Free Blog Layouts

Elements of a Blog Layout

There are several different elements that work together to form an attractive layout for your blog. For example:

• Background colors
• Number of columns
• Header graphics
• Text colors
• Post title size and font
• Body text size and font

Most blog hosts have a small selection of templates that you can use to design your blog. However, the problem with this approach is that you will find thousands of other blogs that look virtually indistinguishable from your own. If you want to stand out in the crowd, searching for your own free blog layouts is a smart idea.

Finding Free Blog Layouts Online

Even if you’re not a graphic designer, you can still have a great looking blog. The Internet is full of talented individuals who have generously offered to share free blog layouts.

Free Blogger Templates

Since Blogger is one of the most popular sites for people looking to start their own blogs, it should come as no surprise that there are a number of sites offering free Blogger templates. For example:

• Create Blog has a gallery of free Blogger templates that is easy to browse. You’ll find abstract themes as well as nature themes, seasonal themes and designs inspired by your favorite movies and television shows.
• Gecko and Fly has 20 free Blogger templates, complete with large previews of each theme to make it easier for you to pick a new design for your blog.
• Blogger Templates is a fun blog that provides new templates on a semi-regular basis. The designs inspired by movies, particularly the Shrek the Third blog layout, are great for personal sites.

Free WordPress Templates

If you prefer to blog on WordPress, you can find free themes for your blog by visiting the following helpful Web sites:

• Alex King has a nice listing of WordPress CSS styles that you can use to customize your blog. For a feminine look, choose the Pink Lilies. If you have a blog that promotes your business, choose Rubric for a very professional look.
• Weblog Tools Collection has an assortment of free WordPress themes, most of which will add a simple and sophisticated look to your blog.
• Emily Robbins has a list of more than 980 free themes for WordPress blogs. Unfortunately, there are no preview images available. You’ll need to click on each link until you find a theme that suits your needs.

As a service to users, WordPress also maintains its own list of Web sites offering free WordPress themes.

Free LiveJournal Templates

Although LiveJournal isn’t as popular as Blogger or WordPress, there are still a number of sites offering free layout templates for this service. For example:

• LJ Layouts has a fairly large collection of LiveJournal blog layouts, most inspired by current pop culture trends.
• Painted Layouts offers free blog layouts with a crisp, clean look.
• Share a Layout is a public forum that allows users to share layouts for LiveJournal, as well as Friendster, MySpace, and other popular social networking Web sites.

Blog Widgets

Once you’ve chosen the perfect layout for your blog, you may want to take your quest for customization to the next level by adding one or more widgets to your blog. A widget is a small bit of code that adds extra functionality to a blog or personal Web page. For example, there are widgets to display your Amazon.com wishlist, widgets to show your favorite YouTube videos, and widgets to embed small games into your blog’s design.

Widegetbox is a great resource for anyone interested in adding widgets to their blog. The site is free to use, easy to navigate, and features widgets for almost any type of blogging need.