Blogging WordPress Themes

About Blogging WordPress Themes

WordPress is still today considered a “blogging platform” by many, although I would argue that is very far from that and rather it’s a complete CMS solution for any website. That said, WordPress is (in my opinion) the best software for running your blog no matter what type of blog your have.

There are many benefits to running your blog on WordPress such as security, updates, plugins, easy of use, SEO and the availability of themes. At WPExplorer I showcase some of the best premium WordPress themes including some really great themes for bloggers (both free and premium). When looking for a theme for your blog you need to take your time and make sure you choose something that fits your brand, is easy to use, matches your niche, is compatible with plugins and of course looks great.

As a beginner you may want to start out with a free wordpress theme and then “upgrade” to something premium once your blog starts making some money. Personally I think it would be good to jump right in and spend some money on a premium theme you know you’ll love, will be easy to set up and use, has no footer links and includes support from the seller. Paying that extra bit of money will also make your blog look a bit more unique and your readers will appreciate how cool it is. If you don’t have the budget, just make sure you are downloading free themes from the right places as many free themes may contain encrypted code and malware. At WPExplorer.com all my Free themes are 100% GPL and contain no hidden code (enjoy!).

What To Look For In A WordPress Blog Theme

As you browse around WPExplorer looking for a WordPress theme to use on your blog there are several things I believe you should keep in mind. Below is a list of some of the key features I believe your theme should have built-in to provide you with the best blogging solution possible.

• SEO Friendly code
• Subscribe to social networks buttons
• WP 3.0+ features – post thumbnail, menu creator, background changer
• Related posts on single posts
• Social share buttons
• Threaded comment structure with gravatars
• About the author bios and author pages
• Advertisement spots – or at least enough widgetized areas
• Optional extended widgetized footer
• Some sort of homepage carousel or slider
• If you want a tumblog style theme, make sure it includes custom post formats support
• Multiple color options (great to make your theme match your niche if you don’t know how to edit the CSS yourself)
• Custom widgets are always a nice bonus
• Support from the seller – this will allow you to better set up your site, especially important if you are new to WordPress