Suit Up! Dress Your Blog With a Theme

Woothemes screenshot

Content is king. But lets be real, we’re all a little shallow which means we want our blog to look as good as it reads (that’s assuming is reads beautifully)!

Enter themes, which like clothes, come in different sizes and colours. And if you’re willing to spend a little money you can even go couture!

However, the main difference between themes and clothes, is that there are thousands of themes for free, even the equivalent of a tailored Armani Suit. I’m going to tell you where to find em, how to pick em and how to install them…

Where to find WordPress themes

Finding any old Wordpress theme is easy. Search Google and you’ll see millions of results. But I recommend looking directly at WordPress.org under the Extend > Themes section of the site for over 500 great themes that have all been tested.

If you’re wanting something a little different, unique or special then I suggest you suss out some premium theme providers and see if they have anything for free on offer. Premium themes generally have well considered designs and come with additional features and enhancements that can really make your blog pop.

So when you see a FREE sign, go ahead and take what you can get!

Choosing a theme for your blog

You’re never gonna go to the office in a pair of board-shorts and slops (unless you’re a blog theme designer). So much like giving your attire some thought, you need to do the same with you blog theme… dress it for the occasion!

You may have a news blog with loads of categories, a personal memoir with weekly updates or an image intensive photo portfolio. Either way, there is a theme for you – just make sure if fits!

I’m using TypeBased from the WooThemes team. In addition to their numerous free themes listed below, they also offer some very unique premium themes that will ready your blog for the digital red carpet.

Installing themes

Most Wordpress themes are easily installed in three simple steps. If there are any additional requirements, instructions are generally found in the theme directory. In a nutshell, all you do is:

  1. Upload the theme folder via FTP to your /wp-content/themes/ directory
  2. Go to Appearance > Themes in your WordPress Admin area
  3. Select your uploaded theme and select Activate

And there you have it! Dressed for Success!

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