Once you’ve chosen a domain name and set up hosting for your new site, it’s time to install WordPress and get started building. But wait… there’s a big decision to make before you can get the ball rolling. It’s time to pick a WordPress theme. With so many options out there to choose from that range from absolutely free to hundreds of dollars, how on earth can you choose?
Here’s a quick list of four factors you need to consider when it’s your turn to pick a WordPress theme.
WordPress Theme Factor #1 – General Look/Feel
The first thing you’ll want to consider is how you feel about a WordPress theme’s general look and feel. Most themes can be customized so don’t worry about things like fonts or colors. While you’ll want to see what the theme is capable of, you need to see if you like the general setup include templated pages or posts.
The easiest way to test this is by visiting a theme’s demo site. It’s basically an example site that shows off all of the features that a theme is capable of producing. This visit will allow you to click around to see how the menu moves, the buttons respond, etc.
If you like what you see, it’s time to move on to the next factor.
WordPress Theme Factor #2 – Is the theme responsive or adaptive?
These days it is absolutely vital to have a website that is visible on ANY type of device, be it desktop, laptop, tablet, or phone. One way to ensure that your site is viewed the way it is intended, no matter what screen is being used, is by building your site using a responsive or adaptive theme. If you aren’t familiar with the difference between the two, read more here.
If the WordPress theme you like is either responsive or adaptive, move on to the next factor.
WordPress Theme Factor #3 – Date Published, Last Updated, Number of Sales
If you’re looking to purchase a WordPress theme from a site like Creative Market, you’ll see stats regarding the specific timeline of the theme. When it was first released, how often and how recent it was updated, and the number of sales that the theme has seen.
Why is this important? It gives you insight on how likely the developer is to continue supporting the theme with updates in order to maintain compatibility with new WordPress platform updates. What you want to see here is that the developer is continuing to release updates as necessary in order to fix issues and remain cutting edge. The last thing you’d like is to build a brand new site on a theme that is absolutely obsolete.
The number of sales is a very simple indicator of how much people like the WordPress theme when they see its listing. While it’s not an absolute deciding factor on whether or not you should make a purchase, the bottom line is that the more people who have purchased the theme – the better the support from the theme’s developer will likely be.
Happy with the numbers? Move on to the next factor.
WordPress Theme Factor #4 – What are the available support options?
No matter how experienced you might be with building websites, theme support is absolutely vital. Why? Because even with all the skill in the world, having access to the team that designed the theme – line for line – will save you so much time and effort when it comes to problem-solving. The development team knows every single character of the WordPress theme’s code like the back of their hand and will likely be able to answer any questions you might pose within seconds of you asking.
Quality of the support you may (or may not) receive is another important option to consider. Large e-commerce platforms that sell themes from a number of different developers will connect you with the support options available but they do not actually provide the support themselves. Others like Elegant Themes provide you with a collection of WordPress themes that they’ve developed on their own and then give you 24/7 access to a team of wildly brilliant coding pros who can help you with every single one of your needs. This type of support can be worth its weight in gold if you’re just starting out or really need assistance navigating new WordPress themes.
So here’s the bottom line… which WordPress theme should you pick?
If you’ve gone through this list of four factors and your favorite WordPress theme is passing with all kinds of flying colors, then go ahead and try it out! Upload the theme to your WordPress dashboard, install the demo content, and start customizing!
Ready to get started but haven’t purchased a domain name or set up hosting yet? Head over to BlueHost to get your account set up and click on ‘install WordPress’. It’s super simple!
Can’t decide? I’d love to help!
Here’s how you can reach me:
Amy Sallie
ATTERBIE LLC
Hudson, OH 44236
amy@atterbie.com
Today we covered:
How to Pick a WordPress Theme
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In the spirit of honesty and full disclosure, this post contains affiliate links, which means that I may get a commission if you decide to purchase anything from one of my favorite companies listed above. I only recommend products and systems that I use and love myself, so I know you’ll be in good hands.
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