One of the most exciting things for new bloggers to do is to set up their blog. They look forward to coming up with a catchy name and a snappy looking design. The enthusiasm is great but make sure it does not lead you astray.
When you choose your theme you want to make sure the theme has the functionality you want before you focus on the aesthetics.
Choosing a Blog Theme with Functionality
It is important that you choose a theme that has all the features you want. Perhaps the most important is to make sure your theme allows you to place advertisements on your blog if that is one of your goals.
If your blog is part of an affiliate marketing program or some other type of program that will allow you to monetize the blog you have to make sure the theme you choose is appropriate for that goal.
Some themes allow ads to be more prominently placed than other themes. Location of the ads is one of the keys on a blog. In fact you should view your blog as real estate and determine its most valuable places and use them for maximum impact.
If you plan to have a "tag cloud" on your blog, make sure the theme supports it well. The bottom line is you must make sure the theme you choose can handle the various things you want to accomplish.
Choosing a Blog Theme - Cleanliness is Next to Godliness
A clean, easy to read and easy to navigate blog is a successful blog. There are many themes available that are high on design and low on effectiveness. People visiting blogs are not looking for tons of bells and whistles (unless of course the blog is about bells and whistles). They want a clean blog that is easy to navigate.
Check the themes you are considering carefully and make sure you think it is easy to find all the different navigation options. Make sure the colors are not too harsh or your readers will not be able to stay on your blog long. Do not have too many moving components on your blog or it will be unappealing to blog readers.
You want to choose a theme that is comfortable for your readers. The goal is to keep them on your blog so take the time to compare different themes and ask for help if needed.