You never get a second chance at a first impression. And in the digital age, attention spans are already shorter than ever. So, how do you make your blog stand out in the whopping 600M+ blogs on the internet? M.J. Moores answers this beautifully. He says, “Build a strong foundation and you can reach even the most unthinkable heights”. Yes, it all starts with a solid foundation.
Source: Freepik
No, we’re not hinting at groundbreaking content. Of course, that’s important but there’s something even more important. It’s your basic blog template. Wait, what, a blog template? Yes, it has the power to captivate visitors. Or drive them away entirely. But fret not, for we will answer all your qualms.
Today we’ll provide you with 11 blogging templates. Whether you want to start a travel, product review, fitness, food, or even a lifestyle blog, the following templates have you covered. Let’s get started!
Understanding Blog Templates
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A blog template, in simple words, is a ready-made layout for your blog. It’s a framework for structuring and styling blog content. This generally includes elements like a header, search bar, sidebar, content area, social media buttons, and footer.
Why choosing the right template matters more than you think
Selecting the right simple blog template matters a lot because it:
- Offers a quick and easy starting point.
- Lets you focus on writing content, not coding.
- Saves time and effort, eliminating hours of design work.
- Enables easy customization without extensive technical knowledge.
- Amplifies the blog’s visual appeal and memorability factor.
That’s why a premade template clearly wins over building a blog from scratch.
Key features of a simple blog template
Below are the key features of simple blog templates that make them a popular choice for bloggers:
SEO friendliness
A simple blog template offers easily readable fonts, a well-structured content area, and user-friendly navigation. This, in turn, encourages visitors to explore content further by staying on the blog for long and keep coming back later.
Responsiveness
Responsiveness is another key feature of a simple blog template. A responsive template adjusts seamlessly to various screen sizes, from desktops to smartphones. It ensures your blog looks great on all these devices without affecting the design.
Customizability
Personal blog templates often come with customization options. This allows you to easily tweak their layout, color scheme, and fonts to match your blogging style, ensuring a unique and professional look.
Compatibility
Suppose your blog impresses readers on one browser with catchy visuals and breathtaking design. On another, it shows distorted images or messy layouts. We know you don’t want this. The top blog templates ensure compatibility and work seamlessly across popular browsers.
Fast loading
No one likes a website that loads slowly. Due to their minimalistic design, simple blog templates tend to load quickly. Thus, they provide a better user experience, reduce bounce rates, and improve your SEO ranking.
Intuitive navigation
The most basic blog templates are designed with user-friendly navigation in mind. This means that menus, buttons, and links are placed strategically for easy access. Overall, it’s all about creating a seamless journey for your blog visitors.
Top 11 Simple Blog Templates
Ready to explore simple yet pretty blog templates for your personal blog? After extensive research, we selected the following ones.
Eric Dahl Palmér
Source: Eric Dahl Palmér on Framer
Brief overview
NewHarbor by Eric Dahl Palmér on Framer is a sleek, modish template for bloggers with a dark orange theme. If you’re planning to start a design blog, it’s the perfect template to consider!
Features
- Responsive design
- Easy customization
- Bold design language
- Modern aesthetics
Pricing
It’s a premium option and costs you $39 to purchase.
Hideo
Source: Anders Norén on WordPress
Brief overview
Hideo by Anders Norén on WordPress is a monochromatic, stylish, and minimal template for content-focused blogs. It’s ideal for personal or vintage blogs. Here’s the quick demo if you wish to take it for a quick spin!
Features
- Bold headings
- Subdued colors
- 7 theme styles
- Customizable
Pricing
Guess what? It’s free!
Electron
Source: Codentheme Web Market on Dribbble
Brief overview
Electron by Codentheme Web Market on Dribbble is a simple, modern, fully responsive, and free blog HTML template that is designed beautifully. It’s a considerable option for personal tech and review-based blogs.
Features
- Easy to use
- Beautiful blog pages
- 100% responsive layout
- Fast loading speed
Pricing
It’s free of cost.
Norrsken
Source: Anders Norén on WordPress
Brief overview
Norrsken by Anders Norén on WordPress is a go-to blog template for those who love dark mode. This is an Aurora Borealis-inspired theme, perfect for travel, food, and lifestyle blogging.
Features
- Simple block theme
- Photo gallery style
- Stylish layout
- Responsive design
Pricing
It’s completely free to use.
Fillmore
Source: Squarespace
Brief overview
Fillmore is a clean template by Squarespace with a neutral color tone suitable for travel bloggers. All the necessary details are included already to save you a lot of time and (design) effort.
Features
- Customizable grid
- Mobile-responsive
- Extra detail pages
- Feature photo inclusion
Pricing
It is 100% free.
Lahanna
Source: pixelwars on Theme Forest
Brief overview
If you want to start your food blog, Lahanna by pixelwars on Theme Forest is the perfect pick. It has a salmon-colored theme and super cute visuals with the recipe index included, perfect for all gastronomy-focused blogs.
Features
- User-friendly
- Eye-catching design
- 100% customizable
- Feature-packed
Pricing
It’s a paid template and costs you $69.
Crossfit 2
Source: Aigars Silkalns on Colorlib
Brief overview
Crossfit 2 by Aigars Silkalns on Colorlib is an energetic, fitness-focused blog template with a green and white color scheme. It is ideal for fitness or health and wellness blogs.
Features
- User-friendly
- Blog categories
- Call-to-action buttons
- Online booking form
Pricing
This awe-mazing template is completely free to use!
Family Blog Template
Source: Wix
Brief overview
Family Blog Template by Wix is a charming template with soft, inviting colors. This is specially designed for parenting, family, and lifestyle blogs.
Features
- Responsive design
- Customizable
- Immediately editable
- Photo gallery style
Pricing
Sign up and start editing it for free!
Daren
Source: Aigars Silkalns on Colorlib
Brief overview
Daren by Aigars Silkalns on Colorlib is a modern, sleek blog template for DIY crafters or anyone who wants to start a personal blog. Its built-in design features let you focus on what’s important – content.
Features
- Cross-browser compatible
- Adjustable layout
- Responsive design
- Catchy visuals
Pricing
It’s a free blog site template.
Astra
Source: WordPress
Brief overview
Astra is one of the most popular themes of WordPress of all time. It’s an intuitive and lightweight template, suitable for various blogging sites.
Features
- Fast & lightweight
- Page builder compatibility
- Fully customizable
- SEO-friendly
Pricing
You can use it for free.
Gmag
Source: webRedox on Theme Forest
Brief overview
Gmag by webRedox on Theme Forest is a magazine blog template for news and editorial blogs with bold and contrasting colors. From header to blog pages and footer, everything is already established for you.
Features
- Professional look
- Responsive design
- Ad space
- Social sharing
Pricing
It costs you $69.
How to Select the Best Simple Blog Template
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Consider the following key elements when looking for the best template for your blog.
Niche
Choose a template that aligns with your blog’s topic. For example, a food blog can benefit from a template that highlights visuals. On the other hand, a tech blog requires a text-heavy template, preferably with dark mode.
Audience
Select a template that appeals to your audience’s interests, preferences, and browsing habits. It should make them comfortable reading your content. For example, a youthful template fits a teen fashion blog while a traditional, easy-to-navigate template suits an older audience.
Tone
The blog template should match the overall tone and style of your content. A template with quirky fonts and playful illustrations might work better for a humorous/ funny blog. But if you’re blogging about lifestyle, opt for a template with a minimal and easy-to-read layout.
Customization
A good template allows you to customize elements like colors, fonts, and layouts to make your blog unique. Be sure the template you choose offers enough flexibility for modification so you can easily tweak it to fit your blog style.
User experience
Always choose a simply awesome template that prioritizes responsiveness, readability, and user experience. A simple design is usually ideal as it won’t distract your readers from your content. In fact, it will make it easier for them to find the information they’re looking for.
💡Bonus Tip: Make sure the template supports the functionalities you require. Let’s say, built-in search bar, sidebar, social media icons, etc.
Wrap Up
Creating a stunning and user-friendly blog sometimes feels challenging, but it doesn’t have to be. Our guide provides a simple, quick, and hassle-free solution – a simple blog template. We aimed to give you an in-depth overview, complete with key considerations and the top 11 options to choose from. After creating your blog leveraging any of these templates, use our Free Blog Post Idea Generator. It will help you generate unlimited, customizable blog post ideas for your niche that complement your theme.
I am a full-time online marketer, for over a decade now. Helped over 100,000+ people & generated well over $12M in online sales.