One of the most important decisions any blogger can make is choosing a theme. Every blog needs a theme as it will help to set the tone for your entire blog or website and when it comes to the internet, first impressions definitely count. There are millions of blogs in the world at the moment, so ensuring your blog stands out for all of the right reasons is very important. It’s the first thing people will see when they decide to pay a visit to your blog. Some bloggers can take weeks or even months to find a suitable theme and there’s nothing wrong with this. The reality of choosing a theme is that there are thousands, if not millions, to choose from. In addition to this, there are so many things to take into consideration before you make up your mind and this is what I’m going to be talking about in this post:
Think about the type of theme you want – When it comes to themes, you will need to decide whether you want to pay for a theme or whether you want a free theme. Ultimately, you know what’s best for you and your blog but do bear in mind that free themes are quite restricted. There is only so much you can do in terms of customisation – your options will be limited but it depends on the theme provider. Theme Planet have a great range of themes you can choose from, so think about what your plan is for your website: is it just a blog or are you planning to sell items as well or perhaps you’re selling a service? These are all things to think about.
Style it out – I remember when I launched my first blog Fashion, Love and Life. I was changing themes at least once a week. At the time, I was only 21, so I did have the time to experiment with different themes. Premium and paid for themes also weren’t as popular, so I liked the idea of switching things up from time to time. The downside of constant theme switching is that it can be quite time consuming. The easiest way to decide on a certain style for your blog would be to create a mind map. Your blog is effectively a brand, so think about what you’d like your readers to feel or experience when they pay a visit to your website.
Don’t be afraid to embrace colour – This isn’t a must but embracing colour has a lot more significance than you think. There is a link between colours and emotions. I won’t go into it but when I re-branded Kelle’s Space, I thought about what the blog and brand meant to me. I knew that I wanted to educate millennial women because I am a millennial woman. I also wanted to create a safe space where people could talk about issues that I addressed and how they were able to relate, and so many of my readers have done this. The colour purple is associated with wisdom and independence so it ties in perfectly with what Kelle’s Space is about. This is what you need to do for your blogs and websites. Google is your best pal – ask what certain colours are associated with and I guarantee you’ll find the information that you are looking for.
Customisation is everything – If you choose a theme that you have to pay for, you will have a lot more customisation options. If you are able to customise your blog as you wish: you can create an upload a nice logo, you can have a banner on your site and you may even have the option of adding a few ads to your website too. If you decide to opt for a free theme, then you may find it beneficial to have menus so that your readers can find the most important sections of your site. You would have the same benefit if you paid for a theme as well but theme layouts may differ slightly. Before you purchase a theme, do read reviews and pay attention to what current/previous users are saying about its versatility. This will help to inform your decision making.
Build a brand (if that’s what you want to do) – As mentioned, branding is really important. Even if you plan to just blog, your site will be a reflection of you, so you want it to look presentable. What I really like about WordPress themes for instance is that every single one is unique. I remember searching for my own theme and feeling so overwhelmed by what was out there. What I did was compile a top five list and once I had chosen my five favourite themes, I critiqued them all until I found the one that I wanted. For those of you who want to create a brand that ties in with your blog, ask people whose opinion you value for advice, or create a mood board on Pinterest. There are so many things you can do in order to establish your brand. What I will say is take your time and run your own race. Don’t get caught up with what other bloggers are doing. Focus on fulfilling your purpose.
Choosing the right theme takes time. It isn’t a decision to be taken lightly. The blogging industry is incredibly competitive at the moment, so focus on standing out instead of fitting in. If you are thinking about choosing a new theme for your blog and you have any questions, feel free to comment on this post or send me an email.
Thanks for reading this post guys. What advice would you give to bloggers who would like to choose a new theme for their blogs?
P.S – You can find some more blogging posts here xo
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