Choosing a Theme – Blog Mistake Monday #2
- December 30th, 2008
Speaking of Blogging Mistakes… In case you didn’t notice, today is NOT Monday. I started a new series last week called Blog Mistake Mondays, but then forgot that it was Monday already yesterday when I posted 8 Ideas for Blog Posts. Opps.
So I guess that you could say that there’s a bonus lesson in this weeks’ edition of Blog Mistake Mondays: When you start a series, stick to it. Even though Monday has come and gone, I’m not forgetting about my commitment to this series. So let’s pretend for a couple moments that it’s still Monday… and enjoy this weeks edition 
This week, David of The Three Dog Blog has graciously offered to share with us a mistake that he has made in the past. I hope that you enjoy and learn from his experiences on choosing a theme for his blogs.
Being fairly new to the world of blogging I couldn’t wait to get going.
I had ideas written down all over the place and I was so keen to get my Blog off to a good start. I had the hosting, I installed wordpress and all the plugins I thought I needed at the time and then…….. BAM.
What theme?
This is where I made my first of many mistakes. I got completely bogged down with trying to pick from the thousands and and thousands of different themes available.
I just could not make up my mind.
I downloaded, uploaded, unzipped and tried out way too many different themes, all the while this was eating in to my time and stopping me from doing what I should have been doing, blogging.
So many looked good, but was there a better one?
In the end I just said to myself, pick one, stick with it for a while and maybe change it later if you really don’t like it.
So, my advice to others is, pick a theme that looks good but DO NOT waste too much time over it. In the early days concentrate on your content. Don’t waste countless hours looking for that ever elusive perfect theme.
Create content that will keep bringing back the readers and worry about that “perfect” Theme at some later date.
- – - – The Three Dog Blogger
Thanks you David, for sharing your words of wisdom! I think that many of us bloggers are able to relate to just how much time that we can invest in something that isn’t as important as the bigger picture.
How have you developed your blog’s theme over time? Did you start out in the same boat as David? What would you have done differently as it relates to your theme from the beginning?
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I am embarrassed to admit how much time I spent tweaking the design of my blog. I think it’s just another form of procrastination for me. Also, since I know nothing about CSS, I’m highly entertained by the simple act of changing a number and hitting refresh to see what happened.
The first focus of any blog should be content and posting. Spending countless hours on design is never a good thing. While it’s very important to have a well laid out theme, it shouldn’t be your first priority. Thanks for sharing David and Rachel!
Justin @ FixThePig’s last blog post..Is America On The Brink Of Failure?
Yeah Rachel, I have been bugged by that problem too… Struggling to find the best theme but never fail to dig out some flaws in each and everyone out there. I thought of getting one custom made from UBD but the price seems rather steep and I am not sure if its worth it at this stage?
Hope to hear from you about this..
Ben Pei’s last blog post..9 Indications That You Should Quit School And Start Blogging
@Ben Pei – Finding a theme can definitely be nerve-wracking. I decided to go with UBD on several of the sites that I operate simply because I couldn’t find a theme that would do exactly what I wanted it to nor have a custom appearance. I’ve got to say that the price was definitely worth the result, and working with them has been really nice. If you’re looking to move onto something bigger and better for your site, I would definitely recommend them.
That being said, I cannot stress the importance of content over appearance. Build up your content and readership before taking the leap if you’re worried that the price might not be worth it. Once you have the readers, they’ll be able to share in your enthusiasm for the new look
In the beginning I had the same problem. My solution wasn’t to pick one and stick to it. My solution was to make my own, and make it perfect. Time consuming, probably not reader friendly, but I’m happy now. I made it myself and it works with my content
@Rachel:
Hmmm.. Mind disclosing how much you actually spent on it? Hope to have an idea..
Ben Pei’s last blog post..9 Indications That You Should Quit School And Start Blogging
I just migrated to Wordpress and used a simple free Theme. I will buy a premium one ones the blog has PR2 and Technorati Authority 100+
It’s been great reading everyones comments.
I agree with the consensus 100%. Content is king. A lot can be forgiven style wise if the content is great.
At the moment I am happy enough with the way my site looks. The only reason I would now change my theme was if the blog really started to make some serious money and I could buy something fantastic.
Now, I wonder which one I would buy? Hmmm…… maybe I should have a look!
the three dog blogger’s last blog post..A Day In The Life Of The Three Dog Blogger
First impression does count and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Though I agree that you should focus on your content at least in the first month and invest on premium theme if a custom one isn’t an option. My subscribership exploded when I changed to my current theme on the 2nd month and I can attest to it that choosing the right theme makes a whole world of difference.
Yan
Blogging Tips’s last blog post..2009 is the Year of Internet Marketing
Hi Rachel:
I’ve been tied up with the holidays and such and haven’t had the time to surf but I like your new series. Good idea.
Ditto to all of the above. I think I have finally settled on my theme for now. I tweak way too much but it is too much fun!
I have some blog mistakes I’ll be sending you!
Dee Langdon – BloggerNewbie’s last blog post..EntreCard – Yes, No or Maybe?