How important are custom blog designs?
 

I know a lot of people who use the default design with wordpress and those that use custom designs. Do you think overall the one with a custom design has a better visitor retention rate (bookmarks)? Or do you think the cost of the custom design just isn't worth it.

very important

you can get a template design for $40 or so.. I think it's very important to have something more then the default worldpress layout but I don't think you need to spend hundreds or thousands on one

Completely disagree.

I have many blogs using the default wordpress theme and that get over 1K SE per day. It may not be that much, but they're #1 for the terms I'm after. I do have one blog that's 8K per day and I've customized a wp theme that I bought for $25 bucks. There's really little need to buy new designs for every blog and I wouldn't spend big bucks on one either. Slap a logo, change the colors around, viola.

If you buy a theme, I'd advise you to buy a mainstream one. It just seems they're much cleaner and are more up to date when it comes to what you can do with wordpress from the technical side (widgets, ajax, etc).

If you brand your blogs its nice to have special theme..but if you have 100 of small blogs... well its up to you

I don't use the default, but there are a lot of good free ones that you customize pretty easily. I don't see any difference to the surfer between my custom ones and the other ones that are not. Its all about the content.

some people are cheap

depends on how serious you are...

Design "very important"? someone should really tell TheHun...:1orglaugh

CONTENT is key. Content IS KEY.

Some people know what works.

Thanks guys, it was just a question on my mind. :) have a good weekend.

TheHun was one of the first sites to offer free porn galleries, that's what made them popular. In some way their "design" is also important, that's why they haven't changed it.

I agree that content matters a lot, but a good blog design can do wonders to your CTR and bounce rates. If you want to optimize your sales, you should also take care of the design and structure of the blog.

If you have a good quality content you won't have any problem with a default design.

a good design - yes, a bad design - definitely not ;)

Eh, if it is a serious project I'll spend the money for something custom. However I usually just find a free one online and edit it to my liking.

here are a few links you should read

http://vandelaydesign.com/blog/blog-...act-of-design/

http://www.dailyblogtips.com/43-web-...-should-avoid/

http://www.blogdesignblog.com/blog-d...sign-mistakes/

Yep, excellent articles :thumbsup

I would never run a blog with the default theme on it. I like to take a little bit of pride in my work and I can afford $40 for a fucking template.

With that said, check out my blog network: http://www.badbunnyconsulting.com/

Nearly all of my themes come from Blow Blowout.

if you are going to use a default theme at least use a custom header

there are probably thousands of free themes out there - at least use one of those than the default ...

I have no idea why every adult blog theme designer tries to make their shit look cartoonish.

Looks fucking stupid. And the themes are totally PISS POOR for retaining OR handling time on site/bounce.

Not speaking of your network, but of the theme designs you see sold here by designers.

because the designers on here have no concept on what a good blog design is what so ever.

I designed my blog theme, it took a couple hours but was well worth it. I really didn't want to use a template that someone else could use.

I didn't want to read this thread because I knew there would be replies that would make me cringe.

Houdini, it may "work" but it could be optimized to perform a LOT better.

You mention a blog that gets 1K SE hits a day.. but what do those surfers do once they see another fucking Kubrick blog. SE optimization is only half the battle.

I just cried a little :'(

I've data that shows quite the opposite in general. Not saying that design is key either, but our research shows some interesting things and some food for thought about balance.

If you don't believe me, just check out mofos, bangbros and so on. Amazing content updated frequently that converts like crap. And that's because of several factors, being the most important overseen content, as you may imagine. But one of those factors is a design that looks nice but has no marketing tools applied at all, just a design slapped for the hell of it (another important factor is that content is great, but all those sites fail really big on quality, niches and respective fetishes)

Of course this doesn't apply to some restricted small niches, but for general, broad audiences numbers shows you're quite wrong.

As for The Hun, as someone said: that (lack of) design is a trademark itself. Now tell me why all The Hun clones have failed? If it was just that, then I'd make some html page and see the money roll :2 cents:

LOL.. those are not blogs.

If you change your WP theme to at least something other than the default, you are more than set. You don't need a custom design, at any level, ever, to rock the charts.

If you wish to make an authority site, for people - then design would be a factor, along with time.

And a final note.. Surfers, don't know what the default wp theme is.

I don't think you need to spend money on an adult theme, most of them are stupid. There are plenty of very good very mainstream themes that you can optimize for an adult blog.

I disagree with you about using the default theme. Use a free theme, but not the default. A good free theme can give you a lot of control over the placement of your ads. But, adult themes are a waste of money as you said. Don't need one at all.

I use free themes and tweak them a bit

HUGE difference. Also, ugly-looking ad themes might look like shit but they get the job done.

LOL anyone using default is retarded

Think of it this way... Is your blog a feeder or a hub?

If it's a feeder, then it doesn't matter what it looks like, any old WP theme will do.

If it's a hub, spend the $ and get something custom for your site.

You can have a successful blog with the default, a non-exclusive, or an exclusive, it all depends on what your expectations are. If you plan on investing a serious amount of time in your project custom is always best. And by custom it could be something as simple as the default theme altered to fit your needs.

The problem is most people don't understand most issues with many themes. When we originally started blogs we used non-exclusive themes and found bounce rates at upwards of 70-80%. When we began using our own customs, such as those at BlogBlowout, we saw bounce rates averaging around 15-25%.

People can talk smack on other designs all they want, but the reality is that they usually don't know their ass from a hole in the ground in regards to what works and what doesn't.

Best thing to do is run tests yourself and find out what's going to work for your project and ignore all the haters.

Great replies guys! Who around here do you recommend for the best quality when it comes to blog designs?

says the designer

http://wordpress.org/extend/themes/

Unless you really want something very specific, save your money. I am sure you can find a free theme to fit your needs specially if you are just starting out.

i have to agree with you there.

design is not important at all

thehun, myfreepaysite, craigslist, myspace, twitter, aff, ebay

content and function are what is important

Important in meeting standards to earn.

depend son what the aim of the blog is and what your overall plans for it entail...

n general i would say it's not that important.

For the most part I use a modified K2 and it works well. But my biggest blogs do use custom themes.