Last Updated on May 21, 2023 by Michael Brockbank
As I work on rebuilding this website, I’ve decided it’s time to change its appearance. I need something that looks nice and won’t hinder speed or performance. And for the first time, I really want to use a fitness theme for the site. The magazine style is OK, but it’s time for a change.
After all, I’ve been using the same theme for a very long time. And although it has a lot of the things I like, being stagnant is never good.
Besides, there are a few plans in the works to take Crossing Colorado a bit further. And I’d like a layout that will best deliver that content.
Why Change to a Fitness Theme?
Actually, there are several realistic reasons why I want to consider a change. Even the biggest brands change their appearance every once in a while. Look at Microsoft. How many logos has the company pushed out over the years?
Change keeps things fresh. And if there is one thing you can say about my site is that it’s kind of grown stale over the years.
Keeping Google Happy
One of the things I’m struggling with as of late is trying to keep the Google algorithm happy. The current home page loads up a lot of imagery, which hinders speed performance. This means I could easily lose positions in Google.
Not to mention that some of the add-ons I have now are just not doing well when testing with PageSpeed Insights or GTMetrix.
So, it’s not just an overhaul of the fitness theme itself. But, I’m also going to remove a lot of background stuff that just isn’t very search engine friendly.
Easier Layout for Navigation
Currently, I don’t think the navigation of the site is all that difficult. However, I would like a few more obvious ways to find content that you’re looking for.
This is going to do more with arranging the navbar and planning out how categories will be displayed.
I need elements that are tappable by fingers, especially since the majority of users of this website are using mobile devices.
Optimize for the User Experience
An easier layout makes for a better user experience. This is a ranking factor for Google, and I want to get this site back to where it was a couple of years ago.
Don’t get me wrong, better and updated content are going to play major roles in ranking. But making sure I offer a great user experience is going to make all the difference.
Especially if I have pertinent health and fitness information that could be extremely valuable to someone.
New Content Delivery
I’ve been working on a way to incorporate a few new things into the website. But at the moment, I’m just not sure how to create the layout. With a new fitness theme, I am hoping the solutions will be more apparent.
Yes, I’ll be adding a few new plugins to manage things like the podcast and YouTube videos. However, I also need a layout that is perfect for displaying those elements.
I can kind of do that now, but it just doesn’t look right to me for some reason. Perhaps I’m just tired of the same old theme year after year.
A More Fitness-Appearing Theme
Part of what’s driving me to find a new layout is that currently, CrossingColorado.com doesn’t really have that “health and fitness” feel.
I want something to stand out and declare what the site is about from the moment a visitor hits the home page. Right now, it kind of looks like a menagerie of articles…which I guess it is.
Still, do you get an immediate sense of health and fitness when looking at the home page? Well, at first glance, anyway? Unless you’re looking directly at the articles on the home page, it really doesn’t scream “fitness.”
What Happens to the Content?
With any luck, nothing will happen to the content. All of the posts and what-nots will still be available on the blog. The only addition is the incorporation of everything else I plan on doing with the brand.
For example, I am working on a section specifically for podcasts and videos.
This means that there are going to be massive changes to the website overall. As I said, there are plugins to remove and pages to build.
Unfortunately for me, that means there is a lot of work ahead. I know what I want the site to look like in my head. Now, I just need to get the layout put together to show off the content.
The fun part is maintaining all of that content.
Does That Mean There is More on the Horizon?
As you probably already know, we’ve been working on a podcast: “Fitness in Theory.” It’s essentially our weight loss journies and how we’re progressing. I would like to add those to an area on the blog.
Also, I do plan on getting more YouTube videos up. I’ve spent the better part of this morning looking at whether it’s possible or not. So, you can expect more of those to come to the blog as well.
Not to mention a slew of other health-minded things, such as recipes and tutorials.
And yes, I have plenty of time to do all of the things I want to do. Part of what I did this morning was come up with an actionable plan that helps organize my day.
To tell the truth, I’m pretty jazzed about what we’re turning Crossing Colorado into this year. There’s a lot of work ahead of us, but I still believe it will be well worth the effort.
Running Experiments?
One thing I am debating on is running month-long experiments with each theme I want to try. Then, I’ll look at visitor retention to see which one performs the best.
However, there is a downside to running an experiment like this. It means that I could lose a few subscribers or followers if they don’t recognize the site off the bat.
That’s one of the drawbacks to A/B testing, really. If someone is expecting a certain look, they may not come back.
What Fitness Theme Should I Use?
The hardest part is going to pick a fitness theme that suits my needs without extensive modification. I could always use a page builder like Elementor, which I’ll probably play around with later today.
The point, though, is that it’s time to give CrossingColorado.com a facelift. You gotta keep things fresh if you want to continue to build a brand. And it’s been a long time since I’ve put in this much effort to revamp an entire website.
Let’s just hope I am lucky and stumble across some things that work well right off the bat.
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