I think my fingers got numb for the tens of times I had to write the same thing regarding this ongoing battle: content or theme. In any site’s case, people start realising a good layout is very important, but still many forum owners have a problem understanding the obvious: A GOOD THEME is important too.

Why do we have to chose? Chose what? Why do you people think that ONLY content is what you need? You start a forum because you have ideas for content and the forums stays open because of that content. If you’re not able to keep the content updated and interesting, then do something else and stop working on a forum that would stand no chance. Any forum lives on content, that’s something we all know and should respect in the end.

Still, many just think that the good content is enough. And when you tell them anything about that stock theme you’ve seen in tens of forums they just throw that content stuff and think they closed your mouth. And another thing that really turns my “evil engines” on is: “Why do I need a theme? Look at {{insert big-board forum with hideous default skin}}. HOW did they survive without that stupid fancy theme you just want me to have?”

Well, for those who still think this: “WHEN did this huge board start? Few years ago. Even 4 years ago the forum world was almost a barren land in many topics. I started a Karate board back then and there were FEW. Now, any topic has hundreds of boards, all wanting to attract that end user, the future member.

I agree that there are some huge forums with default skins that do fine. They do fine because they developed when less forums were in direct competition with them and now, no matter how ugly they are they have a huge number of members and posts and can live on.

What I don’t understand is why those forums admins like to have those ugly skins instead of using some of the money they make for a unique theme. They are lazy in the end and like to say the same thing many of the new owners say: “I have content, don’t care for looks”. They can say this from the height of thousands of members and millions of messages, WE have no right to think this and no chance if we use this idea.

Think about the members you have. I am active in many forums (it’s been long since I passed the 100 forums mark). I think I am getting close to 200 forums I am member already). And many of your members are not as un-educated as they used to be. Now they want features, now they know what forum looks good and what script is better for them. They are picky and very knowledgeable. THEY’LL JUDGE YOU.

As smaller forum admins we cannot afford ignoring any aspect. And a beautiful unique theme is one of the most important aspects. I have tripled the traffic in days, just by installing vbulletin on this site.

I have started growing in my communities more just because my members loved how “our” forum looked like and what new features we had installed for them. They think about your forum as “theirs” and when they see many improvements, then they are pleased and would eventualy become more active.

I already mentioned in a post I made that, even if I do step on some toes here, I think that those who say a theme is not important are those who have no idea how to change it. It’s something like the sour grapes. I cannot do this, so I just claim it’s not important.

If you’re still telling yourself this, then I have to tell you that I’m 4 years ahead of you in this: I started dojo.ro almost 5 years ago on a default skin on FrontPage. Yes, I thought the same thing. I had tens of articles created and a theme I didn’t know how to mod more. In few months I realised that I do need some better looks, at least so that I don’t die of shame when someone told me how BAD my site looked. It’s been years since then. My site has almost the same articles but had 5-6 “facelifts” to a clean professional look.

While I claimed I don’t care about the looks, I realised that in fact I don’t know how to improve them. I started then working on my design skills and improved. And at the same time my site improved. I cannot imagine why a person that CAN won’t work on the design of a site, knowing it’s not satisfactory ?!

So .. Just see what skills you need to develop and work on that. Install Photoshop or Gimp if you cannot aford a paid program and start working. Come into our forums and ask for reviews. No one would mock at you, but we’ll surely guide your steps …

Leave the “I don’t need” aside, start thinking “I can”.