Have you ever found yourself lost in the rabbit hole of themes while setting up your WordPress blog? Are you an existing blogger who needs to change an outdated, unsupported theme? Many bloggers embark on this journey—one filled with excitement, anxiety, and the quest for the perfect layout.
As I look back on my blogging evolution, I can’t help but recall the days of choosing that first simple theme, a decision that would shape my entire online presence. Little did I know, this was just the beginning of an adventure that would change with every new theme and update!
How did it all begin?
The first theme I chose was straightforward. It featured a space to add a profile picture and little else. It targeted first-time bloggers who sought a simple layout and a quick start. It got me off to a great start.
As the years progressed, I became more confident in changing the theme of my blog. I wanted a side widget bar to add information, such as a follow button, links to my social media accounts, and a box with links to previous posts.
That first theme change took me a whole weekend to complete. It wasn’t particularly complicated, but it required much work to ensure everything was as I wanted. After all, my followers had increased, and more people were visiting my blog, and I didn’t want anyone to think I was stuck in 2014 or going backwards in the blogging world.
Other theme changes occurred; each time, I found it easier and took less time to change themes. Then it came to a grinding halt.
Full-Site editing themes
Fast-forward a few years, and I considered changing my blog’s theme from the Classic theme I had been using to a new Full-Site-Editing (Block) theme. However, it seemed too complicated, and I was reading posts from other bloggers detailing the difficult transition they had gone through and a list of problems they faced. It reminded me of stories I’d read when some bloggers switched from WordPress.com to self-hosting their blogs.
Today, I’m still using a supported WordPress Classic theme (Toujours), and even though I have thought long and hard about switching to a Block theme, I haven’t jumped ship.
Future themes are here, but there’s a catch!
Last week, WordPress announced that anyone using WordPress could build a blog theme using AI for free. All you have to do is give AI some information about the type of layout you are looking for, and it’ll build the theme and do all the work for you.
Not only was I excited by this news, but it got me thinking about all those bloggers experiencing problems with their blogs because the theme they use is outdated and no longer supported by WordPress. These bloggers could let AI build a theme for their blog and eliminate all the problems they’re experiencing once and for all.
But what about those who won’t use AI? Would they rather continue using outdated, unsupported themes than allow AI to help them?
Using an outdated, unsupported theme can lead to several issues. Here are a few.
1. Security vulnerabilities: Without updates, the theme may become prone to security risks that could compromise your blog.
2. Compatibility issues: As plugins and WordPress itself update, an outdated theme may not function correctly with newer versions, causing layout glitches, functional problems such as not being able to leave comments and issues with WordPress believing you are not logged in.
3. Lack of support: You won’t have access to official support for troubleshooting any issues or queries that arise with the theme. WordPress will advise you to change to a supported theme.
4. Performance issues: Unsupported themes may not be optimised for speed and performance, leading to slower load times.
5. Missed features: Regular updates often include new features and improvements; sticking with an unsupported theme means missing out on these enhancements, which could benefit your blog’s features and user experience.
We’re not quite there yet!
Unfortunately, after a few messages exchanged between a member of WordPress staff and me, I discovered that this new service of AI creating a theme for your blog is only available to those who want to start afresh with a brand new blog. The AI software can not change themes for an existing blog. However, WordPress is working on this, and it will become available sometime in the future.
Given that I’m not confident about changing my blog’s theme from my current theme to a full-site-editing theme, I’m looking forward to AI doing the work for me. I just hope it’s something I’ll be able to do sooner rather than later.
Recommended reading about AI in blogging from other bloggers.
If you want a guide on AI on WordPress, check out this excellent article from Fedora, ‘A Guide To WordPress.Com’s AI Assistant.’
This post from Debbie at Deb’s World, “Reinventing Blogging: A Look into the Future,” dives into the controversial realm of AI in blogging, and trust me, it’s a must-read that has ignited plenty of debate. Are you ready to jump into the fray and add your voice to the discussion?
Would you use and trust AI to help change your blog’s theme? Are you still using an outdated, unsupported theme and experiencing problems? Are you someone who will never use AI, even if it means the problems you’re experiencing with your blog will continue? Drop your thoughts in the comments, and let’s chat!
The featured image of this blog post was generated using the WordPress AI blocks.
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