Selecting a theme for your Blog
Selecting the right theme for your blog can be very time-consuming (it certainly has been for me on occasions!) but it is vital you choose the right one if you want to make your blog fly!
So where do you start?
Here’s a few things for you to consider before making your decision:
Do you want to make money from the blog? If so, you may want to go with a ‘premium’ (paid for) theme or a custom (even more paid for!!) theme in order to make yours look as professional as possible. A quick Google search for “premium blog themes” will result in thousands to choose from. If you’re not particularly interested in making money from your blog, a free theme should do. You can always upgrade later.
Do you want your blog to look unique? Some of the more popular free themes are literally used by thousands of blogs, so clearly you won’t stand out from the crowd. However, many people believe ’safety in numbers’ is a wise option, and if you don’t particularly want a unique look, there are plenty of excellent free themes available for download. Many popular themes are supported well (such as I-Nove, the theme I am using here), and it can be relatively easy to find help if you have a problem or want to do a little tweaking.
How will the blog’s design affect your success? If you have a personal blog, having an original look is probably not that important, and free themes will be fine. For businesses attempting to portray a polished, professional image, spending the money on a theme design is definitely justified. There are many excellent ‘premium’ themes available for a few pounds. Obviously, as a general rule, the more you pay the better the theme, in terms of design, flexibility, functionality and customisation.
Will the theme match your logo (if you have one)? If you plan to use a specific logo or header image, take care in choosing the right theme, or look into getting a new logo to match it.
Will the theme help you make money? If you have any plans to earn from your blog you should take this into consideration when choosing a theme. If you are going to be placing text link ads, banner ads or AdSense ads, the theme should have a good, logical place for them. It’s not a good idea to cram ads into any old theme as the result is likely to look very messy and you’re unlikely to earn anything from it.
Is the theme search engine-friendly? If you hope to attract a flood of traffic (and who doesn’t?) with free themes search engine success can be a little hit and miss. However, if you opt for a free Wordpres theme an SEO (search engine optimization) plug-in is now available.
Is there any support available for the theme? Most premium themes include support from the designer. This can be a real advantage, particularly if you want to tweak the design. Some free theme designers will provide limited support and many will provide none at all. Take this into consideration if you feel you may need a guiding hand. If you have experience of playing around with themes and feel confident about solving any problems yourself, there’s no need to worry about support.
Is the theme widget-ready? Is it important to you? If you want a variety of gizmos added to the sidebar and you don’t want to mess around with the code, choose a widget-ready theme.
Will the theme grow with you? As your blog grows you may want to add features and functionality. Some themes don’t allow for growth. Choose wisely!
