One of the wonderful benefits of having a self hosted Wordpress Blog is having the freedom to add a theme that is uniquely you. Having a nice theme for your blog is the first step in helping you stand out in the crowd.
However there are a lot of what we call “Premium Wordpress Themes” floating around on the internet and to the new and veteran Wordpress bloggers it might be a little confusing as to what the difference is between a Custom Wordpress Design and a Premium Wordpress Theme. So I would like to take a minute to clarify a bit on what the difference is between the two.
Custom Wordpress Design
A Custom Wordpress Design is a total theme/template designed to your specific needs as a blogger. Typically you will purchase a design spot, and fill out a questionnaire so the designer knows what you are looking for in a design. Most custom designs are made for you and you alone and will not be sold to another blog owner.
Some custom designs are based off your current Wordpress Theme or the designer may start the entire design from scratch. Either way your custom design is made uniquely for you.
The disadvantage – Since a Custom Wordpress Design is made uniquely for you it typically costs a lot more than a Premium Wordpress Theme.
Premium Wordpress Themes
Premium Wordpress Themes are very similar to Premade Wordpress Designs. They are sold as is – basically the design you purchase is the design that will appear on your blog once you install the theme. Premium Wordpress Themes are designed to be sold more than once, so it is very likely that there are a lot of people on the interwebs using the same design.
Even though Premium Wordpress Themes aren’t uniquely made for you, they certainly are useful to the Wordpress blogger. Most Premium Themes are of better quality than a free theme and more affordable than a Custom Wordpress Design. It is really a great middle ground if you don’t want to use a free theme, but your pocket book can’t handle the price tag of a Custom Wordpress Design.
Another awesome thing about Premium Wordpress Themes is that some of them offer unique functions not available in free themes. For example the Thesis Wordpress Theme offers a lot of great functions to help manage your new Wordpress Blog – I would say with the functions available, the Thesis Theme is a great choice for the newbie blogger.
Studio Press is another Premium Wordpress Theme that offers unique magazine style themes which are great for major content based websites.
Premium Wordpress Themes can easily be customized with a simple Custom Header Design to help spread your brand and make your blog stand out.
Conclusion
Purchasing a Premium Wordpress Theme is certainly not the same as purchasing a Custom Wordpress Design. However they both have their advantages and disadvantages, but if you shop wisely and look for guidance you will surely have the tools to make your blog stand out among the crowd.
Well said.
I’m dreaming of someday having a custom design. Got to save my pennies! :)
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