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To Customise or Not?

Digital Mash

Blog content may be important but blog design should not be overlooked as people are usually attracted visually. For many bloggers, the question of having a customised theme or blog design for their blog do crop up. It can be a headache of sorts whether one should use a free theme which can be downloaded from a multitude of sources out there, modify the free theme or purchase a customised theme.

I will address the pros and cons of each of them here.

 

Free Themes

Pros

  1. It’s free! That should be obvious enough.
  2. Suitable for beginners with zero or minimal knowledge about the html or css codes.
  3. Waste no time and begin blogging immediately upon set-up.
  4. Spoilt for choice as there are thousands of free themes out there.
  5. If you don’t like one, just upload another theme which you like.
  6. Some of the best themes are free.
  7. Change themes as many times as you like.

Cons

  1. You are not alone. If you are using a popular theme, chances are your blog might look tired in the market out there.
  2. Danger of having malicious or unwanted codes embedded inside the themes which might compromise your blog.
  3. Some of these themes have sponsored links on the site which you are not allowed to remove. These links may be directed to sites which have no connection whatsoever with the niche of your blog or in a “bad neighbourhood” as described by Google.
  4. Browsing through too many themes might leave you completely stoned that you are unable to make a proper decision! :D

Modified Themes

Pros

  1. Sets your theme apart from the original theme
  2. Creates a “wow” factor for those who have seen the original theme. It tells readers that you have a little or fair bit of knowledge of coding.
  3. It’s still free!
  4. Modify it to your satisfaction. If you learn long enough, you might even be capable of creating a theme yourself.
  5. Keeps you in the know of what html and / or css codes mean.

Cons

  1. If you are new, you might need to spend hours learning how to modify the theme. It can be time consuming.
  2. Danger of running foul of original theme writer’s terms of use. Do check whether the theme can be modified and if so, how much modification can be made.
  3. Thorough tests need to be done to ensure that modifications do not hamper the access to the site through the various browsers. Usually, the original themes have been tested for browser compliance.
  4. One wrong move on coding might leave the whole theme corrupted. Have a back up copy ready.
  5. You might love modifying so much that you spend time modifying it regularly till you neglect your blog contents! :D

 

Customised Themes

Pros

  1. It is tailor made to your requirements
  2. It is one of its kind
  3. It is part of making a brand for your blog
  4. Impresses readers
  5. Shows that you are seriously into blogging and willing to invest money into it
  6. It might perform better in terms of making money (as claimed by John Chow in ProBlogger’s interview)
  7. Changing from a free / modified theme to a customised theme midway can be a source of publicity or to convince readers that you are indeed getting more successful in blogging.

Cons

  1. It costs money…and the costs can be prohibitive for many.
  2. Difficulty in choosing the right designer.
  3. Even after spending money in using a customised theme, you might still have some readers who dislike it. Be prepared for criticisms.

 

The choice to use free themes or modify them or to purchase a customised theme depends on what stage of a blogger you are. If you are a complete newbie and a student at that, I would advise that you start with a free theme and get acquianted with blogging and creating a community around your blog before spending more time on modifications or spending money on a customised theme. If you have been blogging for some time, then I would suggest that you either learn and start to modify the free theme you are using or purchase a customised theme if you intend to go one step further.

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. 02 Jan 08 | About Beginners, About Image

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Intelligent Replies

  1. Michael from Pro Blog Design | January 3rd, 2008 at 3:44 am

    I think that modified themes are perfect for most people, but too few take the time to make even just a few changes. :(

    A custom theme is obviously going to be the best if you’re looking to take your blog into the A-league. You’ll get exactly what you want, and a good designer will be able to work through all of your blogging goals for you.

    But for most people, it’s not worth the cost. Like you said, there are thousands of fantastic free themes out there, and a little modification goes a long way. :D

  2. Tine | January 3rd, 2008 at 3:27 pm

    I agree with Michael. There are so many free good themes out there; all it takes is a bit of tweaking and voila! You’ve got a good one. Also, when tweaking the layout, you pick up HTML/CSS skills as well. Talk about killing two birds with one stone ;)

  3. Wayne Liew | January 3rd, 2008 at 6:14 pm

    Themes talks with pablopabla again, kind of linking the word theme to your nickname. :lol:

    Free themes sometimes just don’t suit everything. The header might be nice, RSS button is just at the right place to get the supposed attention but the comment section can be terrible.

    Modified themes, I have to agree that it will take us some time to learn the codes and start fine tuning the free themes. A challenge that I always fail - making my theme valid under W3C. :-(

    On customized theme , I would prefer a local blogger whom I can meet up with to do the design for me. Although I can simple get an US designer from UBD (if I am rich enough) for example, the discussion can never be as accurate and understandable as discussion done face-to-face. I wonder if there is any blog design company in Malaysia.

  4. Sean | January 4th, 2008 at 8:43 am

    I won’t go for the custom theme as it is costly. So, I just try to find a theme which is fit with my needs, then do some minor modification~
    This is what I can do :)

  5. pablopabla | January 4th, 2008 at 10:55 am

    Michael : I am hearing it from the expert himself :D Thanks for teaching me some great modification tips!

    Tine : Fortunately in recent years, tutorials on tweaking (and even creating web sites from scratch) are available for free on the net. It all boils down to how much work you intend to put into your website. Your site is unique, I must say. Never seen another one which looks like it.

    Wayne : LOL! I am quite a noob in themes save perhaps to insert advertisements :D

    For customised themes, you might want to discuss with our local WP Designer - Moses Francis. Maybe can arrange instalment scheme, eh?

    Sean : Yes, cost is a big factor for many bloggers - especially the casual bloggers who do not blog for money. Your site looks neat enough to me :D

  6. Mike Huang | January 5th, 2008 at 2:53 pm

    Interesting post, I’ll keep this in mind.

    -Mike

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