How to Add a Blog Skin
Blog engines like Wordpress and Blogger are dynamic Web applications that allow administrators to easily change the look of their blog by changing the skin -- also called a "template" in Blogger or "theme" in WordPress -- which is a precoded set of files. Themes may be free or premium, and some may include features that help extend your blog's functionality.
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Instructions
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WordPress
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Log in to your WordPress blog to access the Dashboard. Make sure to log in with an administrator-level account; subscriber- and author-level accounts do not have the necessary permissions to install a WordPress theme.
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Navigate to "Appearance" on the left sidebar menu. Click the "Install Themes" tab to choose or install a theme.
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Click "Search" to search for free themes. You can search by keyword, author or tag, or choose from a menu of different options such as colors, column style or format. You can also choose the "Featured" link to browse WordPress suggested themes.
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Click on your chosen theme and click "Install Theme." WordPress downloads and installs the theme automatically. Choose "Activate Theme" to begin using the theme on your WordPress blog.
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Download a theme from a WordPress designer. You can forgo the search function and download a theme directly from WordPress designers. WordPress themes are downloadable from most designers in a .zip format.
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Click the "Upload" link on the Install Themes page to upload a previously downloaded theme. Browse to the location where you saved your theme .zip file and click the "Install Now" button. Choose "Activate Theme" to begin using the theme on your WordPress blog.
Blogger
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Download a template from such sites as blogskins.com, though there are plenty of others to choose from. Blogger templates are available from a various Web designers, and come in the .xml format. Save the template to your hard drive.
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Log in to your Blogger account and select the blog that you want to apply the template to.
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Click on the "Design" tab and then click on the "Edit HTML" option to access to the template upload page.
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Upload your template under the "Backup/Restore Template" option by clicking the "Choose File" button and then navigating to the template file you downloaded. Click "Upload" to upload it to your Blogger website.
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Click the "View Blog" link to view the live changes.
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Tips & Warnings
Free skins often require users to link back to the designer, and may be less customizable than premium skins. Premium blog skins can vary in price from a few dollars to a few hundred, depending on the designer and the functionality. Some theme designers may offer a free version of premium themes that have less functionality.
References
Resources
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