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How to Choose the Perfect Blog Website Design
Choosing a design for your blog or website can be a daunting task, especially if you don’t know where to start. This guide will walk you through the most common choices to help you pick a design that works for you.
Step 1: Choose a Blogging Platform
Before you can choose a design, you need to have a blog or website, or at least a plan for one. You can’t skip this step because not only do you need a place to install your new design, but you also need to know your blogging platform. Each design is built differently, and designers usually create themes only for specific platforms. For example, Designer Blogs only works with Blogger and WordPress.
Step 2: Choose Between Premade and Custom Design
No matter which platform you use, there are two main categories of designs that you should consider: premade and custom.
Premade Design
A premade design is a theme that’s already created once you visit a design shop. It can be compared to clothes. You can find cheaper, lower quality clothes from fast fashion stores and expensive designer pieces sold only in one copy. Same with premade designs. However, it doesn’t mean that the more affordable themes are worse. If you buy a premade theme, there’s a higher chance that other bloggers will also use the same design you pick. Because of that, you may find two websites that look similar or even the same. There’s nothing wrong with that; however, if you’re building an online brand, you may want your site to be unique. Don’t hesitate to contact design authors first! If they don’t respond, it’s definitely a red flag! The cost of a premade theme depends on the platform you use. Designer Blogs’ Blogger premade designs are just $15 each, and WordPress themes are $99 (and that includes installation and set-up!) Again, it depends on the platform and your requests. For example, buying a theme and asking a designer to recolor it for you will make the process a little longer. The general waiting time is 1-7 days.
Custom Design
If you’re looking for something truly unique, you may consider getting a custom design made. It’s a great experience where you get a theme made just for you based on your instructions and needs. It may be pricey, so you should have a budget of at least $1500-2500 ready; however, the result will be worth it. Always talk with the designer before purchasing to ensure you have answers to all those questions. Custom design prices can be extremely different. Designer Blogs’ custom designs usually cost around $2000, but they try to adjust the prices depending on the customer’s request. They strongly believe there’s no need to pay for things you won’t use, so what’s the point of charging you for creating a shop if you plan to have a blog only? That’s also why they don’t list custom design prices on their site. If you’d like to get a quote, fill out the form on the Designer Blogs site. Such design consultations are free. It can take from two weeks to a few months to create a custom design. Since it’s built just for you, all the additional requests or changes will make the process longer. Usually, Designer Blogs has the website ready within a month, with all the revisions and design installation on your website.
Step 3: Consider Your Budget and Needs
The main factors in choosing a design will be your budget and needs. If you’re just starting, Designer Blogs recommends a premade design because, at that point, you don’t really know what you may need for your site (and it’s entirely normal!). Start with something cheap, and later, when your brand grows, get yourself a custom design that checks all the boxes. If you already have a brand and know what it needs, and your budget is high enough, get a custom. It should last years, and if done well, it will work for you and help you grow.
Conclusion
Choosing a design for your blog or website can be overwhelming, but it doesn’t need to be. Consider your needs, budget, and platform when making a decision. Designer Blogs offers free website consultations and is always there to help! If you’re still unsure and have any questions, feel free to drop them in the comments or contact Designer Blogs via their contact form. With their premade designs, Designer Blogs offers color and logo changes for a small fee to give you an option of a unique look without ruining your budget. They can’t speak for every company, but at Designer Blogs, they do their best to make their client’s vision come to life.