feel overwhelming. That’s not a reason to be discouraged, customer success teams are here to help you overcome that.
To conclude
Now more than ever, communities need an online presence to be able to communicate with residents or the board. Fostering trust is a crucial part of a board’s role. A website boosts credibility and increases transparency. It’s also an efficient tool to attract prospective residents.
An HOA website template allows you to do all that quickly and at a minimal cost. Besides, it’s so easy to set up that you won’t need to hire someone to do it. All you have to do is choose your template, add your content and make the most out of awesome features. If you feel lost at any step of the process, the providers’ customer service is here to guide you.
