Do Themes Really Matter..?

[flip]

Inspired by something Mustang Pammy (Pam hehe) said in another thread it got me thinking...

For years I've used "make do" free WP themes but just lately have begun buying a few...

One month in and I've noticed on one established blog at least (where theme was switched) traffic is reasonably the same growing upwards - BUT bookmarks have increased quite a bit...

I've also had a lot of webmasters contacting me for trade - the most important thing sales are about the same...

So like size does the theme matter - or is it just pampering to us and other webmasters..?

[rogue]

I used to spend ages looking for themes but lately i find myself using the default theme more and more

[daedal]

I don't really bother with themes much. I used to like every blog having a different theme, but blogs with standard template have made me sales, so the theme can't have anything to do with whether or not I make a sale.

A few of my more established blogs have exclusive or a good theme, it's purely cosmetic though, not because I have proven it makes more money.

[Mason]

I chopped up the classic wordpress theme when I started out to get a handle on CSS and some basic PHP. Ended up with two templates and those are the two I pretty much stick with now, only modifying colors between sites. Every so often if I'm feeling creative I'll modify one of them into something sorta different. Feels like I'm wasting time I could be using doing a post or making a blog if I start screwing with templates too much. They're where I want them in terms of optimization for the engines, that's all I really care about.

I haven't seen where it hurts sales.

[gedeon]

A few days ago Dutch Harry sent me a pm with this:

think about it when you walk into a store and the store is only painted for 50% and the rest of the store looks crappy would you spent money there?

[The Walrus]

Originally Posted by flip

Inspired by something Mustang Pammy (Pam hehe) said in another thread it got me thinking...

For years I've used "make do" free WP themes but just lately have begun buying a few...

One month in and I've noticed on one established blog at least (where theme was switched) traffic is reasonably the same growing upwards - BUT bookmarks have increased quite a bit...

I've also had a lot of webmasters contacting me for trade - the most important thing sales are about the same...

So like size does the theme matter - or is it just pampering to us and other webmasters..?

Yes, a well thought out and designed theme will make a big difference. I don't think having nice graphic laden themes will do anything for you but a theme that is both SEO'd and llaid out in a manner that makes it easy and logical to navigate for a surfer will make a world of difference. Bookmarks will increase and over time those bookmarkers will turn into additional sales.

[AnneT]

I have a collection of 10 themes that I choose from. They are all very plain and simple. I just like something that presents the content well. But i think I need some new ones. They are everywhere now.

[Kappi]

When you only have one blog, go with a smart theme.

If you have many, start with free themes and add a new unique theme to the ones that getting the most traffic.

[Venril]

I use several themes, my goals always were: easy to see links and eye-friendly colors. Rest pretty much doesn't matter to me, since I believe ugly sells.

Look at it this way: if you are good at graphics then do it, if you are good at writing but don't like designing, then don't waste your time that could be spent on doing something you do well and get more $$ in same time you've just wasted on designs.

[stevebougle]

I use the WP Theme directory as there are hundreds to choose from. I have 6 blogs where I use Neoclassical which is a nice layout with 5 random headers ber blog. Once I had the 25 images created it was no problem and they all do look different.

I am also running MU and for this I just grap a theme from the directory, change the header and tweak the sidebars and add a few widgets.

I have looked at some of the paid themes and even bought one, but to be honest after a time I just dropped it. Eventually it just did not look right.

I sometimes think that I get too wrapped up with design of the blog and not enough time spent on content and links.

[flip]

Originally Posted by stevebougle

I use the WP Theme directory as there are hundreds to choose from. I have 6 blogs where I use Neoclassical which is a nice layout with 5 random headers ber blog. Once I had the 25 images created it was no problem and they all do look different.

I am also running MU and for this I just grap a theme from the directory, change the header and tweak the sidebars and add a few widgets.

I have looked at some of the paid themes and even bought one, but to be honest after a time I just dropped it. Eventually it just did not look right.

I sometimes think that I get too wrapped up with design of the blog and not enough time spent on content and links.

I just found that theme and dude it did my head in 'till I realised it had a rotating banner (where'd my feckin' header go) - now I love it's simple clean lines

Nice idea from Kappi and kind of one I've adopted - though saying that I've been on a bit of a buying spree recently - after years of "make do" lol...

Dunno if that's more for mine and other bloggers sake (as in trades etc) or just vanity lol...

Personally I'm mixed on this but I tend to go with Dutch Harry - as in a nice looking shop selling pukka goods will do better than a man with a grotty suitcase outside a pub...

But saying that my old blogspot blogs looked like a bag of shit and made great sales...

So I dunno - if like Walrus sez the theme is both nice and laid out well for surfers and the SE's then you should be onto a winner...

BTW if you like that theme (Neoclassical) you'll like the Newspaper VR as run on Daily Nudes...

[hardcoreblogger]

Originally Posted by The Walrus

Yes, a well thought out and designed theme will make a big difference. I don't think having nice graphic laden themes will do anything for you but a theme that is both SEO'd and llaid out in a manner that makes it easy and logical to navigate for a surfer will make a world of difference. Bookmarks will increase and over time those bookmarkers will turn into additional sales.

+1 - there are significant differences in the way themes are seo'd, and i've also found that the design and ease of navigation can make a huge difference in getting those beloved bookies

[seeandsee]

Good theme probably can get you better results!

[AnneT]

Originally Posted by hardcoreblogger

+1 - there are significant differences in the way themes are seo'd, and i've also found that the design and ease of navigation can make a huge difference in getting those beloved bookies

I still don't get how some themes can be better SEO'd than others. Surely they are all pretty much the same?

[mm107]

Originally Posted by AnneT

I still don't get how some themes can be better SEO'd than others. Surely they are all pretty much the same?

me neither, im guessing the less code and div jumble maybe?

but content is more important then that i think.

but on the other hand, i do pick up some paid themes. I spend some time on handwritten blogs, not much time but i would like to catch a bookmarker or two. Besides I convert my paid themes to BO and i make multiple blogs, even tho they are alike, in a few months seo traffic will pick up and i would like to catch that surfers eye. If i put a cheap theme and let it grow traffic, this would make me go back to the blog to have to change it, where i would rather be making a new blog.

Besides the paid themes i try to buy come with the psd with multiple color sets for different colors.

I do have to say, i had no problem using free themes, just felt it was time to spend and giive something a go, as i had a blog make first page google with a reg theme u probably have see here at the pond....

[Venril]

I recently checked about a hundred of blogs listed on one of popular directories and some things make me wonder.

People blow so much time on flamboyant designs, but fail to tell the surfer how exactly to bookmark their site or how to subscribe to their RSS feed.

[micho]

At beginning it took me a while till i found a good theme. But now i just put one that is simple and make a good header, thats it. The best thing is that the surfer has a wide view over all the site i think.

[hardcoreblogger]

Originally Posted by AnneT

I still don't get how some themes can be better SEO'd than others. Surely they are all pretty much the same?

if you read up a little about on-site SE optimization and check out the source code a few themes you will see the differences. there are many many small details that matter, eg how h1, h2s and h3s are placed, if the sidebars or the content come first in the source, if the source is xhtml-compliant, how single posts and single pages are coded, etc etc etc

[mm107]

Originally Posted by Venril Sathir

I recently checked about a hundred of blogs listed on one of popular directories and some things make me wonder.

People blow so much time on flamboyant designs, but fail to tell the surfer how exactly to bookmark their site or how to subscribe to their RSS feed.

This is true, thats why i make it a must to add a rss subscribe button and bookmark button, simple because i build my blogs for the surfer =]

[vivaldi]

Same as if You asked does design matter!? of course it dose matter cause You're selling the whole thing not just Your link to sponsor