The default theme
 

I got asked to trade links with someone today (remain nameless, I am not here to bash at anyone), and while his blog looked like it has much potential, nearly 50 entires (many with images or graphics, a nice touch), it was on a very lightly modified default theme.

There are sites like alexking.org's theme browser where you can easily obtain and download some very decent themes ( http://www.alexking.org/software/wor...me_browser.php ). While many of these themes will need a little bit of modification to really make them your own, it can be almost as easy as just replacing the background images and entering a new title. You don't need to even understand CSS or anything in many cases to make these themes into your own.

Trust me: An even slightly custom looking theme makes all the difference when it comes to how people will look at your blog, and how easy it will be for you to obtain trades and whatnot.

As a side note, if you are setting up a mainsteam blog and looking to get google adsense or similar on your site, having something that looks like you took some time to develop you ideas will make it easier to get accepted.

Alex

most of my blogs are largely, slightly modified default themes.

boogie-blog.com is 3column kubrik, tailored a little

and most of my other blogs are variations of that theme or the default. I think it CAN look ok 8)

but, having some definition and character to your blogs is really important, I concur.

every day I say i'll find someone to revamp boogie-blog to a better look and feel and every day i put it off ;)

but basic default = NO

It was me :). I appreciate feedback. I started with mypornlinks and got really excited. Next, I opened danniblog.com and found a theme that worked. I do look through the themes and when I started up bigtitsweeky to take advantage of a domain with some traffic but not doing a lot, I switched to WP2.0 and a lot of themes were not working properly for me. I do think it is time for me to shop for another theme.
Please feel free to crituque any of my sites. I do think I did a better job at canadian-porn.com. After reading threads about splogs, I'm rather embaraced about sexyadslinks.ca which just uses feeds.
I did find a nice template for bluescreenbabes.com, let me know what you think.

Jimmer, i love most of your blogs btw.

icq me sometime today 2181697 if ya get a chance ;)

Jimmer, as I mentioned before, the quality of the content and effort you have put into the blog content itself is quite good. I would certianly trade links with you, just hoping to get it off of that default template.

bluescreenbabes.com looks really good, and that is exactly the point I am trying to make. When you move from the default template to something even moderately custom, it shows that you care, that you are making an effort - and that effort is what will get your rewarded.

We will certainly hook up some links :)

Alex

Boogie, I'm going to icq you later, helping the better half with some stuff. I wanted to drop this link with tons of themes. I'm going theme shopping. I think I found this after I created bigtitsweekly.
615 themes Thanks RawAlex

Ok, I have changed my theme and am open to comments.
http://www.bigtitsweekly.com

It's so nice and...pink! LOL Getting in touch with your feminine side, Jimmer? :lol:

I could change the color. Maybe pink goes better with teens, I kinda like blue.

Play with it - either way, it is much nicer than default hell :)

Alex

The theme of this one was done by one of the top designers in the biz - http://www.choponthelake.com . Sure was nice to get a turnkey deal ready to install.

looks real good jimmer :)

I tied blue, what looks better. I think I need to work on the title.
Chop Smith, sometimes the surfers like sites that don't look so professional. I used to make the most money from an ugly site.

I can sure understand that. :)

The legend of stoney was just hysterical, Chop!! LMAO..

I have to say, I'm guilty a second time. canadian-porn.com uses defualt. I like the color but maybe I can do something with the header. I havn't found anything else I like yet.

Most of my blogs use the default theme. I didn't have any trouble getting link trades....

I've been inspired to fiddle with my header too...tweaked Ana's Porn Blog header last night, and honestly I think it is an improvement! (along with a little reminder for the surfers LOL)

Carl, really, really good content can overcome the default theme, but I personally look at the default theme as a sign that perhaps the person running the blog isn't very comitted to the deal, or is using an RRS2BLOG style software to fill the blog rather than actually developing a personaly.

(Was that just a really fucking long sentence or what?)

It doesn't take much - change the color of the background of the header, use a different font, whatever...

Maybe it's just me.

Alex

I'm kind of guilty of the opposite. I am so intent on standing out from the pack, that I write each of my WP themes from scratch. Unfortunately, I spend more time writing themes than posts, so it doesn't take much thinking to figure out how productive I am with my blogs. I actually have one that I swore I would leave default and just work on the theme as I have time, but I can't even bring myself to post on it or do any other work until I make the theme for it. Either way, I really dislike kubrick, and most of the other themes on alex king don't seem suitable to any of the blogs I want to do. But, if there is a shemale theme there that I missed, please let me know.

How did you do the lettering? I'm graphically challanged.

Photoshop my man :) text-comic sans;layer styles-drop shadow (lightened from default) and stroke (definitely change the color and set px to 2);then image>type>warp text with bulge, arch up;and of course >skew "So simple even Ana can do it herself!"

oh...forgot about the "bookmark..." that's straight impact text with light drop shadow and stroke, no other effects.

Other than that, just move a pic on there, layer>stroke and >bevel and emboss and voila! it no longer looks ***SO*** default LOL

If you need more info you know how to holler at me ;)

If Ana can do it, I guess I can too. I'm going to play around with it a bit and see what I can come up with.

Lemme know how it turns out :) and to think I figured out photoshop withOUT a user's manual!