Website & Templates › Complete Guide to Website Templates
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Purpose of Website Templates
- What is a Website Template?
- Template vs. Website Content vs. CRM
- Choosing a Template (Step-by-Step)
- Switching Templates — What Changes, What Stays
- Website Content Integration
- CRM Integration
- Theme & Design Settings
- Best Practices
- Tips & Recommendations
- Common Mistakes
- Troubleshooting
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Related Articles
1. Introduction
Your public website is powered by two things working together: a Template that provides the look and layout, and the Website Content CMS that provides the words, images, and links. On top of that, the CRM supplies live data like properties and blog posts. This guide explains all three layers in plain language so you can confidently choose and switch templates without losing anything.
[Screenshot: Template Gallery]
2. Purpose of Website Templates
- Give your agency a professional, ready-made web design in minutes.
- Let you refresh the visual style whenever you rebrand — without rebuilding the site.
- Keep your content, listings, leads, and SEO intact when the design changes.
3. What is a Website Template?
A Website Template is a pre-designed set of layouts, colours, typography, and section styles built for real estate businesses. Araona Connect currently ships five templates:
- Luxury — warm ivory and deep evergreen, editorial serif type. Boutique portfolios.
- Modern — vibrant gradients, rounded shapes, tech-forward. Fast-growing agencies.
- Minimal — editorial whitespace, quiet typography. Premium indie brokers.
- Corporate — deep navy, structured layout, portfolio-first. Institutional advisors.
- Premium — emerald and gold, concierge feel. Heritage firms.
Every template shares the same header, footer, and CTA components — so your brand feels consistent no matter which design you pick.
4. Template vs. Website Content vs. CRM
| Layer | What it controls | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Website Template | Design & layout only. | Colours, fonts, hero shape, card style, section order. |
| Website Content (CMS) | Editable text & media. | Company name, logo, hero headline, About us, contact details, footer. |
| CRM Data | Live business data. | Properties, featured listings, cities, blog posts. |
Think of it like a house: the template is the paint and furniture layout, the CMS is your family photos on the walls, and the CRM is the people who actually live there.
5. Choosing a Template (Step-by-Step)
- Go to Admin › Website › Templates.
- Browse the Template Gallery. Each card shows a name, accent colour, and description.
- Click Preview to open the template with your live content in a new tab.
- Compare 2-3 favourites on both desktop and mobile.
- When you are ready, click Use This Template.
- Confirm the switch — the change is live on your public site within seconds.
[Screenshot: Template Preview]
6. Switching Templates — What Changes, What Stays
What changes:
- Colours, fonts, and spacing.
- Hero section shape and imagery layout.
- Card styles for property listings.
- Section ordering and micro-animations.
What stays exactly the same:
- All your Website Content (name, logo, tagline, About, contacts, socials, footer, SEO).
- Every property in your CRM.
- Featured properties and their order.
- Blog posts and knowledge base.
- Custom domain and SSL.
- Lead capture forms and CRM data.
Important: switching templates is safe and reversible. Nothing is deleted.
[Screenshot: Change Template]
7. Website Content Integration
The following are controlled by the Website Content CMS regardless of the template you choose:
- Company Name
- Logo (image upload)
- Favicon (image upload)
- Company Tagline
- Header — navigation labels, CTA button
- Navigation Menu
- Hero Section — headline, sub-headline, background image
- About Us — heading, body, image
- Services — list of services with icons
- Contact Details — email, phone, office address
- Social Links — Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, WhatsApp
- Footer — quick links, copyright, disclaimer
- SEO — meta titles, descriptions, Open Graph image
Edit these once in Admin › Website › Content and they render correctly in every template.
[Screenshot: Website Content Editor]
8. CRM Integration
These sections read live from the CRM and never need to be re-entered when you switch templates:
- Property Listings — every published property.
- Property Search — the site-wide filter bar.
- Featured Properties — starred listings on the home page.
- Latest Properties — newest published listings.
- Cities & Localities — dropdowns feed from your tenant cities.
- Blogs — posts from the CRM Blog module.
9. Theme & Design Settings
Within a chosen template you can still fine-tune:
- Colours — primary accent, secondary accent (respects the template's palette).
- Typography — heading and body font pair.
- Buttons — style, radius, and hover effect.
- Cards — property card shape and shadow.
- Layout — section spacing and container width.
- Animations — on/off toggle for section reveals.
Changes preview instantly in the editor and go live after you click Save.
[Screenshot: Live Website Comparison]
10. Best Practices
- Pick a template that matches your brand personality, not the trendiest one.
- Keep branding consistent — the same logo, colours, and tagline everywhere.
- Upload a high-resolution logo (SVG or 512×512 PNG minimum).
- Test on desktop, tablet, and mobile before deciding.
- Always preview before saving; use Use This Template only when you are happy.
- Refresh 3-4 hero images per year to keep the site fresh.
11. Tips & Recommendations
- Ask two team members to compare templates side-by-side before switching.
- Enable animations for a premium feel; disable them if your buyers are on slow networks.
- Match your accent colour to your logo for a cohesive first impression.
- Use lifestyle photos (people in homes) for the hero, not empty rooms.
12. Common Mistakes
- Expecting the text/logo to change when you switch templates — it doesn't; content lives in the CMS.
- Uploading a low-resolution logo and blaming the template for looking blurry.
- Forgetting to update the About Us or Contact section after a rebrand.
- Trying to edit property cards inside the template — they come from the CRM.
- Choosing a template based on the demo image instead of previewing with your own content.
13. Troubleshooting
Why didn't my content change when I switched templates? Because content lives in the CMS, not the template. Edit Admin › Website › Content.
Why is my logo not updating? Re-upload in Website Content › Branding. Clear your browser cache or open the site in a private window to bypass cached files.
Why did only the design change? That is the intended behaviour — templates are design skins layered on top of your CMS and CRM data.
Why are my properties still visible after switching templates? Properties come from the CRM, so they always appear regardless of design. This is by design.
Can I switch back to a previous template? Yes, any time. Nothing is lost.
My custom domain still shows the old design after switching. Give it 60 seconds and hard-refresh (Ctrl+Shift+R). CDN caches usually clear within a minute.
14. Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How many times can I switch templates?
Unlimited. There is no cost or penalty for switching.
Q. Will switching affect my SEO?
No. URLs, titles, and meta descriptions come from the CMS/CRM and are preserved.
Q. Will my custom domain break?
No. Custom domain and SSL settings are independent of the template.
Q. Do all templates support mobile?
Yes. Every template is fully responsive for mobile, tablet, and desktop.
Q. Can I customise a template beyond the theme settings?
Deep customisation (custom sections, new components) is on the roadmap. Today you customise via colours, fonts, and CMS content.
Q. Do buyers see any downtime while I switch?
No. The switch is instant and does not take the site offline.
Q. Who can change the template?
Only Tenant Super Admins, and Staff granted the Edit Website Content permission.