Why do people give away free wordpress themes?

17 replies
Why do people give away free wordpress themes?

I am assuming that it is because they are using us for links in the footer?? I am fine with this, but just wanted to know.

My real question is:

Is there any danger or downside to using free themes?

I am working with microniches and it does not make much sense to pay for any themes.

I am new so any feedback is greatly appeciated!

Thanks much!
#free #give #people #themes #wordpress
  • Profile picture of the author DireStraits
    It could be for the SEO (backlink) benefits, or they could be giving them away free to get you to opt-in to a mailing list, or something.

    Some people might simply enjoy creating them, and be generous enough to release them for free.

    There is not necessarily (nor usually) any downside to using them, no.

    But depending on your "micro-site" approach, a lot of regular blog-style Wordpress themes may be too "busy" as to be optimally effective, I think?

    So you might want to make customisations, or create your own custom theme (or get someone else to make one for you).

    I use my own custom Wordpress themes on my "micro-niche" sites (that is - the niches they target are microscopic; the sites themselves are not necessarily so small).

    Good luck.
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  • Profile picture of the author Dennis Wagoner
    Hello yahmonyah

    Yes, creating themes with your link in the footer can get you a few extra backlinks. Some people also give them in exchange for opting into an email list.

    I use free themes as long as they are not encoded. I know some encode the footer to keep their link intact, but I'm just paranoid about using them.

    You'll find plenty of free themes you can use for just about any purpose. Just make sure you're clear on the user rights.

    Dennis
    Signature

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    • Profile picture of the author yahmonyah
      Where are the user rights found? Assume that they are found next to the download button for free the free theme??

      When you talk about encoding, are you referring to the backlinks encoded or something else? Backlinks don't bother me too much. Something else might.

      Also, agreed that a busy site may be too much for a microniche - I am weighing that out. Good advice.
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      • Profile picture of the author yahmonyah
        By the way, I am new to this forum and it is AWESOME!
        Very knowedeable people and quick answers!
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  • Profile picture of the author Lothar Evers
    Originally Posted by yahmonyah View Post

    Why do people give away free wordpress themes?

    I am assuming that it is because they are using us for links in the footer?? I am fine with this, but just wanted to know.

    My real question is:

    Is there any danger or downside to using free themes?

    I am working with microniches and it does not make much sense to pay for any themes.

    I am new so any feedback is greatly appeciated!

    Thanks much!
    Either the backlinks in the footer, or squeezing your email, or trying to make an upsell like PLR or MRR
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  • Profile picture of the author QuinNguyen
    They do it to get free backlink. Its pretty smart way for free advertising
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  • Profile picture of the author brian culbert
    I think Everyone wants to have special website.
    or perhaps wants a feature that he couldn't have it for free, like special permalinks.
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    • Profile picture of the author Gail_Curran
      You should realize that many people/sites giving away free themes didn't design the themes. They take themes from elsewhere and add their own encoded link. So you wind up with a theme that has an unencoded backlink to the original designer, which is good and should be retained, and another encoded backlink to the middle man's acne or porn site. Do you really want to give that loser a backlink? Anyway, just something to watch out for.
      .
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  • Profile picture of the author Karen Blundell
    I give away free XHTML templates and WordPress themes because I like to give back, the Open Source Community "put me on the map" and
    I get a ton of free backlinks because most people leave the credit link to my site in the footer.

    The safest free WordPress themes are the ones you get from WordPress.org because WordPress.org has very strict requirements for accepting themes.
    You won't find any encoded themes or anything fishy there.
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  • Profile picture of the author DireStraits
    Originally Posted by Chris Kent View Post

    But there are some themes that look great but are churned out by the creators like a factory and contain 6 links in the footer that they sold. Is it really unethical to delete their links?
    Not at all; not if it's allowed.

    Who cares what anyone else thinks, if it's allowed?

    A lot of people think eating meat is unethical. But it's not illegal, and I'm not going to stop it just because I offend some people.
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  • Profile picture of the author Kevin McNally
    It's mainly for the backlinks, anchor text backlinks if they are smart.

    Getting your links on thousands of sites is powerful and most of the themes will have links on every page in the footer.
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    • Profile picture of the author QuinNguyen
      Originally Posted by Kevin McNally View Post

      It's mainly for the backlinks, anchor text backlinks if they are smart.

      Getting your links on thousands of sites is powerful and most of the themes will have links on every page in the footer.
      If only those sneaky WP won't remove the footer link
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  • Profile picture of the author CyberSorcerer
    If you ask me it's all about either two things. Traffic or list?

    Either there looking for get traffic to there site, mainly to build there list that's the number one and main reason. Or, to build there list. You want the traffic to sign-up to your list but in the case they don't it's nice to have other offer for the to click on or maybe Adsense on the page or one of the other contextual networks.
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  • Profile picture of the author Apollo-Articles
    Originally Posted by yahmonyah View Post

    Why do people give away free wordpress themes?

    I am assuming that it is because they are using us for links in the footer?? I am fine with this, but just wanted to know.

    My real question is:

    Is there any danger or downside to using free themes?

    I am working with microniches and it does not make much sense to pay for any themes.

    I am new so any feedback is greatly appeciated!

    Thanks much!
    Hey!

    From my knowledge people give away themes for several reasons:

    1) Increase exposure to there website - where often they'll be selling further products/services

    2) For backlinking benefits, often they'll be a small "Copyrite to soandso.com" users publishing these themes will be increasing the exposure of these links!

    2) Simply to feel their giving away/helping the community - as Karen Blundell mentioned, there are literally hundreds of thousands of developers, designers and more working away simply to solve a need for free, and there are so many positive examples of this.

    The only downside can be that free themes can come across as 'poor quality' but this depends on the niche your working in.

    Hope that helps,

    Sam

    Apollo Articles
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  • Profile picture of the author Owen Smith
    Benefits of backlinks to raise their serps or as an upsell to a more expensive theme or other services.

    Regards
    Owen
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    All the Hottest eBooks, Graphics, Software, Videos, Articles, and Templates you want with PLR and MRR. Join PLR Assassin Today!

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