Comments on: Custom vs Premade Blog Themes

By: @balootisme.com

@balootisme.com — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 11:07:42 +0000

darren,

how much your blog custom theme is??

is it $5000??

By: Geoff R

Geoff R — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 23:34:52 +0000

The main reason I have yet to got with a custom theme is the price-tag. I am hoping to win this free theme contest, because at least then I can get a professional theme like the one Problogger uses.

By: Xin

Xin — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 08:44:18 +0000

I have been trying really hard to find someone to customise my blog. I am looking to spend less than $50 if at all possible.

All it needs is some simple CSS tweaks, and a custom banner, possibly also CSS.

Does anyone know of such a service?

By: Samara

Samara — Sun, 10 Jun 2007 16:42:48 +0000

I think custom themes are best because they do stand out, make a lasting impression and attract the reader. Premade’s a what they are: Premade. You can always tell when some is using a template and when it’s a custom theme. As far as price is concerned…I honestly think even $300 just about right for a “good” theme, but $3000 is too much. I do web-design myself and all my blog themes are custom made by me and I would not charge anyone $3000 for a custom made theme. It doesn’t take that much time or work no matter what the request is. It’s not like you’re preforming plastic surgery or something. $3000 is enough for a decent boob job, but not a blog template.

By: mangatoread

mangatoread — Wed, 16 May 2007 14:59:31 +0000

Hm…
I think there’s good for custom theme..
but not for me coz I’m new and my blog cannot get any money now….
Maybe biz blog is suitable for custom theme…

By: Do Unique Blog Themes Matter?

Do Unique Blog Themes Matter? — Tue, 15 May 2007 18:37:40 +0000

[...] read posts before on improving your blog which discuss the pros and cons of custom versus premade themes. I can understand this point. A blog with a unique theme helps develop a personal and unique brand. [...]

By: Haunted TUNA

Haunted TUNA — Sat, 28 Apr 2007 18:25:58 +0000

Good post. There were stuff I didn’t think of that u mentioned.. But those prices…Waaaay overpriced!…

By: Ten Keyboards » Custom and Premade Blog Themes

Ten Keyboards » Custom and Premade Blog Themes — Sat, 14 Apr 2007 04:13:24 +0000

[...] Problogger offers up some pros and cons of “premade” and custom themes in this post. I’d add a few things to the list. [...]

By: SOB Business Cafe 04-13-07 - Liz Strauss at Successful Blog - Thinking, writing, business ideas . . . You’re only a stranger once.

Fri, 13 Apr 2007 19:44:11 +0000

[...] Custom vs Premade Blog Themes [...]

By: Dave

Dave — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 16:31:20 +0000

It helps if you run a web design business as your day job, and can get work done at cost!

I just got a new design for my blog (check my url) and it was not too much money at all :)

By: Designer Ella

Designer Ella — Wed, 11 Apr 2007 19:37:35 +0000

Really, I’m addicted to designing new sites. :-)

By: Designer Ella

Designer Ella — Wed, 11 Apr 2007 19:36:47 +0000

Hmmm reading this I’m thinking…. Anyone want to check out the blogs linked from the URL in my name and tell me what I could charge for work like I did on those?

I’d love to help Pro-Readers out with more affordable themes!

By: Custom Designed or Pre-made? - The Creation Shop

Custom Designed or Pre-made? - The Creation Shop — Wed, 11 Apr 2007 19:11:59 +0000

[...] posted on Problogger that discusses the pros and cons. Post in Blog | You can leave a comment, or trackback from your ownsite. [...]

By: David Lithman’s Web Development Blog » Blog Archive » Starting a New Blog

Wed, 11 Apr 2007 19:06:54 +0000

[...] After reading reading Matt Coddington’s post over at Problogger about Custom vs. Premade Blog Themes, I really contemplated purchasing a custom theme. But then the money factor came in. Would $300+ be worth it on a brand new project? What if I spent $300 on a theme and then abandoned the blog because I got bored with it, or no one visited? What a waste that would be. [...]

By: Designer Ella

Designer Ella — Wed, 11 Apr 2007 19:05:12 +0000

Ahhhhhh, I love having a background in graphics and web design! Long before I started blogging, I did that.

And you didn’t mention it as an option. A really good one is to download and install a simple theme, and make or order just a header image. Then perhaps one can learn more about HTML and update the theme him or herself, more and more as time goes by. But even just getting a custom header image would do wonders, and be much less expensive!

By: Abhisek

Abhisek — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 17:36:08 +0000

I’ve created my own custom template half and ‘ll complete it after I become expert in XHTML, XML, JScript and CSS.

Anyway, this post is really worth to Novice bloggers.

By: Angela

Angela — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 14:48:31 +0000

Are there any graphic artists out there that are trying to generate momentum that would like to help me pimp my latest project and in return I will network your biz?

By: Paula G

Paula G — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 13:41:27 +0000

What about something in between? I’ve used premade themes but then took them apart to add unique logo, color schemes, etc. Then it is not 100% unique per say but it is sufficiently branded to be unique. It is a lot more work than just downloading and unzipping and going, of course. Yet it is still a lot less time than starting a design from scratch.

By: Brian Sexton

Brian Sexton — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 22:24:40 +0000

You make some great points. A unique or at least customized look is always more memorable and it is always nice to have more control over both your content and its presentation. And if you are passionate about standards and code quality and you have the necessary interest and aptitude, it is also nice to have control over your markup and other source code.

I have to take exception to what Leanne wrote about “spammed links” in the footers. I certainly agree that anyone publishing a Web site should be aware of what is going on their pages, but I would not categorize sponsor links in sponsored themes as spam; it seems a reasonable concession to the developer of a free theme. Categorizing such links as spam simply because a theme developer has asked for something small in return for his or her work seems quite out of place in a discussion about professional blogging—a for-profit endeavor. That bloggers are entitled to seek financial gain from their work, but theme developers are not seems a rather unfair position.

Like Amanda pointed out, not all pre-made themes are free and I suspect that particular pre-made paid themes are used far less than particular free themes, so customizing a pre-made paid theme may be a good way for a lot of people to get their blogs looking distinctive without the expense of original design.

That all said, a top-quality professional Web design that has not been worked into a WordPress theme can cost several thousand dollars, so $5,000 for both a design and its incorporation into a theme might actually represent a good value for a professional blog; it all depends upon the context of the project and the quality of the results.

By: Collis

Collis — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 04:14:05 +0000

$5000 is so much. I design blogs for $4950

:-)