Default Template, put people off.

Hi guys and Girls,
I am working on a new forum (the link below) I am not ready to launch it yet, still a few things left to do, so hopefully on monday it should be up and running.
Now here is my question.
As you can see, I am using the Default Phpbb template. Will this turn people right off. I know the idea for the forum is good, but will people look and say no its to (Excuse the spelling) amatureist, and switch off.
The reasons why I have not put on a banner and change the template is
I dont know how to do it.
I have 20 clients web sites on the same control panal (we get them made in India for clients) and I am afraid to let someone I dont know, near the control panal, for obvious reasons
I was thinking of having a competation later for my members, who I should get to know, to design a banner and template, and get them to upload it.
What do you think,
are people put off a forum, by its looks?
Thanks

 

Well, a default template on a forum usually says to me that a forum is either:

1. Not ready for launch
2. Not Original
3. Not Active
4. Forum admin doesn't know what they're doing

You can always just go to the PHPBB site and get a different template with a new color scheme and then just replace the logo image file with a logo you made that is the same size.

Best of luck,
BMR777

 

You run risks if you use the default template, people are going to have seen it many times before on other forums and your forum will lose the originality that it could have had, putting people off.

Personally I do not really like the default PhpBB skin and would never use it on any of my boards. I would buy a good, quality premium PhpBB skin, they cost around $30.

There are many free good PhpBB templates out there as well, some which look much better than the default one, you could try using one of those.

 

Dont forget you are on a forum, Digital Point, that uses a default template. It did them no harm.

 

I concur.........

 

I have also started a skincare forum, planning to launch it by Monday and I am facing the same problem. I really dunno how to change the theme.

I noticed you have created different categories but I am not able to create that too. Everything is being displayed under the same category. Could you please tell me how you did it? I mean how did you create main headers like Graphic Designers, Programming and SEO, Sales jobs, Website Advertisement etc.?

My forum address is - http://www.glowingdiva.com/

 

Hi Leon 2007,
to save me going into admin and seen again how I did it,(I have to go to work) if your forum is Phpbb, go onto the phpbb forum Google it) click support and ask the question, thats what I did, you will get your answer within minutes. You should be a member anyway, its a great forum and any problems you have they will sort it.
If that dose not help you come back to me and I will go into admin and see how I did it.

 

You are phpbb, here is the lonk for you http://www.phpbb.com/support/

 

Thank you so much, I'll do that.

 

You can find many nice themes at www.echological.com

 

vBulletin is a commercial forum software though, phpBB is free. (Thus phpBB has many worthless installations who uses default template which really brings it down.).