Website themes are very affordable and they save you a lot of effort and time when you want to create a new layout for your website. However, a lot of people make mistakes in the process of choosing and using a web theme and end up with something that was unlike the image they had in mind. Here are some guidelines to help you avoid those mistakes.

The first obvious mistake you should be aware of is using a theme that is very popular. If many people use the same theme, your website will not appear unique at all and your credibility as a solid, different website will be tarnished. In other words, you will appear generic just like your next-door neighbors.

To whole point of using a web theme is to save time and effort. You just change the title and appropriate details and you’re done. The biggest mistake one makes is to heavily customize the theme beyond recognition. While that may be good in the sense that you’re creating a unique graphic, you’re defying the very purpose of using a web theme — saving time and effort.

However, on the opposite side, if a theme you purchase is suitable but some changes must be made to suit your site’s theme, then you will have to take some time to make the changes. For example, you can find a very nice theme that suits your hobby site except the original designer has put an image of stamps in the header. You can find images of garden plants and spades to replace the stamps for your gardening hobby site. However, do only make the necessary changes and don’t redesign the whole theme.

In some circumstances, some people simply make the wrong choice of themes. This is a very subjective issue but you have to be careful in selecting themes to suit your audience. Do not choose themes just because they are pretty, choose them because they serve your purpose.