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It takes you not more than 5 minutes (or less) to Google for a free WordPress theme and install it into your blog. But sadly, not all bloggers try to weigh the pros and cons of having a free theme setup on their blogs, before downloading a free theme.

Every one of us fall for free goodies. That is fine to an extent. But is it fine at the cost of our blog and blogging career?

Needn't mention, most freebies come with some or the other strings attached. Why do you think someone creates a WordPress theme (which is not such an easy task after all) and gives it away while he cloud make good income if it is categorized under premium themes?

Fishy. Isn't it? 

Well, it is quite obvious that there is something a free WordPress theme distributor seeks in return. But not all such distributors are into black hat business. And again, this clearly implies that SOME ARE into such black hat deeds.

The point I want to convey here is that you must be acquainted with the pros and cons of using free WordPress themes before you go for one. Also, being able to identify a bad free theme comes handy in blogging.

Having setup tens of WordPress blogs for myself and my clients (both with paid and free WordPress themes), I am well aware of this and would willing take you through it.

So let us get started with the better side of it first. 

Pros of using free WordPress themes

• Obviously – It is FREE.
• Way too many options to choose from.
• Some free theme providers allow you to change it/re-code it (of course this point does not exist under pros for people who are not technically into coding).
• Since it is a free theme that you are willing to install, you can try out many options as it costs nothing. 

Cons of using free WordPress themes

• You’d not get a customer support from the theme provider if your theme ever breaks for some reason.
• Free themes are rarely updated. Even when they are, you’d not get any update information upfront.
• Unlike in premium themes, you’d not get any warranties with the free ones.
• Though there are thousands of free WordPress themes out there, good ones can be counted on fingers.
• Most newbie bloggers rely on these few good free themes. So chances are high that the theme you choose is no more unique and is being redundantly used by thousands of other blogs and sites.
• Most free themes are not compatible with the latest WordPress plugins as they are almost never or rarely updated.
• Since no theme developer would want to invest more time on a freebie, free themes generally do not come with many features; but are just enough to hold articles and basic sidebar widgets.
• Not all free theme creators seek branding. Many out there also use the so distributed themes to generate backlinks to low quality sites. In many cases these links are cleverly hidden within the themes.
• Due to time constraint, the theme coders code it haphazardly without following a proper syntactical coding approach (which is not good for SEO).
• Some notorious theme developers release free WordPress themes with the goal of hacking websites/blogs by placing unidentifiable malware within the theme code.
• Free themes are generally not responsive (mobile friendly).

This said, let’s see what measures you can take while using a free WordPress theme.

How to choose a free WordPress theme?

Here are certain things you can do to avoid the pitfalls in installing free WordPress themes. But you cannot take these for granted and that the free theme you've got is unarguably secure.

• You’d first want to check the theme zip file for any virus soon after downloading it. One place to check is at VirusTotal.
• Then you may use an authenticity checking WordPress plugin called TAC. It checks if there are any encrypted links within the theme.
• You can also manually check to which sites your theme is linking with the browser plugin SEOquake.

Above all, never fall for nulled themes. Instead get the free theme from known theme distributor like StudioPress, WooThemes and other such.

Why Buy a Premium WordPress theme?

• Premium WordPress themes are feature rich.
• Most premium themes bought can be modified/recoded by you.
• Most paid themes come with the PSD files so that you can change some of the theme images for more personalized look.
• Most paid themes come with automatic updates. You only need to hit a button in your WordPress dashboard and you are done with installing a theme update.
• Premium themes get customer support from theme merchants.
• Since SEO has become more important than ever, the theme developers take utmost care to keep the themes they sell compatible with current SEO standards.
• Premium themes follow sematic coding of latest web development programs like HTML5, CSS 3, JQuery, etc. 
• Today’s paid WordPress themes are inherently responsive. So you need not use external plugins to make your site mobile/tablet friendly.
• Some theme providers allow you to purchase themes under extended license. This means that the so bought theme will not be sold to anyone else.

A noteworthy fact is that though so many features can cost a fortune, premium WordPress themes have become cheaper than ever before due to immense competition. The competition also brings out the best from the developers. So there are hundreds of new and better premium themes being released day in and day out, giving us better choice and safeguarding our site’s uniqueness. Nevertheless, they all come at a cost in the end.

Happy and safe blogging!

Through a process that to many clients can seem almost magical, you turn their leaden design problems into elegant solutions. And when they hand over that "gold" for a job well done, everybody wins! But even though professional chemistry is mandatory for every designer, there’s another kind of chemistry that many freelancers take for granted in the quest for gold: personal chemistry

Freelancer-Client Chemistry

There are so many different kinds of clients out there. So many management styles. So many demands, so many deadlines, so many revisions, so many contracts, phone calls, emails, scope creeps, suggestions from the CEO’s mother-in-law… it’s enough to drive you crazy!

And with deadlines looming and bills needing to be paid, it’s easy for many freelancers to overlook the vital importance of developing a strong personal connection with the clients they serve. We’re going to explore three reasons why that’s a terrible idea, how it ultimately hurts designers, and what you can do to reverse the trend in your own freelancing career.

1. Starting With The Wrong Elements

First, let’s look at why good personal chemistry is so vital to a successful freelance career. In chemistry (and pardon the vague references – not a chemist) when you combine two elements together, one of three basic things can happen.

There can be a positive (as in good) reaction, like hydrogen and oxygen combining to form water, a negative (as in oh my god) reaction, like an atomic explosion, or no reaction at all, because the elements simply don’t interact with one another.

Staying Positive

We want to have a positive outcome whenever possible, which is why it’s important to start things off with the right "elements," the personality and temperament factors that make both you and your client unique individuals.

First, take some time to give yourself a quick personality test. What’s your temperament like – not just as a professional designer, but as an overall human being? Are you the nurturing type? A bold self-promoter? A sensitive artiste? The "elements" that make up who you are as a person will always determine how you work, and how you deal with other p

Making The Connection

Next, ask yourself what types of clients you normally deal with, and compare them to the types you think would be ideal. Two brash, temperamental control freaks, for example, should not be teamed up together under most circumstances.

Working against your natural tendencies is never a good idea. There are exceptions, of course, but in general, you want to pair up with clients who complement, not clash with, your personality.

2. Working With Volatile Chemicals

The reason it’s so important to have good interpersonal chemistry with your clients is because you want to create long-term relationships with them. A string of one-off gigs for quick logos, business cards, or WordPress themes might seem like a good idea when you’re strapped for cash, but they’re actually hurting you in the long run.

These types of jobs require more effort to find, they’re usually less lucrative, and they certainly don’t have a continued payoff. All this means that you’re expending more time and energy for less money.

Solace In Repeats

Repeat clients, on the other hand, are people you get to know and appreciate over a long period of time. They like your work, and they like you. They recommend you to their friends. They’re always giving you new and challenging work.

When things aren’t going so well with a long-term client, however, it can turn into a nightmare. Demanding clients, say, the kind who might pay a retainer so that they can have access to you anytime – even if it’s 3 a.m. – can become such a nuisance that they may actually cause you to have an internal reaction all by yourself (we usually call that a meltdown – not pretty).

Mix With Care

Let’s be honest – we freelancers obviously like things a little bit crazy and unpredictable. But too much volatility in your clients can drain your mental resources and make you too tired to give each of them the value they’re looking for. Paring down your client base to the types of people who best suit your style is essential to keeping what’s left of your sanity intact.

3. Not The Right Reaction

Have you ever noticed that the way someone addresses you has an effect on how you react to them? If someone is rude to you, you’re more likely to raise your voice or be more defensive. On the other hand, if they’re friendly and non-threatening, you’re likely to react in the same manner.

These are social cues that rely on and make up a huge part of communication. Like we went over earlier, some elements, when placed together, have a negative reaction to each other, or simply don’t react to each other at all. Getting the wrong first reaction with a potential client can tarnish the entire process.

Being Real

Adjusting the way you communicate can be helpful in small doses, but it makes for a much more genuine and valuable professional experience if you make decisions about who you are and how you present yourself, and stick to them. If this means cutting certain kinds of clients out of your contact list, that’s probably for the best.

There are an infinite number of people out there looking to hire designers, and there’s no reason you need to resign yourself to working with clients who don’t suit you.

In Conclusion

Your so-called "golden" client, who provides a mutually beneficial, long-term business partnership, may not actually exist. But if they do, they’re probably not going to just drop in your lap. No one simply "finds" gold lying around – you have to go discover it.

The types of clients you’ll have the strongest chemistry with most likely behave a bit like you do. Like you, they’re busy providing a valuable service to people they can get to know and trust. Also like you, they won’t be eager to work with someone who’s not professionally or personally ready to receive them.

Most people don’t want to work with generic, all-purpose "service providers" – they want to work with other people. People they like. Surprise them by being your genuine self, and they might just surprise you back.

What types of clients do you usually take on? Got any horror stories about times you decided – and later regretted – to take on a client who was a total mismatch chemistry-wise?