Have you noticed that the internet is starting to feel… familiar?
And not in a comforting, nostalgic way – more like déjà vu with a splash of Ctrl+C, Ctrl+V.
It’s because so many websites today are built with the same cookie-cutter website builders. And while they’ve made building a website more accessible, they’ve also made the web strangely uniform. Scroll long enough, and you start to see the same layouts, the same animations, the same stock photos of suspiciously cheerful people holding laptops.
Somewhere along the way, “easy” became the enemy of “original.”
Let’s talk about it.
We Live in the Era of Template Déjà Vu
There’s a very specific moment when you land on a site and immediately think:
“Oh, this is a Wix site.”
“This is definitely Squarespace.”
“Yep, that’s Canva Sites.”
It’s like platform fingerprints.
Except instead of CSI, it’s CIS – “Cookie-cutter Identification Services.”
Certain builders have such a distinct look that you could probably identify them at 50 yards, like spotting a fast-food chain just from the smell of fries.
It’s not even the user’s fault.
These builders all push people toward the same pre-made layouts, the same spacing, the same blocks, the same grid patterns, the same trendy sans-serif fonts. You can change the colors and shuffle a few sections around, but it’s basically customizing a coloring book someone else already drew.
Why Are Cookie-Cutter Builders So… Cookie-Cutter?
Short answer: efficiency.
Long answer: efficiency + scale + “don’t break the layout, please.”
To keep everything beginner-friendly, these builders play it extremely safe. They give you bubble-wrapped tools you can’t really hurt yourself with, but also ones that can’t do anything unexpected.
Want to nudge something a little to the left?
Too bad – the template says no.
Want a layout that doesn’t look like a modern art museum brochure?
Good luck.
Want to break out of the grid entirely?
Oh, how adorable.
The transparency here is that most website builders aren’t designed to help people express their creativity. They’re designed to reduce customer support tickets.
The Problem Isn’t That Templates Exist – It’s That They Dominate
Templates themselves are not the villain. They’re helpful. They’re convenient. They make the web more accessible.
But when templates become the only realistic option, something gets lost:
- personality
- originality
- weirdness (in the good way)
- the ability to surprise a visitor
- the joy of making a site feel like yours instead of “Site #3,847,294 using Layout B12”
We’ve traded creative messiness (remember the internet in the 2000’s!) for aesthetic sameness.
And the web is worse for it.
The Illusion of Choice
Most cookie-cutter builders present you with hundreds of templates, but here’s the secret:
They’re all cousins.
Different backgrounds, same skeletons.
You scroll through the template library thinking, “Wow, so many options!”
But after an hour it hits you that most of these designs are just slight variations of one another:
- Hero image on top, centered headline, button
- Icons in a row
- Testimonials carousel
- Grid of cards featuring stock photography that all looks suspiciously similar
It’s like walking down a street where each house looks the same, just painted in a different color. But at least you are getting exercise there.
The Homogenized Web Isn’t Just Boring – It’s Bad for Branding
Here’s the part no one likes to admit:
When everything looks the same, nothing stands out.
If you’re a small business, template sameness doesn’t just make your site boring – it makes it forgettable. And just like you don’t want to be forgettable when auditioning on American Idol or America’s Got Talent, you don’t want your website to be forgettable either. It makes you blend into the wallpaper of the internet.
And in an age where everyone is competing for attention, looking like everyone else is a competitive disadvantage.
People Don’t Want Cookie-Cutter Sites – But that’s what they are getting with the typical templates…
Most website owners don’t want generic sites. They just assume that:
- This is how websites are supposed to look
- This is the only thing “normal people” can build
- If they want more, they have to hire a $20k agency
And, website builders have spent years marketing themselves this way:
“Choose from our professionally designed templates!”
“Stunning layouts!”
“Perfect for any business!”
Translation:
“Trust us, we already decided what your website should look like.”
Where Do We Go From Here?
I’m not saying everyone needs custom-coded everything or that drag-and-drop website builders are evil. They’ve opened the door for millions of people.
But maybe we’re overdue for a shift.
Maybe the next phase of the web is about reclaiming uniqueness – embracing tools that let people build beyond templates, experiment more, break out of the expected patterns, and bring back a bit of the creativity the early web had… minus the flashing GIFs and auto-playing midi files.
A website should feel like a reflection of its owner – not a reflection of the platform it was built on.
The internet could use a little more weird.
A little more personality.
A little more “you.”
And a lot less cookie-cutter.
How UltimateWB Helps Break the Cookie-Cutter Cycle (Without Getting in the Way)
Here’s where UltimateWB genuinely shifts the experience. It doesn’t swoop in waving around templates and limitations. It simply provides the tools – and gets out of your way.
1. You Aren’t Forced Into a Theme
You can start completely blank if you want.
Not everyone wants to build from scratch… but for those who do, the option is there.
And that alone breaks the “everything must look like a template” pattern.
2. It Gives You Structure Without Restriction
Most builders give you either rigid templates or overwhelming freedom.
UltimateWB sits in the middle:
- Enough structure to make building easy
- Enough freedom to make creativity possible
- No lock-in, no “you can’t put that there,” no invisible fences
It’s a rare combination – and one the web desperately needs.
Why This Matters for the Future of the Web
Tools shape the world they build. Website builders are no different.
If platforms limit creativity, the internet becomes a giant catalog of identical layouts.
But when platforms empower people instead of restricting them, the web becomes what it was meant to be:
- diverse
- expressive
- surprising
- full of personality
UltimateWB isn’t the only way to push the web in that direction – but it’s one of the few tools designed with the philosophy that your website should look like your website, not the builder’s signature aesthetic.
And maybe that’s how we start bringing variety back to the digital neighborhood… so every “house” doesn’t look exactly the same.
Related: Why Drag-and-Drop Website Builders Hold You Back (And What to Use Instead)
Ready to design & build your own website that showcases your style and brand? Learn more about UltimateWB! We also offer web design packages if you would like your website designed and built for you.
Got a techy/website question? Whether it’s about UltimateWB or another website builder, web hosting, or other aspects of websites, just send in your question in the “Ask David!” form. We will email you when the answer is posted on the UltimateWB “Ask David!” section.