Does It Matter What Your Blog Looks Like?
Hi Heather,
I wonder if you can help me. I’m worried about whether my blog template should be changed or not. It’s just a standard blogger template and I am worried that it might put some people off. I have seen so many great designs on different blogs and mine looks so boring in comparison. Does it matter what it looks like?
M
My answer was that I was no expert but I would ask you.
Personally I think it does make a difference, this is why I have mine the way I do, to stand out a little, to be memorable. (Don’t get me wrong here – I’m not saying mine is perfect, although I do love it so, but it certainly stands out). I don’t think a standard template puts me off reading but it does stop me remembering who wrote what. In fact just last week I spent ages trying to track down a great post I’d read but I couldn’t for the life of me remember who had written it – it was one of those Minima Blogger templates – that was all I could remember.
But coming from a woman that practically has to write ‘breath in, breath out’ on her to-do list each day, this isn’t so surprising. I still have no idea who wrote it but now I can’t remember what it was about either. Sigh.
I do however have a personal hatred of a couple of the Blogger standard templates – I won’t say which for fear of offending* – but each time I try to read a post in these templates I get about half way through and close it – I just loath them so.
What do you think? Does the design of the blog make any difference to you? Do you find it harder to remember the blog if it looks the same as all the others? Does it put you off reading it if it’s a standard template looking the same as so many others? Do you take more interest in the ones that stand out design wise? Does none of it matter a damn to you?
*Okay, I’m going to fess up. It’s the green one and the pink one. Sorry. I just loath them and can’t read them. I do try, for the bloggers I really like, but so many times I just can’t fight my way to the end, it’s something about the colour scheme that distracts me from the writing. Don’t hate me.
I'm Heather, an ex expat, now back in blighty and living in Lancashire. Which is just like Lapland only less snowy...and stuff.
“breath in, breath out”…lol! I use blogger but I do think it matters hwo blogs look. I like your a lot. Due to my dyslexia I struggle to read a lot of blogs and, call me selfish but, I tend to favour the ones that don’t stress me out.
Oh no – I am a pink one!
and I’m the green one aaagh!!!
And today i am greener than normal http://barenakedmummy.blogspot.com/2010/03/happy-st-patricks-day.html
Time to get a customized blog for me I think lol!
And yes-sometimes the format is too hard on the eyes.
Dear Heather: I’m not pink or green, but white. And so are you. I’m viewing through a reader.
Your sincerely,
A.N.Other-Blogger
Oh I have to disagree here, I am all for the simple that doesnt detract through from the writing. Plus I read all my blogs through a reader – dont most people?
Your blog, your taste. At the moment I currently love LIz’s at Violet Posy and also Kelly at a place of my own, both pretty simple, but visually easy on the eye and eye candy at the same time.
At the mo, I still dont have one – I am a true Minima, not even a header image!
It makes absolutely no difference whatsoever. I read blogs because of the writing, not the design – it would be different if there was a ‘blogstand’ (like a newsstand) and all the blogs were fighting for your attention visually, but there isn’t. It just comes down to the quality of the writing and how interesting the content is. Several of the most sucessful blogs are the ones with the most simple design. And some blogs are fur coat and no knickers.
I’ve tweaked and tweaked until my blog today in no way resembles what my original blog was. I hope I’m OK on the eyes but I am with you…sometimes there’s too much going on. Like with really busy backgrounds…that does my head in and takes for EVER to load.
I DO NOT read my fav blogs in a reader…I like to go to your site and see the prettiness! And I love your blog and you!
Karin
As you know I’ve been busy changing the look of my blog. I’m happy with the result but in retrospect I need to focus more on the content. I think the content is the most important thing but if it looks good then it helps as well. You have great content and a great layout. I’m with you on a couple of the templates..I haven’t come across the Green and Pink one but there is a polka dot one that drives me nuts….I can’t read the posts!
Cheers, Chrissie (www.mediocremum.com)
I think it does, but then I would say that
In all seriousness though, I have read some fabulous blogs on google reader and the content is amazing, then you click through and GAH! You just don’t see the content for all the crap on the page and it distracts the eye entirely. But I think it’s one of the things you get to grips with as you become a more experienced blogger – you should have seen some of my early efforts! It’s just another learning curve.
Aww thanks xx
The look of a blog doesnt affect weather I read it or not, for me its the content. If they have a design I dont like I will just read it in greader instead! Its about the content not the style for me.
Oh dear, mine’s the standard blogger template and green to boot. No wonder you don’t read me!
When I started to blog I had no idea and just picked the first template available.
Personally, I don’t care what a blog looks like as long as the wording is clear; some of the black ones can be a pain to read.
Your template is particularly striking but I wouldn’t come back for more unless the writing was good and it is.
Well, I must get back to my boring, loathsome green blogger place. Sniff. I’m not offended. Sniff, sniff (sound of blubbing as Dumdad drags his weary feet back to The Other Side of Paris).
I have a hard time reading black background with white font. Also can’t stand blogs with tons of ads all over them.I hope mine isn’t too ugly. lol It did used to be pink.
I read all my fave blogs in a reader so I don’t care, I’m just looking for thought provoking unique content.
The look of the blog doesn’t effect me if I know the blogger–then its only about content and length. I will read 2000 words of really awesome content, but I only want to read 500-800 words of pretty good content. No amount of fun-great-pretty-quirky blog design will keep me interested if content is rubbish.
However. If the blog looks great, I like to spend more time there exploring. It’s like walking into someone’s home–some homes just feel more interesting or fun or relaxing to spend time in.
Also, I don’t use a reader. Perhaps I should so I can be more efficient, but I prefer to go to the blog as it is more representative of the person… and helps me remember who said what, just as you said; so I guess content does count for something!
I’m using one of the Minima templates but am working on a new design. My problem is narrowing down ideas to the ‘look’ I want.
I’m not necessarily put off by the different templates or colour schemes but sometimes the font will annoy me. If it’s too big, I think they are aiming at a 5 year old and if it’s too small I’ll probably click off after one paragraph.
I’d like to make mine a bit more unique and pretty but I’ve bugger all idea how to go about it. Might buy myself some books on the subject.
I think adding a little touch of individuality to a blog is good for the both the bloggee and the reader. But being trained a little in the arts of web design I’m also aware of “accessability issues” – people need to be able to read your material easily without having their eyes distracted or even blinded by clashing colours and flashing banners. It’s all a question of good taste. And some blog templates are just plain tasteless!
Reverse out writing is the hardest to read! Even harder on screen.
Wow, you will read 2000 words of great content? I often struggle with my posts to get them short and snappy…. I guess I’m just loquacious.
I think what sometimes distracts me more that the colour scheme of a blog is the amount of things in the side bars, im trying to tidy mine up abit at the mo by adding pages for things like my blog roll.
But then again im a bit of a technical neat freak, next on the list is trying to re-design MissSearles.co.uk :-s
I think it does matter. If for no other reason than it gives your reader a glimpse of your blog’s ‘brand’. The way your blog is written and the way your blog appears on the screen should tie-in. Well that’s the marketing behind it anyway!
Caveat–I read 2000 words ONLY if it is really awesome content! My top tip to most bloggers would be to write their best post, then cut it in half. You’re right to be short and snappy!
I never read blogs in a reader, as for me the visual appearance of a blog is quite important, though of course less important than the content. I learn quite a lot from all the things that go into people’s sidebars, from a promotional point of view, though as someone has already said, too many ads puts me off a bit – particularly if they’re flashing, blinking or moving!
Well I have a bit of a pink overload on mine but living in a house full of men with absolutely no shred of pinkness my blog is my one outlet – hope you will put up with it. Your post made me think of the story, I think Dr Suess about the birds with stars on the tummy and ones that had not – I like your blog because it is different in content, you have intelligent debates, sometimes with yourself, often with others and I like that. I also like the reindeer and it is easy to remember where to find you.
It does matter, yes, and I’m also never satisfied
Nice post…
Well clearly it matters to me as I’ve just had a new one custom made for the same reasons as you I guess. My blog is personal so I wanted it to look personal. It’s my one real indulgence and in it’s own way it gives me alot of happiness. So I’m celebrating that by having an illustration and design. In fact yours was one I sited as a great layout (see I’m just sucking up now). But in answer to the question, to me it does matter, but standard templates don’t put me off.
I think it does a bit. But I’m more likely to turn off a blog with lots of adverts and loads of whizzy bangy bits – just too much. I have a small brain, it’s addled by small children. I like it simple. The other thing that will actively make me switch away from a blog is a black background with light writing. Gives me a headache.
I’d love to have a play with my blog template a bit, but don’t have the time/money to do so. It is on my list of things to do though. Yours is great, it does look different to the others so it definitely stands out!
For me the content is more important than the layout. I like photos though, so that would be my preference. Also, my PC is rather slow so if a blog has got a lot of graphic and it takes me ages to load, I’d rather leave it as I don’t have much spare time. Yours is brilliant, Heather! Ciao. A.
Gosh does it? I dunno. Reading your comments I kind of agree with people who say yay and kinda agree with people who say nay. I just like playing around with Photoshop. And I like wine. I do like wine…
It matters to me, but only because I like to be different and I think one way to stand out from the crowd is to have a layout that’s different to everyone elses. I will forever remember your blog as the reindeer poo blog!
I read through greader so unless your post is good enough for me to click overr and comment, I’m really not going to be bothered how it looks. That said, landing on a blog that’s pretty is much more enjoyable than one with flashing lights, music playing and all that jazz.
At the end of the day though, as long as your writing’s good and you’re avoiding the major design sins (see above! although there’s a few more on that list) that’s the main thing.
I know what you mean about some just blurring into the same old (guilty as charged)
I have a minima template but hopefully it looks a bit different because I’ve used my own background & header! I like to read blogs that are easy on the eyes (pref white background & grey text) and that are easy to navigate. I love images with posts. It would be boring if they all looked the same!
OMG, I’m pink…. I’m devastated….only kidding……actually I’ve been thinking of changing the colours, but I’m not great with techi stuff and panic when it all goes wrong. I seem to avoid blogs that have too much going on and bits flashing too, I tend to read the ones that are plain and simple..
It is important to me how my blog looks, although saying that I am never satisfied with it and always tweaking it.
I do like to see blogs made personal rather than following the standard run of the mill blogger templates that we all start out with, but at the moment anything with too much fuss or detail or anything with 100′s of widgets or music are impossible for me to read as I am using Mr Posh’s annoying slow netbook and I am too impatient to wait for the pages to load.
I completely agree. Which is why I’ve had issues with my blog from the start. I’m just scared to mess with it, and I’m not willing to pay anyone to do something about it.
I like simplicity. I love photos included in peoples posts, but do tend to get distracted if there is too much going on all over the blog . Having said that some of the blogs I follow are quite visually “busy”, but I go back to thenm because I enjoy the quality of the writing.
I won a makeover for mine and I do like it better. I think what makes me return or not is if the page is easily navigable and is orderly, and doesn’t load slow.
This is a really interesting subject and I have loved seeing all the comments too. Like many, I don’t like a busy page or light writing on a dark background but after that I am easy. I always visit the blog, don’t use a reader. I prefer plain and easy on the eye. I have the bog standard GREEN blogger one (lol), which I like because it is easy on the eye and I have taken most of the busy stuff off my sidebar and put it on seperate pages to keep it ‘clean’. Jen.
I am what people call a serial decorator. I have to have everything seasonally appropriate. So, my blog design changes about every 4 weeks. It’s kind of funny. So, I guess you’d say….it matters to me, yeah.
Yes, I think it does. But then again, if the content’s shit, then the blog won’t make a whole lot of difference anyway.
CJ xx
The design of a blog does not make any difference to me – it is the quality of the writing or whether I love the blogger’s views that makes me come back. That said if the blog looks really ugly with all kinds of flashing bits and yellow type on black etc it would put me off if I was a first timer coming on it and I might not even read it. Like the page designs on MySpace is so ugly I can’t even go there…lol
Your blog looks wonderful and luckily your writing is wonderful too.
I’m too scared to change my plain boring one, I hear the word code and start trembling.
I really don’t care what a blog looks like, for me its all about the content. I never remember what they look like
yeah, not being stressed out is a big factor.
Ooh yes, love a good design. Yours stands out, and is witty – two great attributes. Wish I had a design gene myself, not to mention your little friend with antlers!
Oh no1 i knew i shouldn’t have written that, I knew i was going to feel really guilty once i had. I’m sorry. its just the colour scheme does something weird to my eyes.
there is something about that shade of green or something, but it always drags my eyes away from the text into the green and the green hurts my eyes. It’s probably just me though, i have strange eyes.
lol! Interesting to see what people think as we were talking about this a weeks ago or so. I do like the template of yours though, it is easy on the eyes.
ahh, of course! i used to read all my blogs through my reader but lately I’ve been reading them on the blog, not sure why, I just prefer it this way at the moment – I may change back in the future though.
I agree with your choices there, i love those two.
I don’t know if everyone uses a reader though, I use mine to keep track of what’s new but i tend to read them on the actual blog.
You see! you can tell your husband how wrong he was now! lol
Very true, your blog can look the bees knees but if there’s nothing worth reading then what’s the point?
I used to read all mine in a reader but if felt sort of impersonal somehow and I feel like I know the blogger better by visiting their blog.
It is easy to keep tweaking and tweaking though isn’t it! Sometimes it’s hard to know when to step back and leave it. i think yours looks great.
The polk a dot one doesn’t bother me too much – it’s interesting which ones upset different people. I guess there’s no pleasing all the people, huh?
I like the look of your blog, love the new header.
*runs off to check if her blog is green or pink!!
That’s heart warming to hear. I will read a blog, or try to, regardless of the design – i do have terrible memory issues though with the ones that all look very similar but that’s probably just me – my brain has shrunk to the size of a pea.
oh i so do read your blog! and it isn’t proper green is it? i don’t remember it being…goes to check…no, you only have a green header – very easy to read even for my rubbish eyes!
It’s funny but even with my dodgy eyes i don’t have an issue so much with the black ones, small fonts bug me though – I have to peer in close to my computer screen like an old woman driving down the middle lane of the motorway!
And stop snivelling man, it’s not becoming of you and you’ve made a snotty mess all over my comments!
I love yours it’s really easy to remember who’s blog it was cause, well, there’s a cat on the counter! lol
It’s really odd that with my dodgy eyes i don’t have a problem with the white on black, it’s more the brightness of the colours for me…really interesting to hear what problems every one else has!
After a small bit of fiddling I have changed to a mellower green – sorry I like green!
Hope its not scary now!
Fair enough. I used to read all mine the same way but for some reason in the last month or so I’ve started preffering to read directly from the blogs. Maybe it’s because it helps me remember who wrote what more…I dunno.
I struggled for ages with what i really wanted mine to look like. Ask Liz, i think she was ready to kill me at one point lol. the beauty of living so far away! lol.
But yes, i agree, content is the most important for me. As long as it’s not flashing at me i can read a long post if it puls me in and keeps me reading. Sometimes I’m surprised at the length of things i will read if it’s by someone that i know and like or someone that writes really well.
ha ha ha, i’m sure michelloui didn’t mean that Vix’s posts weren’t good enough to be long but it kinda read that way. Made me laugh anyway.
And Vix, i think your posts are great, you are on of the few bloggers whose posts I will read even if they scroll waaaaaay down.
You can get loads of great free templates that you can add your own header too and there’s tons of useful info in Google.I got mine done through Liz and violet Posy cause i didn’t want to spend the time doing it myself and she’s really good. Can thoroughly recommend her if you are thinking of going down the ‘get someone to do it’ route.
Small font is way worse for me cause i end up bunch up against the screen squinting trying to read it. lol
flashy things make me want to kill someone! Seriously. So does music that auto plays when you land on the blog.
It’s really hard to resist putting so much stuff in the sidebars isn’t it? Especially when people keep giving you nice little badges and you join another group etc. I am trying to keep fairly uncluttered but they keep filling up…sigh.
ahh, my marketing guru! Yes, I guess it does, it shows people who you are and what your blog is about.
Sometimes with yourself! lol. How well you know me.
It wasn’t the pinkness so much as one particular blogger template which isn’t the one you have. It’s something to do with the shade of the colour i think…I don’t know really…but anyway, it’s not yours…unless you’ve gone and changed on me, I’ve not been over for a while…coming to check…
ha ha ha, i know that feeling well. It was the main reason I had someone do mine, to stop me keep fiddling with it all the time. I’m too afraid i’ll bugger it all up if i mess with it now.
oooh, you have, haven’t you! how did i miss that? Looking nice.
yup, whizzy bangy bits are just plain wrong. There are lots of free blog templates you can get and then just stick your own header in or whatever. It doesn’t have to cost anything. Are you on blogger, i can’t remember?
sometimes my internet connection runs really slow – don’t know why, it just does, and i know which blogs i can’t read then cause it just takes too long to load. It can suck a lot of time though, trying to find the ‘perfect’ one or doing your own code.
We have so much in common, I like wine to. I also agree with everyone’s comments, and i really like wine. Speaking of which, it’s way past wine o’clock already and i don’t have a wine glass next to me…
ha ha ha, it’s good that it stays in peoples minds. lol
You talk of sensible things, oh wise one. It shouldn’t matter that much what it looks like as long as the content is worth reading.
oops, sorry. It is probably just me though, my brain is quite addled. not sure the wine is helping, but it does make me care less
I always remember yours, it’s a very unique header. I would be very boring – and really confusing for idiots like me who can’t remember simple things.
simple is good. that’s what i keep telling myself anyway fnaar fnaar.
I know what you mean about the panicy thing, i get that a lot convinced i’m about to destroy everything with the click of a button
ooh does that mean mine’s loading okay then since you came and commented and stuff+ i do hope so, i was worried about it…
the beauty of getting liz from violet posy to do it for me is that i daren’t tweak now. i’d be sure to bugger it all up!
it is scar isn’t it? I started another blog a long time ago that i never deleted just hid from the public and if i want to make changes and stuff i do it on there first cause it doesn’t matter if it looks awful or all goes horribly wrong.
I do the same thing. i guess the writing is the most important thing and the template a ‘nice to have’ but not necessary.
i never saw your before but i do love your template that you have now.
it’s really hard at times keeping that stuff out of the sidebar isn’t it? Your’s wasn’t the green one i was referring to though, lol. the colour palate on yours is much more subtle and easy on the eye. gives my dodgy eyes no problems at all
I quite like that in a blog…i don’t the energy to do it myself but I do like the ones that change a bit with the season.
Well said that woman!
urgh, i feel unwell just thinking about myspace. It’s where I started out blogging many years ago. I shudder to think of all that bling and shit you see everywhere over there! Forums used to be full of it too, i remember, loads of flashy sparkly signatures that went on for half a page – the mums were the worst with pictures of all their kids and dates of births, and pets and all sorts of bollocks.
ugh, i feel quite unwell after that mental trip down memory lane. More wine i think!
I don’t think you have anything to worry about there sir, yours is another I could read forever, well, until you admitted to watching Julia Roberts films first thing…and now i’m not so sure…
Fair enough.
ahh, but my guilty secret is Liz from violet posy designed mine for me. she really is brilliant, huh?
ha ha ha.
That’s much easier on the eye…sorry, I feel really bad now. it was probably only me having that problem – i have dodgy eyes and some colours affect me weirdly! I’m a freak, i know!
Oops. You’re right, it read that way. You’re also right that it’s not how I meant it!!! Sorry Vix… must reread my comments before posting.
That’s ok I needed a change anyway – I must admit that even with my love of green it was getting bad to look at first thing in the morning!!
Not yours, just mine. I noticed you were suitably arse-kissing with your ‘And Vix, i think your posts are great, you are on of the few bloggers whose posts I will read even if they scroll waaaaaay down.’ LOL!!!
Well, to me it’s all about content. If I really like a blog, I’ll put up with its lack of design! LOL Joking! Seriously, I don’t like blogs that take forever to boot up because they have ads all over them. And, I don’t read blogs for adverts or reviews. I read them because … well, I’m nosey and I like to know I’m not the only mum out there who forgets to breathe!! =)
PS I want to update mine, but I just don’t know what to do with it! Love my header though so want to keep that — I guess it’s just the layout.
OMG! There I’ve been, trying out different templates, unable to make up my mind whether to change from the pink one or not, and then I read this!!
(Hope you don’t mind if I link to it in my post about changing my blog template)
Not blaming you at all. I’m glad you’ve given me the impetus to change. Maybe in the Summer Hols I’ll investigate a better one. Trouble is, I’ve made so many decisions on the house, I can’t make one about my blog for toffee!
Love your design, btw, very memorable!
I think it is important. I get confused if blogs look similar. Mine is pretty standard but I think the header is fairly striking – maybe I’m kidding myself.
If I get a reply to this saying “just remind me of your blog again” I’ll know that my header is rubbish!
Thanks for coming to see today and for compliment. Anyone can silk paint, Heather, it’s quite easy but a bit messy. Children seem to get particularly good results.
I do think it should be visually compelling but as long as the writing is strong, I’m not so bothered.
I’m using a standard Blogger template at the moment but one of the “stretched” ones which I find a bit more of a “natural” display. I’ve tried everything from white on black to a customised template and all sorts of other stuff. I’ve also just streamlined my sidebar.
Some feedback on mine would be good, if anyone’s got 2 mins
Re other peoples…. I do baulk at some BUT I tend to read in G-Reader and click through if I need to comment but I see that people are starting to put breaks into their posts, supposedly encouraging me to click through… sometimes that works, sometimes it doesn’t.
I have also recently forgotten where I read a post and I’d love to go back to it but my goldfish memory is preventing that from happening gggrrr
I don’t get put off reading the standard template blogs, but I have to say I usually probably wrongly assume they’ve not been blogging long or don’t take it too seriously (that’s such a broadbrush judgement!), until they start dabbling in some of the free templates. I like mine at the moment, colour schemes for me/my blog tend to change with my current stage of life/learning. It was a real earthy red before its current state (natural green hues created by light dappling through our liquidambar tree – it’s a photo stretched over the background).
I find it really hard to make all decisions. Five years on and I still can’t decide what colour to paint my kitchen. Seriously.
ha ha ha, no i like your header, it’s really sweet. I remember your blog the most because you always reply to comments and I get a little email each time. That’s what makes you stand out in my mind. Except now you’ve got me wondering if I’ve got the right blog for the right name – JoBart?
god I’m going to feel awful if I’ve just got that wrong
it looks good fun, i’m sure it’s not as easy as you make out though cause yours were lovely!
seems to be the general consensus. Good writing first, nice looking is well, nice but not totally necessary. I’m the same really. I’d much prefer blogs to have great content.
It is nightmare, this rubbish memory thing isn’t it! Yours stands out in my mind, I always remember it because of the big bright header – the co,ours match your twitter id so it’s easy to place you in my mind if you know what i mean.
It is tempting to play around with it loads, isn’t it? thankfully having Liz do mine for me has kept the temptation to tweak at bay…im terrified I’d ruin it! lol
That is a good point, i think i make the same assumptions a lot of the time. Often wrongly.
oh phew!! That’s what I was aiming for – I tried to minimise the actual header for my Twitter ID and then expand the smiley faces for my banner but neither looked right and everyone comments on the smiley faces so they’re staying
I’ve done the next best thing and used the smiley faces across my social networking as my avatar and tried to stick with the greee/yellow theme – an odd combination because it doesn’t usually work but, as you say, it seems to stick in people’s minds 
Crikey, so many comments! I understand what you mean about some blogs being a bit TOO much with standard templates and they can be off-putting for me, even with good content. I use the Blogger Minima template and for now that is fine. If I can keep up with blogging I will think about a change but right now it suits me.
Great discussion post.
MD xx
YES. It matters to me. Every time I read a blog I notice the template. (yours, by the way, is fabulous and memorable and funny) If the colors or sidebar or crazy patterns are off, I get distracted and can’t read the post. Seriously, I stop reading. Boring templates are not as bad, but it’s true that I rarely remember the blogs I read that have boring looks. So for me, it’s very, very important.
I don’t think it REALLY matters, but some are easier to read than the others. I don’t like ones with light text on a dark background, because it hurts my eyes. If it’s great writing, I’ll read it, but I may not get to the great writing if it’s too hard to read, as I’ll just move on to something else. But at the end of the day, it’s the writing and photos that matter.
I think you’re right: it is easier to remember who wrote what, if people have memorable headers, or logos. I don’t. My bad.
I HATE ones with text on black. So hard to read.
And I don’t like very busy backgrounds – flowers, or antique wallpaper, or stripes, or dots, or girly swirls. You know the type of thing.
Mine is the Blogger green. But it hasn’t always been that way. It used to be Blogger pink. Sorry. I’m not offended though. It’s a free world, and all that.
I think, honestly, when there were fewer blogs (I remember when everyone thought it was AMAZING that BMB had reached a membership of 100), the look mattered less. Now there are so many to choose from, the visual aspect is more important. You need to be memorable, and – as you say – if a blog is visually attractive with a clearly defined look, it does make it memorable.
I really like that green/grey that eg Brits in Bosnia uses. Very restful on the eyes.
Sometimes they can be too distracting, especially if they flash or play music! Gah!
There ought to be some law banning flashing blinky things in sidebars! Maybe we can can get on to the EU about it?