Having just launched your brand new blog you are excited to be among the ranks of the cyberspace soldiers who share the goal of establishing a share of this vast electronic universe and eventually, turn a profit for your efforts.

The latest version of WordPress has been installed and your site loads immediately after typing in your url. But geez, isn’t that default WordPress theme a drag? It just as well have the word “NEWBIE” emblazoned across the header. You have just set out to establish your own brand and identity, so this theme will definitely not do. You must select something else, but where and how do you begin?

First of all, you should be aware that this can be a frustrating experience simply because of the fact that there are so many themes to choose from, you may have difficulty settling on one in particular. High quality FREE themes number in the thousands with more being created daily. Additionally there are custom and premium themes to choose from, which in most cases are reasonably priced. All of these choices are what makes this task a difficult one, if you allow it.

Your first decision is to determine the type of theme you want. A custom theme will be tailored to your specifications and will be unique as no other theme will likely be exactly like yours. This will cost you a sum of money for the custom design work.  A premium theme, which is limited in it’s design and may have some features that others may not, will also have a one-time purchase price. Free themes can be test-driven and downloaded instantly and are the most numerous. Some of these, are very nice, are really popular, which means a lot of other sites will look similar to the one you just launched if you choose one of these.

Depending on your skill level, you can make changes to a free theme and give it a more unique look, which I will address in a separate article. Keep in mind, you are just starting out and may have a limited budget so a freebie on the other hand, is not a bad thing. Besides, you keep valuable content on your site and that will gain you some advantage over many other bloggers.

At this stage, you need to make a decision and move forward. Most of us are worried and excited about how the theme will look. I remember my first WordPress theme selection, sitting at the computer clicking, testing and banging around for more than 3 hours. When I realized how much time had passed, I also realized that I wasn’t getting anywhere. I had gotten caught up with all of the wonderful themes, it was like paradise.

Don’t make this mistake, keep your selections to a limited number (5 to 10) and answer the following questions to narrow the field.

1.  Do you plan to make money with your blog?

If you plan on making money, a premium or custom theme is an advantage. This will provide a professional look,  a level of individuality and some features or tools to help make things easier. If you are blogging for the sport of it and not at all concerned about making money, a free theme will definitely serve your purpose. Free themes also make money, but will require some element to separate them from the others with the same look.

2. How many blogs are using the same theme?

Many download sites provide data telling you how many times a particular theme has been downloaded. Obviously, if a theme has been downloaded a bazillion times, you will need to pass on that selection as it makes it more difficult for you to separate from the crowd. You want one with a very good rating but not downloaded by half of the internet.

3. How about that header?

Many of the free themes have a header that contains a logo or a tagline that goes with every download. You will need to change this or at least, determine if the logo fits your niche. If the theme comes with a gear and you are blogging about cupcakes, a change is a must. For me the header area is the blog’s necktie, you will want to look sharp here. If the theme works for you but the logo doesn’t have it changed by a tech person if the task is beyond your skill level.

4. Is the theme widget- ready?

Most blogs utilize the sidebars to place a host of widgets, from calendars, email and RSS subscriptions to ads for products and services and blog rolls. To simplify this tasks a widget-ready theme is just what the doctor ordered. A widget-ready theme will solve your most challenging problem, a need to dive into the code. Widgets can be activated with a simple copy and paste routine.

5. Who supports this theme if there is a problem?

Many free themes come with limited support while others come with none. You may be techie enough to solve your own problems, or you can always hire a tech person. There are many sources for having a blog worked on. One technical support source that I would highly recommend is operated by Joel Williams, The Blog Tech Guy. Excellent and fair priced service is provided here.

6. Will this theme serve you long-term?

As you build your business, you will want to add new features and capabilities to maintain a level of efficiency. This should not get harder as your business grows, just the opposite. Select a theme that has some flexibility. This will allow you to incorporate new features later in your blog’s lifetime.

7. What if the theme doesn’t serve me long-term?

Many blogs started with themes that are different than what they have today. As they grew and became more successful they customized their themes, further giving them a unique identity and brand. This is proof that you can (and probably will) change your blog’s theme somewhere down the line. Any change you undertake will only be for the better.

Selection of your initial theme is a very important decision. It’s your coming-out party. By the same token, it is also important that you get started with your project while the fire is still hot. Don’t spend enormous amounts of time trying to get that perfect, do-all theme; there are just too many choices.  Peek a handful of themes and make a decision. If you are really unhappy, you can always change to something else, but initially it is important to get started.

For free theme selections try WordPress.org or FreeWPthemes.net. There are many other sources, but remember, you need not make a career out of your selection.

By the way, you are viewing a premium theme (Flexx) which I have modified to suit my needs.

What factors played into the selection of your first theme?