WordPress is one of the most popular website-building platforms in the world, chosen by millions of people for its ease of use, customization options, and SEO-friendliness. WordPress has a plethora of themes and plugins, allowing you to create a unique and appealing website with only a few clicks. The platform is also search engine optimized, giving a strong basis for online presence and attracting new clients. Furthermore, WordPress is adaptable, which means that websites made using the platform adapt to multiple screen sizes and devices, giving viewers with an ideal viewing experience. With a big and active developer and user community, constant upgrades, and an emphasis on security, it’s no surprise that WordPress remains a popular platform for constructing websites.
The figures below reflect the popularity of a WordPress theme among experts worldwide.
Despite all of these advantages, it is necessary to follow certain guidelines while selecting the finest WordPress theme. This article will provide you with the top 12 rules to think about before deciding on one.
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12 important rules to follow while choosing a WordPress theme
The first step in building an online presence is choosing an ideal WordPress theme. If you get the right theme for your site, you’ll instantly boost its user experience.
#1 Understand your purpose
When it comes to choosing a WordPress theme, one of the most important things you need to do is understand your site’s audience. What are they looking for? What do they want from your website? What do they expect when they visit it?
In order for you to make an informed decision about which WordPress theme works best for your needs, it’s important that you know what kind of look and feel will resonate with your target audience. If your website is going to be used by teenagers or young adults, then a more modern design might appeal more than something traditional or vintage.
If your target market consists mostly of seniors, then perhaps an older style would work better as opposed to something modern and flashy.
But keep in mind that not all websites have such clear-cut demographics which means that any number of different styles could work well depending on what type of content they’ll be displaying and how those articles were written.
#2 Evaluate Your Needs
Before you start looking at themes, it’s important to take some time to think about what your website will need. This will help determine which features are most important and help narrow down the options. What are your goals for the site theme? Are you planning on selling products or services? Do you want to use it as a blog? How large is your audience? How much is your budget?
These are just some of the questions that may come up when considering what kind of website, you’d like to build with WordPress. The answers can vary widely depending on who is using it and why they want their site built in WordPress.
Also read: How to Choose a Company for your Website Development Requirements?
#3 Look Responsiveness
Just as important as choosing the right hosting provider is the task of selecting an ideal WordPress theme.
Make sure your chosen theme is responsive, which means that it will adjust its layout to fit on any device. A responsive website is crucial for mobile users, since they’re likely to spend more time browsing sites on their smartphones or tablets than they do on computers. If your site isn’t optimized for mobile viewing, you’ll lose out on potential customers who may have otherwise been interested in what you had to offer.
Always make sure the theme is responsive, meaning it adjusts to different screen sizes and devices.
#4 Consider SEO Optimization
Search engine optimization (SEO) refers to optimizing your site so that search engines can find it easily and rank it highly when users search for keywords related to your business or product offerings. Choosing a theme with built-in SEO features will save you from having to create this functionality from scratch yourself which is especially helpful if creating websites isn’t one of your strengths.
In short, choose a theme that is optimized for search engines to ensure your website can be easily found by potential customers.
#5 Free, Premium, or Custom Theme
On the WordPress theme marketplace, you will find thousands of options ranging from free to premium. Free themes are easy to find, but they may have limited functionality or be difficult to customize. Premium WordPress themes can be expensive, but they offer a lot of functionality and customization options.
There are many alternatives on the market for affordable Premium WordPress theme packages that include versatile WordPress themes and premium WordPress plugins that will make website customization simple. Also, have a look at the Best PrestaShop Premium themes to get the ideal one for your needs.
In case you are not a web developer or don’t have time to wait until your theme is built by someone else, then you should consider building your own WordPress theme based on HTML5 Boilerplate and Bootstrap 4 framework (or any other bootstrap-based framework). That way, you can create a basic design for your website that has minimal functionality and then customize it with custom functionality as needed.
Always consider the cost of the theme, but don’t compromise on quality for the sake of a lower price. It’s important to invest in a quality theme that meets your needs.
#6 Widgets and Customization Options
Widgets are the most effective way to add content to a website. You can create widgets using WordPress, but it’s much easier if you use a drag-and-drop interface.
Themes with an intuitive dashboard make customization easy. Choose a theme that lets you customize its fonts, colors, and other elements without relying on CSS coding skills or hiring a developer.
Some themes come with built-in child themes that enable you to further customize them if needed. Child themes let users change layouts and styles without having to alter any code in their original files. This is a great option for those who want more flexibility than simply altering CSS within their current theme
Always try looking for a theme that is easily customizable, with options for changing colors, fonts, and layouts.
Also read: 5 Reasons to Choose Custom WordPress Development for Business
#7 Speed
A website that loads quickly is critical for both user experience and search engine optimization. Choose a theme that has been optimized for speed. A fast-loading website provides a better user experience, as users are less likely to become frustrated and leave the site due to slow load times. With the increasing use of mobile devices, it’s more important than ever to have a fast-loading website. Mobile users are often on slower or unreliable networks and expect fast-loading websites.
A fast-loading website helps to build brand credibility and trust, as users are more likely to associate a fast-loading site with a professional and reliable brand. Therefore, by choosing a theme that is optimized for speed, you can ensure your website provides a positive experience for users and performs well in search results.
#8 Compatibility
For various reasons, compatibility is critical for a WordPress website:
Plugin Compatibility:
To add extra functionality to a website, WordPress relies on plugins. By selecting a theme that is compatible with popular plugins, you can guarantee that your website has the features and functionality you want without having to deal with compatibility concerns that might create difficulties or ruin your site.
Browser Compatibility:
A theme that is compatible with several web browsers, such as Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Internet Explorer, will ensure that your website looks and works the same for all users, independent of the browser.
WordPress Version Compatibility:
WordPress is often updated, so it’s critical to select a theme that is compatible with both the most recent version of WordPress and earlier versions to guarantee that your site continues to work properly.
Mobile Compatibility:
With the increased usage of mobile devices, it is critical that your theme be compatible with a variety of screen sizes and devices, ensuring an excellent viewing experience.
W3C Standards Compatibility:
The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) establishes web standards, and a W3C-compliant theme assures that your site is accessible, user-friendly, and adheres to the most recent web standards.
#9 Seamless Support
Having seamless support is a crucial factor to resolve your queries about the theme. Ensure the theme is supported and maintained by a team of experts, with regular updates, quick turn-around time, and bug fixes.
So, this comes to the end of our informative blog. To put it simply, all of these tips should be considered along with the advantages. It is necessary to follow certain guidelines while selecting the finest WordPress theme and provide a seamless user experience.
#10 Demo content
Make sure the theme you’re intending to choose includes a demo so you can get a better sense of how it feels and looks. You’d also get a sense of the theme’s functionality and customization choices.
A demo can include instructions on how to keep the theme up to current, including how to update to the most recent version, handle compatibility issues, and manage the theme over time.
#11 Documentation
Look for a theme that has clear and detailed documentation to help you get started and solve any issues you may encounter.
Documentation plays an important role in a new WordPress theme by providing users with the information and guidance they need to get up and running quickly, customize the theme, resolve issues, make the most of the theme, and maintain it over time. By choosing a theme with comprehensive and well-written documentation, users can ensure a positive and successful experience.
Documentation can provide guidance on how to keep the theme up to date, including information on how to upgrade to the latest version, how to resolve compatibility issues, and how to maintain the theme over time.
#12 Check Reviews
Read reviews from other users to get an idea of the theme’s strengths and weaknesses.
Reviews are an important tool for analyzing a WordPress theme before making a selection. They give useful insights into the real-world experiences of other users who have used the theme, giving you a better knowledge of its strengths and weaknesses.
They offer substantial comments from other users who have used the theme, including information on its usability, customization possibilities, and compatibility with plugins and other tools. This information might assist you in determining whether the theme is a suitable fit for your requirements and expectations.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, this article has gone through the top 12 rules to consider when choosing a WordPress theme. With all of these factors considered, you should have a better idea of what kind of theme is right for your site. If you’re still not sure which one will be best, we recommend using premium themes for WordPress as they tend to offer more customization options and plugins than free versions do.
