Is a blog's theme important?

11 years ago

Simple is always better in my opinion. You want your visitors to focus on certain things on your site, so having too many distractions on a site, is never good IMO...

P.S... The color of the theme you are using sucks, try using something without the orange :p

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TaylorLu

Banned 11 years ago

A simple theme is very professional, as long as you have quality web design and the content is relevant. Good luck!

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Ali Thunder

11 years ago

Themes play important role in blog

Attractive theme can catch the visitors, In my opinion you should go for premium themes in order to make your blog looks more professional.

You can buy Woo themes, thesis themes, theme forest, studio press etc.

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inxie 11 years ago

As suspected I have contradicting answers. I am hoping I do not need to spend money on a premium theme just yet.

Can anyone confirm that a premium theme yields better results?
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Ali Thunder

11 years ago

So far thesis are best in my opinion which basic cost $87

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glhorsegal 11 years ago

I know you don't want to spend money on a premium theme but... As with some free themes you don't know you have a problem (with crap coding) until you are way down the line... I use Studio Press... Good luck to you...
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Nicholas H 11 years ago

Originally Posted by Ali Thunder

So far thesis are best in my opinion which basic cost $87

I actually enjoy thesis as well. Also @OP, they have some decent Free themes.
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sbucciarel

Banned 11 years ago

It's simple, but simple doesn't have to be unattractive. I prefer themes that are pleasing to the eyes and this theme doesn't do anything for me at all. It's kind of like "a dime a dozen" kind of theme.

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Mousumi

11 years ago

It took me over 6 months but I developed my theme from scratch. I took inspiration from several blogs but the one I have is the only one and unique. I think the best would be you pick up any standard theme and then customize it as per your requirements. WordPress is the easiest to work with

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preets

11 years ago

Originally Posted by Mousumi

It took me over 6 months but I developed my theme from scratch. I took inspiration from several blogs but the one I have is the only one and unique. I think the best would be you pick up any standard theme and then customize it as per your requirements. WordPress is the easiest to work with

Great advice , I am also doing the same for my website. Fancy theme is not the gurantee of success. You have to creative and smart while customize a basic theme.

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inxie

11 years ago

Im not a PHP coder so I couldn't develop my own. A bit of tweaking with CSS is as far as I can go but I do need a decent theme to begin with, and preferably a free one but I suspect that's not the best option.

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Mark Singletary

11 years ago

While many disagree, I say a theme's color, layout, etc. is secondary to the value/content/services you are offering. Look at google.com, drudgereport.com, facebook.com, and craigslist.org for examples of high value/content and not so pretty.

Mark

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fiverrfreak

11 years ago

Themes are very important part of blog but it can also cause distractions to the visitors. So in my opinion get something simple yet attractive.

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BrianDouglas

11 years ago

Originally Posted by inxie

I am currently using this theme:
http://wp-themes.com/convention?TB_i...473&height=675

To be honest, i'm looking for a simple theme to work with but I worry that being too simple might also look unprofessional.

Could I please have some opinions on the theme i'm using?

I like it, but I don't know who your audience is, or what your topic is. It has a friendly, personal tone, which can be helpful in a lot of areas, but may hurt you in others.

A big thing that needs consideration from all of us is responsive design. My blog uses a design that changes based on the resolution it is being viewed. That is to day, my blog actually changes the page list menu to a drop down on an iPhone or iPad, for example.

Your theme aesthetics are important and should always compliment your topic and content, but these days, more than ever before, it is very important to be readable and adjustable for different devices. Especially phone screens!

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angshuy2k 11 years ago

Theme looks ok. Needs a little bit tweaking. You can also try to make your on wp theme, as My one took me around 4 months to make one.

Kind regards,
Swrajit
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paolo83

11 years ago

Hi,

the blog theme is important but not the most critical factor when you are just starting out.

What's important is the content you'll fill it with and your "voice". That said don't spend money for premium themes just yet, start with what you've got, build the site up, get some readership then you can always upgrade later...

So yes the theme you selected seems good to me

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Alexa Smith

Banned 11 years ago

Originally Posted by inxie

I worry that being too simple might also look unprofessional.

I never worry about that.

I worry (if at all) about the exact opposite.

Website designers and some marketers love "professional themes/designs". Customers typically don't care: they want something simple and uncluttered and easy to read. The more "professional" your design looks, the more you come across as "just another person trying to sell things".

Just my perspective.

(The theme to which you linked above looks perfectly alright, to me).

Thanks
1 reply

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jeff123 11 years ago

Simple is always good. Easy to read and navigate is important.
Lots of free, and paid themes exist.

However, I've found a great solution called Artisteer.
It's a desktop program that allows you to design websites, including wordpress themes. It's only $50.

The one thing I always hated about free themes was that I wanted to change something like a font type or size, or a column width. It's not that easy to do because you have to read through another programmers code to find things.
With artisteer you can easily control all of that. You don't need to know html or php either!

I'll never use another free theme again, it's easier and quicker to make my own with Artisteer.
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Dietriffic

11 years ago

When starting, you don't need to spend a penny.

Lots of good quality themes are available that are free. In fact, the theme you have when you install WordPress is great, and with a unique header image you'd have enough to get started.

Don't go seek themes from free theme sites. Most of them have hidden links in the footer.

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MrDay

11 years ago

A simple free WP theme is fine to start out with.

If you find the traffic and have good content, then your blog can still take off and do really well.

I started out using free WP themes, and even today, I still use a very simple and clean layout.

Just upgrade when you get the chance and have some money to spare on it.

You may be interested in themes like Headway, Thesis, Genesis framework with the Prose theme, Catalyst, Profits theme and the Optimize Press. These WP themes will allow you to customize your theme without having to deal with any coding.

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LukasSEO

11 years ago

Simplier is better, I choose every simple themes, and readers like it so much

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JohnMcCabe 11 years ago

I wish I had a dollar for every thread here that asked "what theme should I use for [niche]" or "can someone point me to a good [niche] theme?"

My recommendation is to find a theme that is easy to read and easy to navigate. From there, you can customize using new images and tweaking the CSS. The default Twenty Eleven theme makes this extremely easy, so you might want to start there and see what you can come up with.

The problem I have with a lot of the so-called 'premium themes' aimed at specific niches is that if you buy one and use it out of the box, your site will look like every other site using that theme.

Unless you need some special functionality you can't get by tweaking the appearance, you should be able to find a highly effective theme right on the Wordpress.org site.
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jsonjylee

11 years ago

Themes are inportant for any blog because that is the first thing visitors see when the go into your site. Here are some view of wordpress themes for you to choose from.

100 Excellent Free WordPress Themes | Smashing WordPress

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Redwyn88

11 years ago

Yeah it's definitely important. The theme can have a huge impact on your visitors first impression which determines whether or not they'll every proceed to reading any of your content. If all your visitors bounce 1-2 seconds after your page loads it doesn't matter how great your content is. Aesthetics are only a part of the equation though of course, there's also performance / load times, ease of use on the back-end, SEO factors, etc. to consider.

I'd also suggest getting a Premium Theme. If you're serious about your blog / business then it's worth dropping a little cash on a theme up front. Most of the good ones offer a 30-60 day money back guarantee so if you're not satisfied just get the refund and try another. Check out Thesis, Genesis, Profits Theme, Optimize Press, Woo Themes, and Elegant Themes.

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Inspired, Inc.

11 years ago

it is important, IMO... if you cannot design your own theme, then you should go and look for attractive themes... it can affect your daily visitor counts...

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MilkerFocus

11 years ago

Actually, It depends on you niche and what is your purpose. I personally hate all of people use same WordPress theme because it makes me confused. If you think this theme can represent who you are, why not?

Marcus+

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OutsourceFactor

11 years ago

Originally Posted by inxie

I am currently using this theme:
http://wp-themes.com/convention?TB_i...473&height=675

To be honest, i'm looking for a simple theme to work with but I worry that being too simple might also look unprofessional.

Could I please have some opinions on the theme i'm using?

Checked your theme out and it looks fine but maybe you could jazz it up a bit. Simple themes are ok as long as they're not too plain and boring. There are other themes out there that you could try. Just maybe make sure that it looks clean and it's easy when it comes to navigation.

Mea @ Outsource Factor

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Stuart Walker

11 years ago

I like simple better because too much clutter can get people distracted from what I want them to see (i.e. my email list opt in or my affiliate offer). Simple themes mean I can put all the focus on the things I want them to see.

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cashp0wer 11 years ago

Simple is better but I would suggest you buy a premium theme. With the free themes you just don't have the right support if you have any type of problems or updates. The premium themes are always kept up to date (which is so important) and you have support there if you need it.
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betterwtveter

11 years ago

It needs to be simple you do not want to distract them from your content, so keep it simple

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TerranceCharles 11 years ago

The #1 most important factor when you start blogging. You can have the best content in the world, if your readers can't navigate and read your blog easily it won't matter how GREAT your content is. You want to best theme that allows your writing to flow smoothly, work great with many different plugins, offer easy options to add opt-in forms to the header, footer, sidebar and single post and a user friendly comment section. When it comes to blogging, perceived value in your readers eyes is BIG. When they see a smoothe look and feel to the layout, they look at you as a expert and it makes it easier for them to share
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nerdy88

11 years ago

best to keep it simple. I have a blog that has a MONEY theme Check itWorld of Cash. The theme will get you readership. You have to be constant but always changing!!!!!!!

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Troy_Phillips

11 years ago

I have made some pretty decent money using just the free weaver theme. It is very customizable. In today's market I would suggest going with a theme that is mobile friendly.

Catch them with the headline and sell em with the content. Someone will buy off of a rock if you chisel the right message on it.

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PaulyC

11 years ago

Simple, yet clean and functional is ideal.

I'd suggest you use Thesis and do a bit of customization... By no means do you need
an expensive customized theme in order to make a solid income.

Thanks
1 reply

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JohnMcCabe 11 years ago

This is one of 'those' discussions that go on forever, and no one ever changes their mind.

I'll just leave it at this...

If someone visits your blog and the best (or only) thing they remember is your theme, you've done something very wrong...
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MA Robinson

11 years ago

Go for simple themes not only because it looks more professional but it also costs less.

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Randall Magwood

11 years ago

The theme looks ok. There are better themes out there. But dont let a simple theme deter your dreams. Remember, YOU make the site work.... the site doesn't make you.

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YasirYar

11 years ago

Blog theme matters, it is exactly what makes or breaks a blog. Go for something simple, easy on the eyes, and has user-friendly navigation.

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denysapu 11 years ago

Originally Posted by YasirYar

Blog theme matters, it is exactly what makes or breaks a blog. Go for something simple, easy on the eyes, and has user-friendly navigation.

Agree, and might also need such rich useful function
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markmatthews

11 years ago

theme matters, color matters and even presentation matters...

so put your best effort in putting your best theme for your blog because it speaks about you.

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Michael Ten

11 years ago

Of course, yes, the theme is important!

Use one with an appealing and remarkable design!

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rosetrees

11 years ago

I was recently told that Google likes themes that use HTML5 and CSS3. Don't know how true that is, but I'll throw it in as a thought.

Can anyone confirm or rebut that claim?

This is one of the reasons I've transferred from Atahualpa to Montezuma. The other is that Montezuma is responsive.

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Doppelbock

11 years ago

A blog's theme is definitely important and should not be undermined just because it may or may not be as important as content.

The two go relatively hand in hand because both determine if your reader will be pulled into the message or not. If a blog is burdened with hard to read texts, boring backgrounds, or just looks overall unappealing, the audience might not even give it a chance.

What is the blog about? Who are you trying to appeal to? From there, what would invite this reader most?

If it's just starting out, I wouldn't advise to pay, but that's entirely up to you. I'm sure you could find someone to make one for you at a lower price...

Either way, look for the best with what you can do, and make sure you pull out all the stops [within reason].

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glhorsegal

11 years ago

A theme is important but really, it is not as important as the content that you have. If you are adding value to your visitor it will take you a long way. With that said, you only have a few seconds for a visitor to decide if they want to stay on your site... If you site is badly organized and visually poor, it will take you quite some time to build your following. I understand the financial burden buying a theme when you are just starting but do consider the bigger picture and the more content you have in your theme the harder it can be to make a change later on. Good luck to you!

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sprucehill

11 years ago

I'm a little late to this discussion, however, if you are still looking for a free theme, I recommend Weaver II, available from wordpress.org. It is very customizable and very importantly, responsive.

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techmoo

11 years ago

I don't think the theme have any problem but anybody can give you a better advice when you upload your content in it.

Best of luck

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CylonWriter

11 years ago

For a quality content site, I think the simpler, the more your content shines. Example: look at Derek Sivers site. Before that white theme, he had a yellow one, very simple too, but probably one of the ugliest designs I have ever seen, and I assume the guy has a strong following.

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Paul Tai

11 years ago

Originally Posted by inxie

I am currently using this theme:
http://wp-themes.com/convention?TB_i...473&height=675

To be honest, i'm looking for a simple theme to work with but I worry that being too simple might also look unprofessional.

Could I please have some opinions on the theme i'm using?

IT DEPENDS :-)

What do you want to do SPECIFICALLY with this blog?

Thanks

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drr

11 years ago

If you look at most authority sites, they have a pretty simple theme. Even sites like the BBC are pretty basic and easy to navigate - you'd think these guys would have done their research on what converts/works best.

Having said that I think it's important to distinguish between a theme looking simple and being set-up under the hood for maximum performance.

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wilsonbar 11 years ago

theme plays important role to your visitors to convert in cash but the color, font, architecture of a theme must important to go as a professional .

you are going good theme but the color is fade ... in simple theme i like this one of wordpress WordPress › Red Modern « Free WordPress Themes this is simple theme but color is awesome and untactful
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Is a blog's theme important?

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