Thread: Why Are Most WP Themes Like This?

For a long time I have wondered:

Why do most WP themes have all that empty space on either side?

Why do they usually have a huge graphic at the top?

I dislike both of these very much but it seems that nearly every theme you see has it. Isnt the part of your blog 'above the fold' the most important? Why would you want the header image to take up most of that space?

Like I said I have wondered about this for a long time, maybe its just me because these themes seem to be popular and widely used. What do you think?

There are many free themes here that don't have an image on the top at all There are also a few "magazine" styles that eliminate the blank sides.

There are thousands of wordpress theme sites each with hundreds if not thousands of different styles

I know that all the themes arent that way, I already said that. But most of them are. I am not having trouble in finding a theme I am just wondering why the majority of themes are designed that way.

Presuming good design in general, themes often have large empty space on either side because the designer wants to put greater focus on the actual content of the website.

That said, it's not the only way to make your content stand out.

That's one reason anyway,

Originally Posted by kentuckyslone

I know that all the themes arent that way, I already said that. But most of them are. I am not having trouble in finding a theme I am just wondering why the majority of themes are designed that way.

maybe they expect you to put widgets and ads in the side?

I think it may have a lot to do with personal preference. I like big headers especially if they have some type of picture or graphic type scenery in them. I think it's purdy

I like the big header on some of my blogs. I think it jumps out and attracts attention. I guess it depends on the niche and personal preferences.

Originally Posted by kentuckyslone

For a long time I have wondered:

Why do most WP themes have all that empty space on either side?

Why do they usually have a huge graphic at the top?

I dislike both of these very much but it seems that nearly every theme you see has it. Isnt the part of your blog 'above the fold' the most important? Why would you want the header image to take up most of that space?

Like I said I have wondered about this for a long time, maybe its just me because these themes seem to be popular and widely used. What do you think?

I think it has something to do with Web 2.0. The term "Web 2.0" describes the changing trends in the use of World Wide Web technology and web design that aim to enhance creativity, communications, secure information sharing, collaboration and functionality of the web.

source: Web 2.0

Originally Posted by micoblanco

I think it has something to do with Web 2.0. The term "Web 2.0" describes the changing trends in the use of World Wide Web technology and web design that aim to enhance creativity, communications, secure information sharing, collaboration and functionality of the web.

source: Web 2.0

What?

How does a big blank strip on the left and right of the page do that? How does having a header image that takes up 20% or more of the viewable screen do that?

I think that traditional type of theme is a habit. Many people think that it's the way blogs have to look like. Just tradition...

Originally Posted by kentuckyslone

I am just wondering why the majority of themes are designed that way.

Because that is the basic or you can say easy way to design a blog. If one gets creative he will design something new but then he will not give it for free.

Originally Posted by kentuckyslone

What?

How does a big blank strip on the left and right of the page do that? How does having a header image that takes up 20% or more of the viewable screen do that?

I can't fully understand what you're trying to say but as far as I understand your questions...

IMO, having a large header for your blog will benefit you because it will help your visitors to easily remember your blog.

Or maybe... that's the trend now in designing a blog's template.

Usually have done this to keep it simple and clean

Almost eveything you read and hear about SEO and kepping your visitors on your site longer will say something about how important the upper part of the page is (above the fold) So why would you want that to be a big huge graphic? Also, we have to consider surfers with dial up and other slow connections, why make them load a huge image before they can see the site.

Just my opinion here but I think it is a bad idea. I have never seen any "big" professional websites with such great big graphics at the top of the page. Has anyone else? I would like to see it.

Again, this is just my opinion, but I think this makes a site look very amateurish and "newbie"

Actually, I hate them as well. But of course, there are people who like it that way and that's why there are so many themes.

You've got thousands and thousands of themes to choose from - it's your personal preference. I usually get premium themes, or custom designed to suit my likings.

Just found this site, there are some lovely ones there.

Wordpress Themes | Samir Kamble - Webmaster Resourses and Free Wordpress/Joomla Themes

The big headers are great for personal blogs and blogs that are geared toward women. We think that kind of stuff is cute :-)

Also, blogs that are designed to inspire more so than to inform may find the big headers a plus, helping to create the right 'mood' with the visual imagery.

I know that you are supposed to get as much content above the fold as you can, but aesthetics can play a huge factor with one's audience, especially in the blogosphere, with so many different and ever evolving niches. Pretty pictures and eye-catching colors may win a reader's loyalty to one blog over a comparable competitor with equal value.

However, I am also one of those who could never find a blog theme that worked for me - that's part of the reason I started making my own :0)

Hi,

I like the big headers. Another reason they are empty on the side is your content is not always the same every time. That would cause the open space as I am sure you know.

It would look neat if all pages are the same in size agree.

Sometimes the white/blank spaces also help draw attention to other things. Think of a newspaper advertisement some just look like a shopping list and others just fly off the page.

:flower:
Sami

Originally Posted by Jerlene

It makes it easier for me to put graphics and other extras on my blogs.

I am curious, how does it allow you to do that? Nothing at all can be put into the blank areas on the sides. I would think that you could put more stuff on your blog if all the space was utilized.

In my opinion most themes are designed for 800x600 screen res.

from the start WP have those kinds of themes, and they continue to provide these kinds of themes for new users, its their traditional design, I can also say that it's their trademark.. but it doesn't look good for me, sometimes the big header slows down the loading process and also for me the big gap in the sides is a major disappointment in web designing...

Generations take place specially with the designs. So maybe those WP templates designed before will surely evolve into something far more simplier and compact templates in the future...

In that way it's easier to create it.
No one would spend weeks to create a free theme.

Originally Posted by roughs0ul

In that way it's easier to create it.
No one would spend weeks to create a free theme.

Would you mind elaborating on why it is easier to create a theme like that?

there r a few themes that use up those blank spaces for ads... but researches hv showed dat placing ads on those places hardly make a difference to ur income unless they're CPM ads

The Wordpress themes can be easily modified. I do not like the huge images on top as well, so I modify it...just replace the image with something smaller.

I agreed we goota do something about this..

This is however my idea...about the "small size in width" of the blog layouts. Mainly bloggers are not Journals (I also saw a discussion of a report here, but its true..bloggers can't be really marked as Journalists...at least not of the real Journal's caliber) so the content in most of the blogs is of what...500-800 characters? Well imagine an article of 500 characters in a layout of 1024px width? it would look so damn short that it gives the impression of "not worth to read".

As far as it regards the big headers, I would have no clue LoL. When I design blogs usually I don't use header images, but instead I use headers for more informative purpose or call to action (is it top 10 articles or a RSS subscribe block, or a block of text which I can use to increase keyword density of my blog since that block's text will not change). I am not sure I can link to some of my blogs I have done to give you a picture so I simply won't link.

I might be wrong...but those are my ideas.

yeah most of the wp themes are as you mentioned....but some themes which i have seen are really different....!

You can design your templates if you know how to do so. So you don't have to depend on others' templates.

Its the blogger's choice and preferences. We just can't take away what he likes about the blog. If you don't like it just leave it.

Originally Posted by bleuken

Its the blogger's choice and preferences. We just can't take away what he likes about the blog. If you don't like it just leave it.

I don't think Kentucky was complaining, but rather opening a discussion to understand why most of the designers are basing their designs in that style. You can see several thousands of different designs out there for wordpress themes, but in essence (also what Kentucky pointed) is that they have all the same layout structure, from where I think Kentucky's question was interesting and with a point.

try artisteer.com

you can create wp/joomla/drupal

i haven't tried it yet but have seen a great demo on it

Because all wp themes are mostly designed by same software:goofy:

There are 2 types of layouts. Fluid and fixed width.

Fixed side don't use the entire browser witdth but are easier to implement and they look the same on all the resolutions.

Regarding the headless layouts you're gonna focus on the on the bottom half of the page because you want to see the rest of the page when you scroll, so after some time your attention will be focused there.

Headers also have the role of branding. Maybe some designers think the bigger the header the bigger the branding. I also hate the big headers, but still I don't like headerless pages.