One of the best ways to set your blog apart, is to move away from the free themes that are highly available all over the web. This is easy to do too, just find a wordpress theme designer who is willing to create a custom theme for your niche. A unique theme for your blog is an integral aspect of your brand and your marketing. It will become associated with you and you alone. Sadly, finding a wordpress theme designer you can afford can sometimes be tough. We would all love to have our own custom theme, but that $500 price tag doesn’t always seem worth it. With that in mind, let’s explore how to find a wordpress theme designer, without spending a small fortune.

Find A Designer On A Forum.

The Buy, Sell, or Trade forums can a great resource to find a wordpress designer. You will come across many new and upcoming web designers looking to enhance their portfolios. The best part is that they will be willing to work for a fraction of what a premium wordpress designer would cost, with the same great result. All you need to do is find a design forum, post what you need, and let the designers come to you. Don’t ask for anything unrealistic (ie. expect to pay at least ~$100) and the potential hires should start lining up to get your business. Forums can be a great resource for finding a designer to meet whatever your needs are (even if your looking for something other than a theme).

Use A Free Wordpress Theme Generator.

While this may give you a custom theme, unique to only your website, it may not won’t be pretty. It’s fairly straight forward, decide on some sidebar locations, a general colour scheme, maybe some font choices, a few other design options, and that’s it. You have your very own unique wordpress theme. If you’re looking for something quick and dirty, look no further. Check out the custom wordpress theme generator and give it a try.

Have An Artistic Friend Draw One.

Ok, this one is a little cheesy, but it works. Have a creative friend? Hire them! The better the friend, the cheaper the cost. Give them a general idea of what you want, and let them go nuts. If they have never seen wordpress before, it could get a little interesting, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing - these days all blogs tend to look exactly alike. A few fresh ideas from outside the blogosphere could really mix things up.

Once you have your drawing, head to a programming forum and find a programmer who can convert an image file to html. I would suggest GetAFreelancer.com or the Wordpress job board, and expect to spend ~$50ish or so. Once you get your html, a little tweaking may be required, but there won’t be anyone with a theme like yours.

Make Your Own From Scratch.

If all else fails, just make your own. Now, I really wouldn’t recommend this, not all of us our artistically gifted (especially me), and creating a custom theme can be rather involved. But this is about saving money right? That’s right. Apart from keeping your money in your own pocket, there are a few other few positives to creating your own wordpress theme. Not only can you learn A LOT about CSS, HTML/XHTML, and PHP, but you also get to explore your creative side. Let your thee become your canvas.

If you need help, the wordpress codex site contains a complete guide to creating your own wordpress theme.

Break Down And Buy A Premium Theme From A Reputable Designer.

Sometimes there is no substitute for a job well done. When all else fails, contact a well known designer and have them create a theme that will set you apart. With a hired designer you will get first rate service, professional support, and (obviosly) a great looking theme. If you are planning to have a money making blog (ie. more than just a prersonal blog) this is probably the way to go. Just be sure to do your research before hiring a designer and always get a quote and contract before any work or agreements are made.