Picking a theme for your WordPress website can be very overwhelming with all of the options and choices out there. With so many things to think about it can be hard to know what to look for to truly make your website be uniquely yours. Let’s take a look at some things to think about including free vs premium, different features you may want, and what kind of support you are going to need.
Features
Before you even begin searching for your theme there are some things you will need to consider. Think of the color scheme that you are looking for and make sure it goes with your brand. The typography you choose needs to be easy to read and pleasant to the reader. Are you going to want a theme that provides places for a lot of photos or is it going to read like a newsletter. It can be very hard to change from one theme to another so it’s very important that you make sure you get it right the first time around.
Free or Premium Themes
Another thing to consider is if you are going to go with the free themes or pay for premium themes. There are lots of pros and cons for both; let’s explore some now. Free may sound good because it’s, well, free however that doesn’t always mean that it’s the best route to go. If you are new to WordPress you may require a lot of support in the beginning and sometimes that can be hard to come by with the free themes. If you choose a popular free theme it will have more support than some of the others. The downside with that is your website may seem plain or not as unique as you would have hoped. A good thing about the free themes, however, is that they have strict quality guidelines to ensure you have what you need to get your website started. Premium themes can give you the uniqueness that you are looking for. A lot of times there are user forums and better support when it comes to these themes. There are also more frequent updates to keep your website running smoothly. One of the downsides to premium is that it may be harder to switch themes since there could be plugins or features that are custom to your chosen theme. Also, the quality guidelines aren’t as strict because there is less oversight.
Dos & Donts
Here are a few more tips to help you choose your best theme for your brand.
-Make sure it’s mobile friendly by testing on different mobile devices and browsers. Just because the theme shows that it is mobile friendly does not mean that you are going to like how it looks.
-Make sure that it is user-friendly. If it becomes too clunky it will cause the website to slow down and be frustrating for the user. SEO is a very important part of picking your theme.
–Be sure to avoid themes that haven’t been updated in awhile or seem to have a nulled page online.
-Test your theme multiple times before you decide to purchase.
-Just because a theme is free it may end up costing you more time and in turn money because of lack of support.
In the end you want a theme that speaks to your brand and is unique to you. Make sure you consider all of the features in your decision to pick out your theme. You may want a theme that is packed with tons of settings and demos. If you are a beginner to WordPress you should consider an advanced designer. Here at TrulyWP, we can assist you in picking your theme and making your website above the rest. Let us help!