Today’s assignment: create and upload a simple header, background, or both. Already done? Try a custom widget.
Picking a theme you love is the first step. Next, make that theme your own; start with the basics, like a header and/or background. Lots of you have already begun — keep it up. If you’re happy with your header and background, try your hand at a custom widget.
Today’s assignment: create and upload a simple header, background, or both. Already done? Try a custom widget.
Why do this?
- These are free, simple ways to add instant personality to your site.
- Photos, images, and colors work with your title and tagline to tell new visitors about your blog, helping to draw readers in.
To verify that your theme supports custom headers: check this list or hover over you blog’s name on the left of the bar across the top of your screen and open the Customizer. If you see “Headers” as an option, you’re ready to go.
Not sure what we mean by “header”? It’s the image or text across the top of your blog. Check out this example — on the left is the standard homepage for the Oxygen theme, and on the right is a magazine site that’s added its own header:
Don’t worry if you’re not sure what you want. Start simple, and pick an image that represents what you want your blog to be. If you’d like to tweak it a bit — change up the colors, add some text — we love the free and simple image editor PicMonkey. (In fact, we like it so much we published a tutorial on using it to make a custom header.) Your background can be an image, color, or pattern. Choose a color that complements your header, upload a photo, or browse our suggested patterns.
Need inspiration? Here are a few other headers we love:

See this at the bottom of your blog when you’re viewing the Customizer? You can click the different device icons to see how your blog looks on a computer, tablet, and phone.
You can preview headers and backgrounds without committing to any, so feel free to play. Be sure to preview them on your phone or tablet, too; a header that looks perfect on a 19-inch monitor might not translate to a 4-inch iPhone.
You may ultimately decide to stick with a simpler look, or have a header already. Preview a few headers and backgrounds anyway, to see how different images and colors transform the feel of your blog. You can change headers and backgrounds at any time, so you’re not locked in to anything.
When you’re ready, review the instructions for uploading and previewing headers and backgrounds, which also have some great examples. If you need more of a boost, we’ve also got advice on picking visuals for your blog.
If you’re ready to start customizing some widgets, start with the ideas in Widgets 101. Already too simple for you, you overacheiver you? Head to Widgets 201. Take the words and visuals in your header, and start puling them into your sidebar.
Not sure what visuals will work best for your blog? Your co-bloggers in The Commons will be happy to help!
Hmmmm…..lots of potential here! Let’s see!
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A lot of people use the same theme so having your personalized header and other stuff on your sidebar can make your blog recognizable. 🙂
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The Blog is an form of expressing yourself or rather the blog content , if you make it more appealing more people will like it.
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Nice tips. I read some other post earlier and done header and text widget in my blog. that really make great custom look.
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I have been spending quite a bit of time looking through other themes, now there are headers to add into that, and I just feel confused and overwhelmed. I love to cook and bake, but I am not big on presentation…..when I watch Food Network I am always blown away by all the time and thought it takes to make the food look like a work of art. I don’t want my food to look bad, but I am more concerned about it tasting good and being good for you, and after that I don’t have much time or energy for the fancy stuff. That’s kind of how I feel about my blog. It would be great for it to look really WOW, but after babysitting all day, it takes about all the energy I have left to just write something, and I’m behind on all of that already as well. Now that I’ve unloaded my frustration, I’d be glad for any help offered.
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Well, then I guess you should play on this. If you take the tagline like “food the busiest mother can cook” and very simple design with just photos of dishes – I think it will work perfectly. Honestly sometimes I am so uploaded with work, that I come late, and care just about finding a recipe. Trust me, there are a lot of busy people who don’t even look at design. If I can give you advice, I would say it can be great to add some pictures in the blog, and (please don’t be offended!) to change colour of the title (I have some personal issues with grey, but maybe other’s like it, listen to somebody’s else opinion)
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I, too, like the personality shining through your posts, and totally can relate to your frustration. I think you just need time to get your head round it all. I found it really difficult to choose a theme and customise my blog in the first month, so don’t let this put you off. As I like your posts, I follow your blog now. I hope you’ll follow me back!
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Thanks for your helpful reply and advice! I hadn’t realized that weekends were “free” in these courses, so I think I will use some of my weekend time to play around with all these ideas.
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I actually like your blog for your personality, It just needs an update on your “about” page as well as a few “Widgets” if possible… the nice thing about your blog is that the focus is on your writing 🙂
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I agree with this. If there is no great content and personality to a blog, whatever theme you choose, it won’t do it…
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I really appreciate the encouragement; I will definitely work on my About page this weekend, and I am now following you. It’s fun, like having oodles of pen pals!
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I went to several other site to discover the site I finally settle on. I didn’t know WordPress has specific site pages for writers. Check out my page, this is my third in the past week.
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Done with this one! I customized my ‘About the Author’ widget and made the buttons for my social media. Plus the labels of the categories that I write of. I had fun doing it, but Im kind of OC on my blog, that’s why it took some time (like a week). =)
I just need to get going. I needed this blogging 101. I’m really loving this!
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I LOVE you menu – it looks absolutely gorgeous and so well-organized
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Hmmmm, that’s an interesting theme! I am not sure I would use it, as it is a bit overcrowded to me, but it is easy to find stuff, so it is indeed well organised, as @tantoverde is saying. 🙂 I now follow your blog, and I do hope you will decide to follow me back!
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I definitely like the idea of consulting others and hearing feedback from them. 🙂 This is a very inspiring post! Thank you, Michelle.
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I actually quite like this theme, and it certainly suits your blog. I will follow it, and do hope you’ll follow me back. 🙂
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Thanks for the follow. I followed your blog too. I’m a shortie, glad to be following someone tall. 🙂
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Oh, and I forgot – Thanks for commenting on my theme. I like yours too…the ones with the set designs look great as well.
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Thank you, Annie. I am glad you like the idea of my tall blog. Can’t see your follow yet, but the stats don’t always seem to update properly. 🙂 Take care, happy blogging!
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I clicked the upper portion of your blog that says “follow” and it immediately changed into the word “following”. It’s that black panel above WordPress blogs.
Do let me know if you never see a notification of a follow from me. I’ll gladly do the follow again (the next time probably would be inside your blog).
That black panel is great, by the way…it enabled people to follow my blog in the past when I did not have a “follow” widget inside my blog.
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I took a picture that I thought represented my blog pretty well, and then I uploaded it to be my header photograph. I also added a bunch of widgets, today, that link to all of my other social media links. I’d love for you to check it out and give any feedback on how I can improve things. Thanks!
http://blushableme.wordpress.com
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Oh, Audrey, I think that you are doing great – really, it looks stylish and at first abstract, so the first second you don’t get what is on the picture, but then you understand it. And it makes you smile 🙂 It is very stylish, perfect for a blog about make-up and beauty 🙂
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I updated my blog’s header. So tell me what you think! https://franzical.wordpress.com/
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I really like it! I saw your previous header earlier and this fit more with your title. It looks great.
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Thanks I appreciate the feedback!
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it looks great. perhaps check mine out too 🙂 http://bobbybirje.wordpress.com/
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Really cool blog. Although I agree with tantoverde .The post color could use a change. Perhaps gray or even white?
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Oh WOW! That is really cool
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Thanks! Some people thought it seemed cut off. I’ve seen the issue and I resolved it.
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I like your blog (not too sure about the header, to be honest, as I struggle with working out what it says, but maybe it’s just me). I can’t seem to find the buttons to like or comment on a post, is this intentional? Anyway, I like the contents and your style, so will hit ‘follow’. I hope you’ll do the same with me, as long as you don’t find my blog too boring. 🙂
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Yeah I fixed it so check it out. Also I will be checking out your blog very soon.
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Yes, I like this version better. 🙂
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i made a slight change let me know how is it.. http://bobbybirje.wordpress.com/
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Don’t hate me (please), I love everything but the green colour on the star sky. Again, it is just my opinion, but if you could change it to the coffee color or something more towards orange or red I feel it would match the sky more. But I love your picture btw 🙂
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So many choices that I had to take a break. However, I just went with what I had, but I will continue to upgrade.
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I have a slight dilemma.
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Tell us! 🙂
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I like my theme but I would still like to add a header but the theme doesn’t allow it.
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Wow, wow, wow, this is my theme, too! Yes, it doesn’t seem to support the custom header, but I love my theme and wouldn’t change it just for this reason. Now you just HAVE to see what I’ve made of it. 🙂 I will therefore make sure you follow you, and hope you’ll do the same!
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I think it would be cool to highlight the title, but if the theme doesn’t allow – maybe you can customize something else? I guess the background is changeable. It would be so great in you case to have it with something music-related, like guitars 🙂
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I did, do you know if the background on OUR theme can be changed? 😉
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Hey, thanks for the follow AND for noticing we can change our background. Will have a look later when I am on my PC. I must say I like it as it is, as it has got some special personality to me. 🙂
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I changed the site title but with the chalkboard theme and the theme of the postings it makes sense to leave it as is. Unless maybe teaching related pics?!?!
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You changed the theme again I guess as you are not on chalkboard anymore 🙂
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The time I am back from job comments are closed.. But I am missing something with an About page, it is not visible on my blog
Any advice?
http://tantoverde.wordpress.com/
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Have you tried adding your About page on to your menu ?
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Actually I just deleted it and then added back. I think it worked 😀 😀 😀 Thank you, Hila, for your readiness to help!
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Can someone help me out my website doesn’t come up again. It all blank. What can I do to restore it, everything is blank.
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Can you give a link on it please?
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These were the first things I did when i first started blogging. however, i have made a few changes to my blog’s appearance… so, you can check it out here and feel free to give any feedback
link: nerdfighter0406.wordpress.com
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Yes, I do like it. It suits your blog, can’t find any faults with it. 🙂
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Is it your intention that the picture is in pixels? 🙂
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Gosh, I see so many things I can do. I promise myself to do all before the weekend as life is getting on the way.
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Nice layout, nice theme, but mostly – great blog! Good work.
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I just tried using Picmonkey and most of the effects I wanted to use it says requires Royale membership….anyone else getting this?
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Yes, that how it works – you can see right away: all the effects with crown on them are for royal members only. But you still can get some good stuff for free
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http://debooworks.wordpress.com/
Custom headers and backgrounds are a great way to personalize ones blog but one must use them only when necessary.
Check the link above. My blog is doing fine without any of these.
In fact, most of the professional websites we see simply have a clean look that’s easy to navigate and focused on the content.
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I’ve already done this before, too! Heh. 😉 Since I’ve always preferred a minimalist feel, I’ll just keep using what I have right now.
rhodainmanila.wordpress.com/2014/09/23/dont-compare-yourself/
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Damn it, it turns our the theme I like doesn’t support custom headers… What a shame!!
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Hopefully my header matches my theme. I think it does. Suggestions?
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I like it. I have used this theme before and I did stick to it for
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sorry, pressed ‘post comment’ too soon. So, I did stick to it for quite some time. It does suit your blog, too. I will make sure I follow it and hope you’ll decide to follow mine!
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I like it: simple and right to the point 🙂
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Awesome, been waiting for this assignment! But I’ve been sidetracked! Fun opportunity for my dog Bugsy to have his very own trading cards! Need help cutting down his bio… Any thoughts would be SO appreciated!! http://beesinabonnet.wordpress.com/
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I have my theme, Giselle because it reminds me of the simple newspaper from long ago and there is so much to be able to do with the background and colors etc…though the menu bar is limiting. Always allows for something to change and adjust.
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Personalize?
I have very little on this blog and it still feels perfect.
Remember not to overdo your blog.
http://debooworks.WordPress.com
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Minimalism is a personalization choice just as much as adding a header or background 🙂
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I have changed my entire site by changing the background and header. Also check it out my newest posting, it will bring a smile to your face.
http://007pandas.com
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Can somebody view my blog and advise on changes or customizations i can make? http://renegadeexpression.wordpress.com/ Thank You!
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Just changed the look of my site, I like it so far, but I know there is more potential.
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Looking at my background… it’s a bit pixelated so I’m making a new one 🙂
Check it out here
http://flypinions.com/2014/09/24/blogging101_day7/
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I was using a theme that didn’t have the feature to allow users to comment on the blog posts. Glad I found this one. I like this much better.
I’d love to get feedback on your experience when you visit https://snowries.wordpress.com/
Do leave in a comment there and let me know what you think. I’m a new blogger and feedback on the theme, content, and writing will be much appreciated!
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