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Should I get two column or three column theme for my Wordpress blog?

by Peter Thomas
22 replies
Hello Warriors,

With your help, my articles and blog posts are loaded to my website via Wordpress! Now, I know to post a page, edit a page, post and upload images, text etc., Thank you Warriors!

By default, the "twenty twelve" theme is showing up on my dashboard. That seems to be a one-column theme.

Should I get a 2-column or 3-column theme in for a my food blog?

Thanks,
Peter.
#blog #column #theme #wordpress
  • Profile picture of the author Jill Carpenter
    Why are you discriminating from a 5 column blog?

    Go look at some other food blogs and make notes on what you like or don't like.
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  • Profile picture of the author WillR
    Obviously there are even more options than just 2 or 3 columns, but my take is to just stick with 2 columns. I think it's simpler for the end user to navigate and read. It's also what we have become accustomed to over the years as a lot of websites had the navigation/advertising down one side and the content down the other side.
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  • Profile picture of the author run
    Well, the default theme, 2012, is not a one column theme only. You have no active widget that's why it is one column. There's no true condition for particular case.

    You could do 2, 3, 4, or more as you prefer and see which one convert well. But, for the sake of yourself, what do you prefer to use? If you love 2 columns theme, go for it.
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  • Profile picture of the author Greedy
    3 column themes are always overwhelming visually.

    I always use 2, but give it a shot!
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  • Profile picture of the author Tim3
    Hello Peter,
    Are you still struggling away

    Have a look here WordPress › Free WordPress Themes and see which one takes your fancy for your style of blog.

    Check out the Custom Community theme, (no connection with it) it looks very plain but this is a really nice theme, and you can do all sorts with it. Have fun
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    • Profile picture of the author Peter Thomas
      Thank you Warriors. Okay, let me choose two column theme and go with it.

      Tim3,

      No, I am not struggling with it. As I said in my OP, I did learn to post pages, posts, images etc., I want to choose themes now.

      One step at a time...I think I will make it slowly but steadily!

      Regards,
      Peter.
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      • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
        Banned
        Originally Posted by Peter Thomas View Post

        let me choose two column theme and go with it.
        I think this is right, Peter.

        You have to bear in mind that people will look at your site with all sorts of different screen-sizes and widths, and I think some of those three-column ones can cause some people problems.

        This is a useful site for having a look at "how your own site looks to people with various different browsers": Check Browser Compatibility, Cross Platform Browser Test - Browsershots

        Good luck!
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        • Profile picture of the author Peter Thomas
          Originally Posted by Alexa Smith View Post

          I think this is right, Peter.

          You have to bear in mind that people will look at your site with all sorts of different screen-sizes and widths, and I think some of those three-column ones can cause some people problems.

          This is a useful site for having a look at "how your own site looks to people with various different browsers": Check Browser Compatibility, Cross Platform Browser Test - Browsershots

          Good luck!
          Thank you Alexa. I will look into that.

          Regards,
          Peter.
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  • Profile picture of the author wendallb
    I like two column themes...I think more than that can look to busy...just my opinion
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  • Profile picture of the author Marty S
    Originally Posted by Peter Thomas View Post

    Should I get a 2-column or 3-column theme in for a my food blog?
    The real question should be, "What do you want your visitors to do when they land on your page?"

    When you have a good answer for this, all other decisions/factors will fall into place rather quickly - and you probably won't need any advice at all!
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    • Profile picture of the author Peter Thomas
      Originally Posted by Marty S View Post

      The real question should be, "What do you want your visitors to do when they land on your page?"

      When you have a good answer for this, all other decisions/factors will fall into place rather quickly - and you probably won't need any advice at all!
      Marty,

      I understand what you are saying. I have thought about that, but, I want to get the technical details too.

      Regards,
      Peter
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  • Profile picture of the author RobinInTexas
    Stay with TwentyTwelve. Explore it

    Create a child theme

    and see it's ability for customization.
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    Robin



    ...Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just set there.
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    • Profile picture of the author Peter Thomas
      Originally Posted by RobinInTexas View Post

      Stay with TwentyTwelve. Explore it

      Create a child theme

      and see it's ability for customization.
      Robin,

      I am not a web-techy person. Will I able to create child themes myself or should I tech the services of web designer? Also, I don't want to spend too much time learning a lot of Web design, but focus on the aspects of marketing my blog.

      Regards,
      Peter
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      • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
        Originally Posted by Marty S View Post

        The real question should be, "What do you want your visitors to do when they land on your page?"

        When you have a good answer for this, all other decisions/factors will fall into place rather quickly - and you probably won't need any advice at all!
        Originally Posted by Peter Thomas View Post

        Marty,

        I understand what you are saying. I have thought about that, but, I want to get the technical details too.

        Regards,
        Peter
        Peter, Marty is talking sense here.

        Put another way, what do you want to show them when they arrive? Sketch it out on paper, make a list. Content, opt-in offer, navigation,...

        Once you know just what you want to show, deciding on details becomes much easier.

        As one designer said, the ideal design is not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.

        I think you are making a good decision to start with two columns and see where that leads you. People did an awful lot with two simple columns before CSS made multiple columns easier.
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        • Profile picture of the author Peter Thomas
          Originally Posted by JohnMcCabe View Post

          Peter, Marty is talking sense here.

          Put another way, what do you want to show them when they arrive? Sketch it out on paper, make a list. Content, opt-in offer, navigation,...

          Once you know just what you want to show, deciding on details becomes much easier.

          As one designer said, the ideal design is not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.

          I think you are making a good decision to start with two columns and see where that leads you. People did an awful lot with two simple columns before CSS made multiple columns easier.
          Thank you John and Marty.

          I am playing around with 2-column themes, but the problem is, it is taking time. I guess that's okay, once I get a feel for it, then it can be easy.

          At some time I have to decide and hire a web designer and get the initial site ready and then I blog daily and work to getting traffic to my site.

          John,

          I am doing the layout on paper like you said. As you said, mainly I want to show them content and opt-in on the right, for now.

          Regards,
          Peter.
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  • Profile picture of the author TravisO
    Actually it doesn't really matter as to what kind of blog you have. What really matters is that what are the contents you want to show to the website visitors. If you feel, and think that it doesn't have to be in two or three columns then be it. But as a common exercise, just prefer a 3 column blog.
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  • Profile picture of the author CollegeCEO
    Personally I prefer 2 columns for blogs. For a food blog, I'm assuming you have a lot of images, so in order to really bring the most out of them you want your featured images from your posts to stand out as much as possible. With 3 columns, you cut down on the possible featured image size.
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    • Profile picture of the author Peter Thomas
      Originally Posted by CollegeCEO View Post

      Personally I prefer 2 columns for blogs. For a food blog, I'm assuming you have a lot of images, so in order to really bring the most out of them you want your featured images from your posts to stand out as much as possible. With 3 columns, you cut down on the possible featured image size.
      Yes, CollegeCEO. I have a lot of images.

      Thank you.
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      • Profile picture of the author Chris Silvey
        You should do some window shopping at themeforest.com. Find something appealing and go with it.
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        • Profile picture of the author Peter Thomas
          Originally Posted by Chris Silvey View Post

          You should do some window shopping at themeforest.com. Find something appealing and go with it.
          Chris,

          Thank you. Do you have experience with them or use theirs? Is it easy to implement? How is their customer support? Do many people use theirs?

          Thanks.
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          • Profile picture of the author run
            Originally Posted by Peter Thomas View Post

            Chris,

            Thank you. Do you have experience with them or use theirs? Is it easy to implement? How is their customer support? Do many people use theirs?

            Thanks.
            ThemeForest.Net is a website theme's marketplace. There are many sellers as well as buyers. Therefore, most of the themes come with support and documentation.

            Q: Is it easy to implement?
            A: Most of the time, the Wordpress theme installation is the same. Yes, it's not that hard to implement.

            Q: How is their customer support?
            A: It depends on each seller. Just read individual theme reviews and comments as well as the author reputation, you'll know. But, it's usually have friendly support from the sellers.

            Q: Do many people use theirs?
            A: Yes, ther are many people use the themes from ThemeForest. P.S: It's a very well know theme marketplace on the net, too.
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            • Profile picture of the author Peter Thomas
              Originally Posted by run View Post

              ThemeForest.Net is a website theme's marketplace. There are many sellers as well as buyers. Therefore, most of the themes come with support and documentation.

              Q: Is it easy to implement?
              A: Most of the time, the Wordpress theme installation is the same. Yes, it's not that hard to implement.

              Q: How is their customer support?
              A: It depends on each seller. Just read individual theme reviews and comments as well as the author reputation, you'll know. But, it's usually have friendly support from the sellers.

              Q: Do many people use theirs?
              A: Yes, ther are many people use the themes from ThemeForest. P.S: It's a very well know theme marketplace on the net, too.
              Hello run,

              I understand now. Your answers helps me. I will look into themeforest.net.

              Regards,
              Peter.
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