Choosing The Perfect WordPress Themes
There are thousands of WordPress themes on the web, and each one you come across may look better than the last. This can make the process of choosing the best WordPress themes for your site overwhelming. Since WordPress caters for numerous types of sites, including e-commerce, blogs, portfolios and magazines, every theme applies to a different market. Therefore, the WordPress theme you choose should complement the type of site you would like to build. Special functionalities and preferences are also factors to consider when choosing a theme for your site.
A WordPress theme is the face of your website, and this is how your visitors, as well as search engines, perceive it. With that said, here are some of the factors to consider when browsing WordPress themes.
Using Free WordPress Themes
Independent developers are usually behind free themes, and you can find most of them with a simple internet search. However, it is highly advisable that you only install themes from the WordPress repository due to safety concerns. Here, we will discuss some of the benefits as well as the downsides of using a free theme.
These WordPress themes are free and come with no strings attached. They are perfect for starting a blog or practising building your first WordPress website. The free themes from the WordPress repository also adhere to high-quality standards since WordPress follows a strict review process. Where the free themes lack in features, they make it up by being leaner and faster to load. On the downside, these themes lack in dedicated support, although, you can find some answers to your questions on the theme’s forum page on the official WordPress site.
Selecting Premium WordPress Themes
Premium WordPress themes come in on the other end of the spectrum and can be purchased from third-party sites and marketplaces. The biggest advantage of choosing premium themes is that they offer a myriad of features and customisations options. The themes also come with dedicated support, which means that any query you post on their forums or email will receive answers from the developers. Premium themes are also unique, and it is left up to your site’s function and preferences when choosing one.
Premium themes also receive regular updates, which keep the security of your site up to date. These updates also come with additional features and improvements at no extra cost. The overall build of premium themes is far more superior and of better quality than free themes, which is another great advantage. However, due to the numerous features, premium themes are usually “bulky”, which tends to affect the loading time of the site.
Before You Select A WordPress Theme
Before you choose your WordPress theme, whether free or premium, there are a few things you should consider. First and foremost, make a list of features you would like to have on your site beforehand. Some themes work perfectly with certain plugins, which may be important for your site, while others don’t. Considering the overall layout of the site is also important to match your site’s desired functionality and what is available on the theme.
Choosing a theme that is compatible with your preferred page builder is also important since this will help you save time from learning how to use a page builder afresh. The release notes of each theme indicate which editor is compatible with the theme, for example, Elementor or WP Bakery. After the release of WordPress 5.0, most updated WordPress themes come with Gutenberg WordPress block editor compatibility, which is a bonus if you already know how to use the page builder.