Comments on: Are Free WordPress Themes Dead? http://www.themelab.com/2009/09/30/are-free-wordpress-themes-dead/ Tue, 10 Jan 2012 20:05:31 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Jase http://www.themelab.com/2009/09/30/are-free-wordpress-themes-dead/#comment-16490 Jase Fri, 21 Jan 2011 02:17:39 +0000 http://www.themelab.com/?p=995#comment-16490 Free themes are definitely not dead but their reputation has waned. It's difficult to find good quality free themes now compared to a few years ago. Some freebies are downright dangerous - malware, trojans and embedded links that do something (could be ok but raises suspicion). Good themes are not just about aesthetics but functionality (and yes keeping up with WP upgrades is challenging). Free themes that look good, are robust (ie don't break) and are seo enhanced will always be popular. I've been on the web since the early 90's and love open-source so support free themes with their designer linkbacks. Free themes are definitely not dead but their reputation has waned.

It’s difficult to find good quality free themes now compared to a few years ago. Some freebies are downright dangerous – malware, trojans and embedded links that do something (could be ok but raises suspicion).

Good themes are not just about aesthetics but functionality (and yes keeping up with WP upgrades is challenging). Free themes that look good, are robust (ie don’t break) and are seo enhanced will always be popular.

I’ve been on the web since the early 90′s and love open-source so support free themes with their designer linkbacks.

]]> By: Mike http://www.themelab.com/2009/09/30/are-free-wordpress-themes-dead/#comment-15739 Mike Fri, 15 Oct 2010 03:49:56 +0000 http://www.themelab.com/?p=995#comment-15739 I agree completely! The free theme is not dead, but its becoming more and more difficult for them to stand out. I've finally just given in and started selling themes commercially. Its just as much fun (almost) as giving them away, but the bonus is that you make money. I know for guys who were cranking out themes and putting them on their sites in exchange for ad revenue (like this site) its def hurting them... in the long run however I think its a good thing. Sites I recommend: http://mojo-themes.com They've got a killer setup for designers and coders that want to team up to make some killer themes. (cuz lets face it, not all coders can design and vise versa) Its called joint forces...and they are also doing a lot to help sellers make sales. Not like those other guys (TF) who just throw your theme out there and hope that it makes some waves. Anyways, thats my rant about the future of themes. I agree completely! The free theme is not dead, but its becoming more and more difficult for them to stand out. I’ve finally just given in and started selling themes commercially. Its just as much fun (almost) as giving them away, but the bonus is that you make money. I know for guys who were cranking out themes and putting them on their sites in exchange for ad revenue (like this site) its def hurting them… in the long run however I think its a good thing. Sites I recommend: http://mojo-themes.com

They’ve got a killer setup for designers and coders that want to team up to make some killer themes. (cuz lets face it, not all coders can design and vise versa) Its called joint forces…and they are also doing a lot to help sellers make sales. Not like those other guys (TF) who just throw your theme out there and hope that it makes some waves.

Anyways, thats my rant about the future of themes.

]]> By: Mikko Piippo http://www.themelab.com/2009/09/30/are-free-wordpress-themes-dead/#comment-15535 Mikko Piippo Wed, 08 Sep 2010 17:33:05 +0000 http://www.themelab.com/?p=995#comment-15535 I think the current predominance of premium themes is a sad fact -- I prefer to use free and open source themes on my open source cms. I think the current predominance of premium themes is a sad fact — I prefer to use free and open source themes on my open source cms.

]]> By: Paul Lamach http://www.themelab.com/2009/09/30/are-free-wordpress-themes-dead/#comment-15413 Paul Lamach Sun, 22 Aug 2010 11:14:20 +0000 http://www.themelab.com/?p=995#comment-15413 Some themes are meant to be built boring and not too exciting. Themes that are to be used to be built upon. This is especially true with child themes. I design a great foundation, then everyone in the world can improve upon it. In my case, when the theme is seen, nobody takes the time to actually read what the theme does. Developers don't have time to keep up with beautiful design techniques. Designers don't have time to keep up with the development side. I say the perfect solution is give the designers the great foundation to work with. This is what is happening with child themes in my opinion. Quick aside. I would think all your demos would have a duplicate content penalty. I see yours have some pr power. Interesting. Thanks for your time. Nice site! Some themes are meant to be built boring and not too exciting. Themes that are to be used to be built upon. This is especially true with child themes. I design a great foundation, then everyone in the world can improve upon it. In my case, when the theme is seen, nobody takes the time to actually read what the theme does. Developers don’t have time to keep up with beautiful design techniques. Designers don’t have time to keep up with the development side. I say the perfect solution is give the designers the great foundation to work with. This is what is happening with child themes in my opinion.

Quick aside. I would think all your demos would have a duplicate content penalty. I see yours have some pr power. Interesting.

Thanks for your time. Nice site!

]]> By: FurFurRising http://www.themelab.com/2009/09/30/are-free-wordpress-themes-dead/#comment-13602 FurFurRising Thu, 25 Feb 2010 22:34:48 +0000 http://www.themelab.com/?p=995#comment-13602 old stale and boring themes are not dead, that's the problem, last week I trauled through the whole of the theme site on wordpress and (imho) and 99.9% of them are old, stale and boring, I only found 5-10 out of the whole site that were worth any salt. old stale and boring themes are not dead, that’s the problem, last week I trauled through the whole of the theme site on wordpress and (imho) and 99.9% of them are old, stale and boring,
I only found 5-10 out of the whole site that were worth any salt.

]]> By: Pete http://www.themelab.com/2009/09/30/are-free-wordpress-themes-dead/#comment-8566 Pete Mon, 19 Oct 2009 11:00:38 +0000 http://www.themelab.com/?p=995#comment-8566 I'd like to see more themes built around specific plugins... why not eh? Plugins are really the meat behind WP so why not design/theme a site based on some of the more innovative ones. I'd still LOVE to see this design themed :) http://www.oswd.org/design/preview/id/3685 It would work brilliantly with my modified version of Justin Tadlocks 'Get the image' plugin... in my version I can retrieve any image according to their sort order. Please please please!!! I’d like to see more themes built around specific plugins… why not eh? Plugins are really the meat behind WP so why not design/theme a site based on some of the more innovative ones.

I’d still LOVE to see this design themed :)
http://www.oswd.org/design/preview/id/3685
It would work brilliantly with my modified version of Justin Tadlocks ‘Get the image’ plugin… in my version I can retrieve any image according to their sort order.

Please please please!!!

]]> By: Pete http://www.themelab.com/2009/09/30/are-free-wordpress-themes-dead/#comment-8565 Pete Mon, 19 Oct 2009 10:27:40 +0000 http://www.themelab.com/?p=995#comment-8565 I agree... it's more than just designs... it's about having purpose made themes, good options admin pages and lots of 'functions' that make my life easy. I agree… it’s more than just designs… it’s about having purpose made themes, good options admin pages and lots of ‘functions’ that make my life easy.

]]> By: Leland http://www.themelab.com/2009/09/30/are-free-wordpress-themes-dead/#comment-8439 Leland Fri, 09 Oct 2009 18:51:30 +0000 http://www.themelab.com/?p=995#comment-8439 @Kyle: Thanks for the kind words, nice to be mentioned in the same sentence with "Smashing Magazine" lol. Definitely agree with you that themes are far from dead, and tons of people use them. Not every WordPress user has a "theme budget" and there are plenty of free themes that are suitable for lots of different kinds of blogs. @Kyle: Thanks for the kind words, nice to be mentioned in the same sentence with “Smashing Magazine” lol. Definitely agree with you that themes are far from dead, and tons of people use them.

Not every WordPress user has a “theme budget” and there are plenty of free themes that are suitable for lots of different kinds of blogs.

]]> By: Kyle Eslick http://www.themelab.com/2009/09/30/are-free-wordpress-themes-dead/#comment-8377 Kyle Eslick Mon, 05 Oct 2009 22:07:24 +0000 http://www.themelab.com/?p=995#comment-8377 Leland, I can definitely say that free themes are FAR from dead. In fact, they still to really well. I've written about free themes in the past and to this date, they are still the most visited pages on WPHacks.com. I think your point that many of the free themes released (and covered on WLTC) are the very basic blog themes that look very 2007. There is still a VERY strong market for blog themes, but these designs need a strong feature or terrific design to be popular, just like CMS themes. As Justin mentions, design is no longer the key ingredient. The control panels of Woo Themes, Thesis, and Woo Themes are growing and becoming more innovative each month it seems. This is why they are leading the pack (as well as some of the free frameworks which do very well selling child themes). Between Smashing Magazine and here at Theme Lab, I think that there are still some incredible free themes being released, people just need to know where to look! Leland,

I can definitely say that free themes are FAR from dead. In fact, they still to really well. I’ve written about free themes in the past and to this date, they are still the most visited pages on WPHacks.com.

I think your point that many of the free themes released (and covered on WLTC) are the very basic blog themes that look very 2007. There is still a VERY strong market for blog themes, but these designs need a strong feature or terrific design to be popular, just like CMS themes.

As Justin mentions, design is no longer the key ingredient. The control panels of Woo Themes, Thesis, and Woo Themes are growing and becoming more innovative each month it seems. This is why they are leading the pack (as well as some of the free frameworks which do very well selling child themes).

Between Smashing Magazine and here at Theme Lab, I think that there are still some incredible free themes being released, people just need to know where to look!

]]> By: Leland http://www.themelab.com/2009/09/30/are-free-wordpress-themes-dead/#comment-8369 Leland Mon, 05 Oct 2009 01:05:09 +0000 http://www.themelab.com/?p=995#comment-8369 @Justin Tadlock: Thanks for stopping by and leaving your thoughts on this. I'm totally with you up until the last couple sentences. Do you really think a newcomer could come along and become the "top dog" any day of the week? The big theme developers now have built their profiles up over periods of several years. I think it would have to be a really phenomenal idea for a newcomer to rise up the ranks so quickly. @Justin Tadlock: Thanks for stopping by and leaving your thoughts on this. I’m totally with you up until the last couple sentences.

Do you really think a newcomer could come along and become the “top dog” any day of the week?

The big theme developers now have built their profiles up over periods of several years. I think it would have to be a really phenomenal idea for a newcomer to rise up the ranks so quickly.

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