A successful blog is more than just design. But you knew that already, right? As someone who’s not only been blogging since 2001 but who’s also been designing/developing blogs for nearly just as long, it’s been fascinating to observe how unbalanced blogging strategies can be when it comes to being successful.
For example, many blogs bank on their custom design, look-and-feel, and try to capture an audience by how “pretty” their blog is. You know as well as I that this is only sustainable to a point. Any design, as good as it might be, gets old. A fresh coat of paint might do the trick, but most people can’t afford a redesign every three months or so.
As a result, many blogs will tell you (or scream at you) “Content is King!” and they are right—to a point. Good content, from my perspective, might be “good” on it’s own merit, but it doesn’t do any good without people reading it. I think most people believe they publish good content; the difference is the amount of people (site visitors and page views specifically), that actually get there.
So what’s it going to take?
The easiest answer is, “All of the above.” But there’s one factor that many people don’t consider nearly as much as they should. This is what I call the third ingredient of a successful blog: Good quality code. Solid code paves the way for strategic site architecture, load speed optimization (which is a factor is search rankings), search engine optimization (SEO), and a good end-user experience.
That’s one of the reasons I developed the Standard Theme, an amazing blogging theme for users of self-hosted WordPress installations. Essentially I was tired of having to design on top of blog existing blog themes that weren’t polished or by people who didn’t care about how the actual blog ran in the “backend” (or underneath the hood).
But what I’ve learned is that some of the most successful blogs out there not only have great content and a decent (doesn’t have to be crazy-awesome or pricey) design, they are also crafted well in terms of their code. They also:
- Are SEO-optimized (so people can more easily find you)
- Take into account load-speed
- Are cross-browser compatible
- Use valid technical standards (e.g., XHTML/CSS, PHP, advanced asynchronous analytics, etc.)
- Employ best practices for making it easy to virally share the content (check out our demo with a neat persistent twitter and facebook sharing option)
These are only a few of the things that we’ve meticulously included in the theme. You’ll want to check out all the options and features right on the Standard Theme homepage.
Finally, while you might think the design of the Standard Theme unimpressive, there’s a strategy involved with that: Here’s what I’ve learned from helping many new bloggers launch their blogs: Spending too much time on design is not smart for the “new” blogger. Why? Because in my experience they’ll want to change it after a few months or so. We did that here with Michael’s blog. As he began using WordPress (having switched from TypePad), he learned what his readers wanted and desired. Based on that, we adjusted the strategy and changed the design.
As a result, “new” bloggers need to be concentrating primarily on developing good content, getting it out there to the public (social media sharing), and developing their particular niche and/or culture. The design can always be changed later. Fortunately, Standard Theme makes that a snap.
Regardless, you want to start with something solid and flexible. That’s exactly why I developed Standard Theme. It provides a great foundation that you will not outgrow.
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Honestly, my key frustration is not knowing what the right thing to do is…or keep up with the technology/changes required.
My recent post The poem that makes my wife cry – everytime
This is where it might be good to pair up with a “technology partner,” someone who can allow you to focus on what you do best.
sometimes it's just best to start simply, knowing you have a solid theme to just build content. let me know if you have any questions!
Honestly, my key frustration is not knowing what the right thing to do is…or keep up with the technology/changes required.
My recent post The poem that makes my wife cry – everytime
I have to say that StandardTheme is great. If I don't mess it up with my own css, plugin and other fiddling :)
Being only a small fry blogger, and not being an expert in coding for the web, having a well coded theme is huge. The credibility gained from using something like this can also be an ingredient as well.
As for frustrations: it has always been what to do to improve SEO; throwing plugins in did not work for me, infact it made blogging more of a shleep. I know; content, design etc is key. But I get frustrated about those little nitty gritty things like meta data etc.
My recent post The Stuff I can only Dream about: The Camera
thanks phillip! love your support!
always a pleasure. – I get the idea that you guys put a lot of good effort, ingredients and time into the StandardTheme and 8Bit Network – great to be a small part of it.
My recent post Tabbed Widget Part Two
yes… ;)
OK – after reading this – I was convinced! Downloaded the standard theme template and it was incredibly easy to upload/integrate. Now I just have to play around with the design (I am working with it on a new first aid blog that I am creating).
My recent post The poem that makes my wife cry – everytime
That's awesome, Matt! If you've got questions, feel free to drop by the forums..
I’m on Typepad at the moment – I’m at that early stage where I’m still figuring some stuff out.
One question is how do you find out what your readers want?
Oh… I'd love Standard Theme!
My recent post Jesus + Rick Warren + Technology = Transformation
I would love to move from blogger to wordpress, but honestly it scares me to death! I could learn coding and such, but I just don't have the time. i'm going to take a look at this theme. thanks for the info and recommendation.
sure thing!
I’ve made a couple of attempts at starting a blog, but got discouraged because I didn’t know how to drive traffic to it. If this theme would help with SEO, that would be great.
It's all built-in. All you really have to do is publish content – the code takes care of the SEO ;).
yes. built in!
I already have the theme so I am just leaving a comment to say that you can’t go wrong with it. It was developed with a cross section of people in mind. Meaning, it will work out of the box for those who just want a nice clean theme for their blog, but it’s easy to customize for all the CSS and PHP junkies out there. It’s a bargain at the price it sells for, so if you can snag a free copy, even better.
word. thanks jay!
I am new at blogging and would enjoy and information that would enlighten, educate and inspire me. I will be honest, that I probably am not your top canidate to send this to, but nonetheless I would be thrilled and share it with my coworkers and teammates that are building a blog for my employer besides use it for my own personal business.
thanks misty!
I love how well crafted Michael’s blog is. Well done, Human3rror.
thanks james!
oh, and mike has done a lot of work by himself. he's amazing!
As a writer who majored in graphic design as an avocation, I get caught up in the design stage and end up spinning my wheels, never getting settled on the look. I wind up with an empty blog and plagued by the lizard brain too much to deal with it. Then, I read Linchpin. I think the blog is too personal of a project for me to design (I could always come back and do it later). I’m finding it much easier to lay out a design for the company I’m working for. But, come Monday, I could finally flip the switch and let it roll.
definitely agree here justin!
I am finishing up my BS this summer to pursue a MA in Counseling. My desire is to reach as many as I can with the message of hope, grace, and love that God has for everyone of us. Blogging (and social media) will be a big part of that in the future.
I am such a n00b when it comes to this blogging stuff.
I could use all the help I can get.
Thanks,
Rocco
My recent post Get out of the Boat!
sometimes all you need is just to start blogging. period. don't worry about design or anything too crazy!
That's what I'm doing with my blog! http://www.FamilyInsights.net
Best of luck on your studies!
congrats! you've won a copy! email info@standardtheme.com!
I develop websites for non-profit organizations using WordPress. WP is great because it allows someone to maintain the site with no special software and only basic computer knowledge. I would like to have the standard theme because it is what I call "page" centric as opposed to "post" centric and for most organization who will not be blogging this format help to feature their static content.
My recent post Which CMS is the most popular?
sweet! that would be great. sometimes we just need to start simple!
This is very useful for me at the moment. I am on the hosted wordpress and have been looking into going to a self-hosted site. Having a copy of your Standard Theme would greatly help me once I go to the self-hosted wordpress.
My recent post Self-Improvement: What’s the big deal?
sweet ron! thanks for commenting!
I've posted random bits of things I found interesting around the web on my "blog" for some time now. However, this was aimed primarily at me, and things that I found so interesting, amusing, etc that I would want to look back on it at a later time. However, as my college career comes to an end and I start more rapidly building my personal and professional networks, I think it would be very good to start sharing longer, more meaningful bits of my psyche, personality, and thoughts with an ever-interconnected network. In all honesty, I haven't even yet installed the wordpress engine because I have been avoiding the issue of theming; however, you're correct in that it is necessary to start somewhere, and Standard.Theme looks like a wonderful starting place (although I really like the theme of your blog, @michaelhyatt.. and I'd take a copy of that too, if you want to throw that in ;-). It lets me bypass all the nitty gritty details in which I'm not expert and start sharing some of my solid content with ever-growing networks.
haha. doubt mike's going to give that up! standard theme is a great place to start!
Brilliance! I have seen this theme around quite a bit and am loving it. Need to check it out for myself. Great work by John and the entire 8Bit crew!
Thanks Kevin! we are really excited and trying our hardest to give great support.. we are also working on updates and ways to make the products we bring out amazing.
go for it!
If a person googles my brand, my blog comes up first on the list. If I want to drive up traffic to my site (now averaging between 500-600 visits each week), do I need to do more to my blog design or do I need to work on promoting my brand? I will be ready to push harder this summer when I finish writing my book through my blog, so I know I will have to have some wisdom on what to do. Maybe someday, I'll be in the financial position to hire someone who knows what they're doing!
My recent post #33 THE DOING OF BELIEVING: FAITH (1)
sounds like you need to spend a bit on both. 500-600 visits per week is great!
Thanks for the info. I knew something was missing in my Blog. Just until I read this post , my eyes were opened. Yes, i want this theme.
:) thanks wilfredo for commenting!
I'm considering purchasing the Standard Theme you created for the reasons you stated above plus as a reader of Micheal Hyatt's blog, I've been one wanting a similar layout for sometime now. I started out on blogger a couple of years ago because it was simple. I blog on several topics, and need a better way, other than tagging, to archive my posts. I've been looking at various WordPress templates, and found that none of the styles really fit what I was looking for: a clean, easy to navigate, but classy layout. Certainly if the sky was the limit, and it would be great to have a one-of-a-kind layout and style, but in the end, I think that it might be better to purchase a good starting place (Standard Theme), continue blogging and working on provide consistent and good content, and slow learn about all the ways I can adjust it. Above all, however, I think the Standard Theme reminds me of one of my favorite blogs, and like most things I do on the web, I find someone who does something well, I adopt the idea and creatively adjust it to reflect me!
sweet! let us know if you have any questions!
I’m not very knowledgeable when it comes to certain types of coding, so I need a theme that’s very easy to use. Because I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about my blog in those terms, generally I just write and post. Thanks for bringing up some good points about some more “technical” things to consider and remember. You’ve given me some great ideas!
sure thing jimmy! thanks for stopping by!
Hey Jimmy – feel free to contact the team and let us know if you've got any particular questions!
We are launching a church and I would love to win a free StandardTheme to use for our website.
cool! where's a link?
As a novice (Pre-School stage would be more accurate), my frustrations include not being able to tie my shoes or zip my jacket; figuratively of course (most of the time). In other words, most of it can be frustrating at times. I chose my blog based on ease. I have zero expertise in design or code and am only slightly more knowledgeable in the areas of driving traffic to the blog via social media. This Standard Theme certainly appears to be a strong solution to my challenges. Of course, if I buy it now, what will I do when I win one. I guess I'll wait until Monday. Thanks for posting.
My recent post WWYD – What Would You Do?
Kudos for launching your theme. There are many players in this space from free frameworks to affiliate wild fires. As a solutions provider, content coach, developer, designer and marketing strategist I constantly struggle to find a solid framework to build client sites and internal projects on. Generally I use organic custom code which has its value but increases production time and subsequently cost to our clients.
A significant percentage of our clients are ministries and Christian artist. Savings of time and resources along with well implemented innovation and increased opportunity deeply impact their effectiveness in ministry.
It would be great to give your theme a test run on a project or two but most of all thank you for getting in to the game. It is an open playing field that will probably run continuous in attempt to birth a perfect solution.
thanks kevin! although it may seem like it's a crowded field it's still quite a "new" field altogether! we're just trying to attack it from a different angle. we'll see.
;)
Nice attack plan. Having a client as a spokesperson helps too. :) Have you considered an affiliate play?
there is an affliate program… earn 50%!!!
Hi John,
I blogged for about a year several years ago but shut it down when I got divorced. I’ve been looking at getting into blogging again, it’s been gnawing at me,and I have had my new domain registered for almost a year, but just haven’t had the guts to publish yet. Whether or not I win the free copy I will get there soon.
Thanks for the consideration.
Chris
sure thing chris! we'll see monday!
Thanks for the warning to "new" bloggers. Although I am not new to blogging, I am new to self-hosting. I just got my blog to work TODAY (5 minutes ago) and now I am downloading themes like crazy. I need to stop the madness.
you just need one theme to start. pick one and go! content will help you craft your overall experience long term.
Yes! Give me the Theme baby!!! I am a newbie-blogger. I can write– that is not the problem. I have many posts completed and in my holding tank (Google docs). My frustration has been in the design/layout/ usability. I want my blog to go beyond the template. Thanks
wow, sounds like your ready to make a move!
congrats! you've won a copy! email info@standardtheme.com!
I would love a copy of this theme. I’ve actually been looking at this theme to use for our church’s website. It’s built well and incredibly simple. So to get if free would be a blessing. Thanks John!
sure thing nathan! we'll see monday!
Word! Good luck..;)
I would like this theme for the exact reasons you stated – I might want to change my mind later and it's hard to commit to a pricey design, especially when you're not sure the technology is going to serve you well. Plus, I think too many people are concerned with how it looks and they ignore the functionality – I might be guilty of this myself. This theme would allow for more freedom in being creative where it counts – the content. Looks great!
i agree! people spend way too much time on design and not enough just DOING the blog-thing.
;)
Hey John,
With MilkEngine's help I've been blogging for about 60 days. It's going a bit better than I had planned and, honestly, I need make some changes to the blog faster than I thought I would need to. I'd like to add some banners or ads for some conferences coming up but I'm still such a rookie. Is Standard Theme a good option for this? Would you recommend it for this Rook?
Thanks man…
Love what your doing.
Shef
My recent post Getting Stuff – Part 3
Standard has a variety of options for setting up banners along the top and the sidebar of the page. All you gotta do is upload images and provide the URLs for the links. Doesn't get much easier..
because you're awesome.
Hi John, I'd love to receive a copy of your theme, not for myself but for my church. We just about to set up a blog where we can post news, reports and photos from our church life and a need a great looking easy to set up WordPress theme that different volunteers can update; that can bring in a flickr feed and hold advert-style links to events.
Your theme does look great. Thanks for the post.
My recent post Giving Forms
sure thing christian!
I’ve been toying with the idea of creating a blog for some time now… But to be honest I don’t quite know where to start! Working for an NFP there aren’t enough hours in my day to do everything for work, let alone pursue my own interests. It is something I would definitely appreciate any and all assistance with!
we provide support for support license owners… perhaps we can assist you there!
I have considered blogging for sometime. I do find myself too focused on the design and thinking about how to make the site perfect. To be able to purchase the theme and design let’s me move to working on content and what I can offer. Thanks for posting you wisdom. I think it will help me move forward with a site.
sweet! glad we could encourage you!
Hi John. I am a PhD student at Georgia Tech and am looking to build a scientific research portfolio using a highly functional theme like this. This present offer is a perfect mix of great theme/price for my grad student budget. I am looking for something that will really help set me apart as I am applying for university positions around the world. Thanks for your consideration!
sweet! i graduated from georgia tech. ;)
GT alum here, too. Go Jackets!
Nice work on Standard Theme, John. Definitely a great option for beginning bloggers at the $49 price. You've included the necessities for sure. Spinning off a few blog designs each month, so I might give it a try if it fits a new client. Keep up the great work.
My recent post You have a Secret Name
sure gabe!
Great post John. I've admired your work through Michael's blog and have always been impressed. My blog (hosted at WordPress.com) is a little over a year old. In that time, I've managed to see it rank in the top 25 of broadcast industry blogs worldwide
However, you know as well as I the limitations of a WordPress-hosted blog. I've considered moving over to WordPress.org for a few months now, but part of my apprehension is fear of choosing a theme I regret later (how great would it be if every theme creator wrote a blog post on the advantages of that specific theme?).
What you've managed to do here is put me at ease about making such a move with the proper theme. I would be honored if you picked me. Thanks.
My recent post Changing Facebook’s News Feed Default Settings
Great post John. I've admired your work through Michael's blog and have always been impressed. My blog (hosted at WordPress.com) is a little over a year old. In that time, I've managed to see it rank in the top 25 of broadcast industry blogs worldwide
However, you know as well as I the limitations of a WordPress-hosted blog. I've considered moving over to WordPress.org for a few months now, but part of my apprehension is fear of choosing a theme I regret later (how great would it be if every theme creator wrote a blog post on the advantages of that specific theme?).
What you've managed to do here is put me at ease about making such a move with the proper theme. I would be honored if you picked me. Thanks.
My recent post Changing Facebook’s News Feed Default Settings
WOW! that's amazing! we'll see how the drawing goes!
Personally I use my blog as a means of fine-tuning my research and writing as I finish my Master of Divinity at Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary. With full-time work, family, part-time school, and ordination preparation, my time is limited – to say at the least – in making any such changes.
My greatest frustration as a blogger is not having the ability to do the Graphic Designing, such as a half-way decent logo and other cosmetic corrections to make it look, well, a lot better.
Some time in the future I will look to give the Standard Theme a whirl when things slow down.
Cheers
My recent post God-Centered Worship is Trinitarian and Transforming
very neat! i have a few friends who graduated from gordon. great school!
I would love to have a copy of Standard Theme – I've been putting off starting a blog for my home staging business. I have found the process intimidating as to what will work and what won't. I consider myself somewhat techie and agree with the great Frank Lloyd Wright – form follows function.
Standard Theme is brilliant and will meet all my needs functionally without sacrificing design. I love the ability to update down the road. The fact that you are passionate makes me think you will provide support to help newbies like myself get off the ground, successfully.
Thanks for thinking about the mechanics, without sacrificing design!
sure thing lisa! love your business name!
Lisa – our forums are designed *exactly* for helping provide design tips, customization ideas, and general support. Feel free to email us regarding any questions about the theme..
If I win a copy, I'll be practically forced to move to WP off blogger.
So I may as well attempt it ;)
My recent post The Stats On Slacking
I vote for you! blogger?!
Nobody is more ashamed of this than I :(
(I wonder if the sympathy card works…)
PUAHAHAHAHA!
Seconded
Don’t forget, a lot of people will read your blog through a RSS reader and won’t know or care when you change your design. That’s why content is everything.
definitely! that's right! content will sustain through the design changes.
Except that a person probably will never subscribe to your RSS feed if the design stinks when that person first visits the site!
My recent post How Roasting Coffee Helped Me Understand Technology and Theology
My new favorite quote: "Conversation is king. Content is just something to talk about." -Doctorow
I was actually a little disappointed in this post (still love you, Human3rror). I think code is the important (though I can't speak from experience), but I'd lump it in with design. Design and code are two sides of the same… well, site.
I would have said the third ingredient is conversation. The rock stars don't create the best music or have the best production (those guys are the studio musicians no one knows about). The rock stars are the ones stage diving and signing people's stomachs, involving their audience… touching, talking, laughing, rocking.
-Marshall Jones Jr.
My recent post Your objections to slavery (and my responses)
I have a hosted wordpress and have been wanting to switch to a self-hosted site. I haven't done it yet, mainly because I don't know what theme to use. Receiving a copy of Standard Theme would help me make the switch I need to make. Help me out.
standard theme would be a great choice for your move!
and, we can help you in the forums if you buy the support license!
Matt, the time is now, if you don't win.
I'd love a copy because I'm a full-time missionary in charge of various website/blogs and don't have time to search for the best theme or spend all day learning how to optimize, or customize. This would help us move our organization ahead quickly.
My recent post “No one here has shoes!”
I'd love a copy because I'm a full-time missionary in charge of various website/blogs and don't have time to search for the best theme or spend all day learning how to optimize, or customize. This would help us move our organization ahead quickly.
My recent post “No one here has shoes!”
I would like The Standard Theme because I’ve been looking for a theme that does all that this one does and haven’t found it yet. I’m not a WordPress expert at all an it seems that it’s an easy to use, full-featured blog. It looks great too putting the focus on content and being so clean, so yeah. I would love to win it.
great. this theme can be used by both experts and newbies! :)
I've been drooling over the Standard theme since it went to beta. Looking forward to the day that I finally get my hands on this and am able to put this on my site. You know there'd be some Standard Theme ad love posted right next to Church Crunch ;)
My recent post What Can You Get for a Buck These Days?
whoot! good to see you brett.
Always a pleasure. :)
My recent post What Can You Get for a Buck These Days?
I would love to get a copy of this theme. Amazing.
james, thanks!
After a conference call with Mike Foster and Jim Gray, I've been challenged to find a cleaner, faster loading theme for my site, http://www.angusnelson.com. Thus far, I've been yet to find one that meets my needs… until now. The integration, interface and ease of use appear remarkable. Better yet, I'm a graphics guy, not a coder. To have a sleek back end already in place is significantly advantageous.
With being a stay-at-home dad while promoting my book and speaking engagements, I have little time to revamp and waste. Your theme will be a tremendous help in cleaning up my site. Thanks for creating it.
My recent post You Tell Me About Me
sure thing angus!
I am starting to brand my photography site and blog now, and the standard theme would be the perfect theme to put on the blog portion of my photog stuff.
I am a college student, and don't really have the money to buy themes…so a free Standard theme would be amazing!
yes, we understand the college budget!
@timothy_b_davis
Although I have set up two blogs before on various platforms, I have not used them regularly. I am looking to set up a regular blog in the two/three areas I will specialize in (coaching, missions, student leadership). I am one who wants to be involved in design, but that is definitely not a specialty of mine. If I can start with a theme that is manageable and provides for a quality experience, that would be very beneficial in the beginning stages.
thanks for stopping by tim! cool. focus is great!
I was so frustrated with my blog design a couple months ago, I emailed John to talk about what it would take for a dope looking blog without breaking my empty piggy bank ;)
his response, wait a bit, I’m getting ready to launch the best WP theme I’ve ever created.
Since browsing around on peoples sites who use the Standard Theme, I am completely convinced.
I love minimalism, and efficency in design. That is what the Stand Theme does so well!
And I want it!!!!!
I’m ready to make the jump, and free is a pretty great price point! :)
:) hey sam! good to see you here.
Thanks for the support, Sam. That's awesome!
Sam, lets get this done today, what will it take to get you to drive off the lot today with this new theme?
Just kidding….
It is very efficient and beautiful.
Ha! I think I have a career idea for you Kyle…