Designing a website with free HTML templates can be a great way to kickstart your project. Here's how you can maximize your web design potential with free HTML templates:

1. Choose a Template: Find a free HTML template that aligns with your website's purpose and style. There are many resources online, such as Bootstrap and HTML5 UP, offering a wide variety of templates.

2. Customize the Template: While the template provides a starting point, you should customize it to suit your brand. Modify colors, fonts, images, and layout to match your vision.

3. Responsive Design: Ensure the template is responsive, meaning it adapts to various screen sizes. Test your site on different devices to guarantee a seamless user experience.

4. Content Structure: Organize your content logically. Use HTML headings, paragraphs, lists, and other elements to structure your information effectively.

5. Optimize Images: Compress and optimize images to improve page loading speed. Slow-loading pages can make users unhappy and can lead to a poor user experience.

6. SEO-Friendly: Implement SEO best practices. Use proper HTML tags, add meta descriptions, and optimize your content for search engines.

7. Test Cross-Browser Compatibility: Check how your website appears and functions on different web browsers like Chrome, Firefox, and Safari.

8. Validation: Validate your HTML and CSS code to ensure it follows web standards. Services like W3C Markup Validation can be useful.

9. Add Interactivity: Enhance user engagement with JavaScript or jQuery for features like image sliders, forms, or animations.

10. Mobile-First Approach: Design with a mobile-first mindset to prioritize the mobile user experience. Then, scale up for larger screens.

11. Accessibility: Ensure your website is accessible to all users, including those with disabilities. Follow WCAG guidelines for accessibility.

12. Security: Implement security measures to protect your website from common threats, like using HTTPS and updating software.

13. Testing: Thoroughly test your website to catch any bugs or issues before launching.

14. Backup and Maintenance: Regularly back up your website and perform maintenance to keep it up-to-date and secure.

15. Launch and Promotion: Once everything is ready, launch your website and promote it through social media, email marketing, and other channels.

Using free HTML templates as a foundation can save you time and effort, but remember that customization and attention to detail are essential to make your website unique and effective.