In today’s “Inspirational Bloggers Tips”, we will be talking about premium themes. Are you thinking of switching to premium themes? What stops you from doing so? Read on.
As you know i switch to Headway theme recently, there was certainly some struggle in making the decision there. It probably got me thinking what could have stop people in using premium themes. Is there a common reason behind? There will be four bloggers who are sharing their advice with us today. This is due to my carelessness in the fact i sent out the mail on Monday. Holiday season is coming and i should have sent it earlier. Definitely a lesson learnt here. Anyway, the advice are still clear on point and i believe it will help you to decide if you intend on getting a premium theme.
I prepared two questions today and here is the first one.
What do you think is the reason that stops people to use a premium theme?
Onibalusi Bamidele from YoungPrePro.com says:
I think what stops most people from using premium themes is not having the money. Some people also believe that there is no point in going premium when you can get it for free.
Michele Welch from NewBizBlogger.com says:
I think ultimately the reason why bloggers may deliberate whether or not to use a premium theme falls on price. Understandably so, considering you can get quite a few free versions that would be great with just a bit of customization. 
Another thing to consider is that even with a premium version, you may need to do some customization; for example, if you want to customized header. If you are not familiar with how to do this, it can be a intimidating task.
Samuel Ayodele from MegaBizFlakes.com says:
Well, I think it’s because of the money. Maybe, they don’t have enough money to get the theme, so they decided to use free theme till they earn in order to use the money they earned to re-invest in their site.
Most newbie’s might be thinking that it’s of no use. The reason why they said that was because they don’t know the usefulness of premium theme. That means they need to be updated.
Thu Nguyen from Bloggingfor.info says:
When I first started off, I didn’t use a premium theme, I had a free one, but I realize that you’re limiting yourself when that happens. In an essence, it’s the cost that doesn’t motivate one to hunt for a meaningful theme. Instead, you would put all that effort into modifying a free one to realize that those options are included in a premium already.
So I think costs and availability of money can be a reason to start.
Another myth is many believe it’s much more difficult to learn something that costs money. Hence, you would think that you bought something to make it work for you, but you end up having more technical difficulties than you would have ever imagined. Not true.
It’s because of those experiences that premium themes are made to ease beginners and even give intermediates alike choices to set their theme the way they desire. Furthermore, it gives you a sense of personality.
The other questions that i ask is:
What makes you decide to use a premium theme if you are using one? If not, why are you not using?
Onibalusi Bamidele from YoungPrePro.com says:
My reason for using a premium theme on YoungPrePro is the quality of the design and also the consistent updates. If you’re using a premium theme you will get the worth of your money back soon because a premium theme makes your
content more presentable.
Michele Welch from NewBizBlogger.com says:
I initially started with a free WordPress theme. Over the course of time realized that the template itself was not CSS validating, so decided to take the plunge with a premium theme. The premium theme also allowed for more bells and whistles that the free one did not offer, which was great.
Samuel Ayodele from MegaBizFlakes.com says:
I’m using a premium theme. Thanks to Onibalusi J . The reason why I choose to use a premium theme is that it will make my site look professional. And you can tweak it to your taste. Free theme does look professional too but not like when you are using a premium theme.
Most free themes, you can’t tweak them to your taste. For example, the footer: the person who created the free theme might insert a link back to his or her site or a link to any other sites. Which I think you can’t remove. But when you use a premium theme, the only link that might be at the footer is the company who created it, which I still prefer. So what I’m trying to say is that, a premium theme will make your site look professional and it will be easy for you to tweak it to your taste.
Thu Nguyen from Bloggingfor.info says:
I’m using Thesis because it allows me to not really work with the main components of the blog aka main files, I’m just tweaking the surface. So, Thesis, is like a Window for my site. Using it’s hook plugin, I just insert HTML or scripts wherever I want and it’s done.
No hard-coding, no editing and if I do run into problems, I make sure I’ve backed up my database and restore the settings. For those who aren’t familiar with all this, it can be quite a challenge at first. With that, I suggest Woo Themes or Elegant Themes because they have panels which are intuitive and walks you through making your blog looking good.
Once again, without all the knowledge of code. Just click, select your choices, fill in the blanks and you’re done. And it’s because of the consistent quality and customer service from these companies that I continue to use premium themes. Whenever you have a question, they’re there.
Free themes may not give you that luxury, however if you’re lucky, you can have the original designer to help you modify it to your specific needs with a cost. In the end, it’s the same as buying a premium theme.
There you go, 4 Inspirational bloggers sharing why people are not using premium themes and the reasons why they are using a premium theme. This is not the end of the post yet. I intend to go deeper in detail as i have experience with this and i would like to share with you my take.
My take on premium theme
All four of them have the same take in people stopping themselves to get a premium theme. Cost is the clear reason why people are not getting a premium theme. It is a reason but definitely not an excuse. A premium theme is not as expensive as your iphone or even ipads today. I believe it’s very much affordable. There are themes that cost $20-30 and as much as $80-90.
Taking me as an example, why i took so long to switch to a premium theme is not price. Price is a consideration but what stops me is “Fear”. These are the things that i fear of.
- Fear of spending
Unlike some consumer items like your clothes or shoes, it is some necessity items that you need. There are choices of free themes for you. It’s human nature to think if i can get it for free, why should i spend any money on it.
- Fear of unknown
Unknown about the future. Buying a premium theme is just like making a investment. I won’t know whether the decision to buy a premium theme will be justify or not. A premium theme is not something that can guarantee you results.
- Fear of getting hands dirty
Premium theme allows you to design to your taste but that means you need some customization or some coding. This hinder me the most as i am afraid of getting my hands dirty and learn about the coding.
People will take you more seriously because of one factor
It’s very common to hear people commenting “You are finally getting serious” after you switch to premium theme. No disrespect to free themes, nobody can doubt your seriousness in attitude even if you are using a free themes. People say that because of one factor. They can see your “Commitment”. Again it’s human nature. If you are willing to spend money, it underlines your willingness to commit long term to your blog because you surely want to see a return in your investment.
It’s up to individual’s decision whether to purchase a premium theme but don’t let the above reason stopping you. The only reason that stop you is because you don’t need it. You only need to purchase something you need. Why you need to use a premium theme is clearly explain above by our inspirational bloggers. Hope you will have a better idea after reading this post. Before i end the post, i would like to wish all of you.
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR
May all your wishes come true in 2011 and have a great holiday ahead.
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Hi Lye
Thanks for the informative post that should help newbies see that it is worth the cost to have a professional looking site.
You have done a great job here Lye. Well done. Well, it is almost Chritmas Day here and so I will just say have a wonderful Christmas with your family and may 2011 be all you hope and plan for.
I have enjoyed getting to know you in 2010 Lye and learnt heaps from your posts. Thanks. Looking forward to all that 2011 has for our amazing blogging community.
Patricia Perth Australia
Patricia recently posted..At Lavenderuses Safety First Means…
Twitter: Findmyblogway
Hi Pat,
Thanks a lot for the awesome comments and support.
It’s been great to know you as well and you are really the most helpful blogger in the blogosphere. One of the things that i learnt from you is the ability to network with a lot of bloggers and building relationships.
I know your blog will get even bigger in 2011. I will be looking forward to that happening.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your family. Keep on rocking in 2011.
Lye
I think what stops most people from using premium themes is not having the money. Some people also believe that there is no point in going premium when you can get it for free.
This is the best answer for me
Hi Rahul,
Money is always the issue but if people can afford it, they should seriously consider as it will certainly helps on their blog growth.
Thanks for dropping by.
Lye
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Ryan Biddulph, Patricia Millman. Patricia Millman said: What Theme To Use–>>New Post: 4 Inspirational Bloggers Share Reasons For Using/Not Using Premium Themes http://t.co/ylqBWy0 @Findmyblogway [...]
Hi Lye,
Great to read everyone’s answer to the question. Interesting how cost is ultimately the main factor for deciding on whether or not to go premium.
At the end of the day, you get what you pay for … usually.
Happy Holidays!
Michele Welch recently posted..That’s A Wrap- December 24- 2010
Twitter: Findmyblogway
Hi Michele,
Hope you enjoy your holidays.
All of you have the same thinking, cost factor is indeed the most important deciding factor.
Thanks for dropping by. Talk soon.
Lye
This is cool Lye,
It’s great reading the answers of others and it is now clear cost is a major factor.
Keep up the great work,
-Onibalusi
Onibalusi Bamidele recently posted..9 Life Saving Tips to Protect and Improve Your Image Online
Twitter: Findmyblogway
Hi Oni,
Thanks for the support and participation. I still hope cost will not stop people to improve their blog and provide greater value.
Lye
very informative post! Thanks for this, wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year!
Anto recently posted..Its time to say thank you!
Twitter: Findmyblogway
Hi Anto,
Thanks for the comments. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you too. Have a great holiday.
Lye
i am sad that i missed the list but still a good share
I wish a great 2011
Praveen recently posted..7 Ways to Reduce Your Blogging Stress
[...] Inspirational Bloggers Sharing Reasons For Using/Not Using Premium [...]
I think it all comes down that people when they start on this blogosphere they think they can just get things for free but don’t worry about it, as they start getting more involved with it, they start re thinking about getting a premium one
Fernando recently posted..How To Use Firebug
Hi Fernando,
Guess you are right. As their blog grows to certain level, this will be in their thoughts for sure.
Thanks for the comments.
Lye
Lye – It is funny you made this post because I am currently trying to decide if I should keep using a free wordpress theme or start using a premium theme like the thesis theme from DIY themes.
It’s like you said, you only need to purchase some thing you need and I felt like I didn’t need a premium theme for a long time. However, after reading your interview of these great bloggers I think I am ready to start using a premium theme myself.
Hopefully everything goes the way it is supposed to and it is as easy for me to use as a free theme.
Kerry recently posted..Tips For Saving A Marriage
Hi Kerry,
Glad this post comes at a good time for you. I won’t say free themes is no good, but a premium has plenty of benefits and you should be able to see it in long term.
Do let me know which theme you will be using if you are switching. Thanks for the comments. Talk soon.
Lye
Hi Lye,
Most of the time the premium themes stand out from the free themes. They tend to have a more professional, clean look to them that really enhances a blog.
With that said, I use a free premium theme myself. It has the clean look that thesis and woo themes tend to have and is fully customizable.
I myself don’t foresee switching away from my current theme for the time being.
Richard recently posted..How do I make Money Online
Twitter: Findmyblogway
Hi Richard,
If you have the ability to customized a free into one that solely belongs to you, i believe there is no difference in using a free theme. As i have mentioned, the attitude of a blogger shouldn’t be judge by a free/premium theme.
I always believe you should get something which you need it.
Thanks for the comments.
Lye
Hi Lye,
I really enjoyed this post. Here is what I think about using a premium and free theme. I think people don’t go for a premium theme because it cost money.
People buy a premium theme because are tired of the lack of functionality of the free theme, or they are looking for a more professional looking website, or themes with more features.
Personally, I’ve spent a lot of time choosing a theme for myself. I’ve actually tested a number of theme and support clients who’ve got different themes. And I think there are some myth about premium theme going around as well.
One of them is: you only need to use a certain theme and it will take care of the SEO for you automatically and bring you more traffic, that’s not true. No theme is going to automatically SEO your blog post for you by itself.
Next, a premium theme doesn’t require any setup, it ready to go out of the box. I know some premium themes require a few hours just to set them right.
I know some free theme that are as good as premium theme and I’ve recommended them to my clients.
Finally, maybe I’m at an advantage with it comes to customize a theme because I can do it myself, but it took me a lot of reading and hours to learn to do it.
Ben Wan
Ben Wan recently posted..How to Get Highly Targeted Traffic through Social Bookmarking
Twitter: Findmyblogway
Hi Ben,
I really appreciate you taking some time out to craft this comment. Regarding the theme SEO, i don’t really care whether it works or not because i don’t write for them. I just write whatever that comes to my mind. So is it effective? I am not too bother with it. I agree that should not be the reason people getting a premium theme.
In fact getting a premium theme especially theme framework should be consider as they need heavy customization to make the design unique. I would recommend a stand alone design unless people are interested in playing around with the colors.
Thanks for sharing your views. Talk soon.
Lye
For a long time, I was using a very slightly modified version of the default WordPress theme. It didn’t look good and didn’t reflect well on my business. Then we did a service exchange with a friend of ours and he created a custom WordPress theme for his part of the exchange. Worlds of difference.
If money is the main factor for not purchasing a theme, do you think many bloggers have considered doing a service exchange to get a new theme?
TJ McDowell recently posted..PhotoOne Bought By StudioPlus Software
I doubt a premium theme will influence readers in a “take you more serious” way, because most readers have no idea what a premium theme is or how to recognize one.
On the other hand, the extended functionality and good looks can indeed influence them.
Twitter: Findmyblogway
Hi Amit,
A premium theme does help to “wow” new visitors as long you have a great look. Ultimately content is what most people look for.
Thanks for your input.
Lye