Wordpress has long been the blogging platform of choice for many, largely due to the staggering number of plugins and Wordpress skins offered through the blogging site and independent designers.
A number of designers offer Wordpress premium themes for sale; however, beginner bloggers have access to free skins and layouts to help save costs when just starting out.
Where to Find the Best Free Wordpress Layouts
A simple Google search of the term "free Wordpress layouts" brings back tens of millions of results, linking to websites offering skins for download.
Look for websites that organize their layouts according to categories, properties such as the number of columns, and available plugins. Most designers also offer the option to preview the template before downloading.
Testing Wordpress Premium Themes
Make a short list of the top three or four best Wordpress layouts that meet the requirements of the blog. Try customizing each one. Think like a reader and try navigating the blog. Consider of each Wordpress theme on the short list, to increase the chance the blog will be a success:
- Can readers subscribe to an RSS feed for regular blog content updates?
- Are there icons allowing readers to share their favorite blog posts on social media websites?
- Is the blog set up and maintenance manageable at the blogger's skill level?
- Do the available fonts and colors allow for easy reading, or can they be changed by the blogger (according to their level of experience with HTML)?
- Is this theme going to look outdated and need updating?
- If the blog is designed to generate income, are ads easily integrated?
Finding the right Wordpress skin is largely a matter of trial and error. Direct the URL to an "Under Construction" placeholder page while testing different themes. After uploading each template, insert placeholder content, test plugins, and play with the functionality of the theme.
Other Considerations for Testing and Choosing Wordpress Skins
Before selecting the best template from the short list, check out the designer to ensure they are well established and the images used to design the template will remain available for the life of the blog. Some designers use graphics hosted on photo sharing websites to define the background and other aspects of the layout. If their photo sharing account becomes inactive, the links no longer work and the images may disappear.
Many Wordpress theme designers allow users to leave comments on their website. Read the comments carefully to determine how long the skin has been available and whether any other users had issues with it.
If the blog will be used to promote a business or generate income through affiliate sales, online service or goods sales, or AdSense, read 5 Business Blogging Mistakes and How to Avoid Them and Advantages of Blogging for Online Business.
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