WordPress themes make building a graphically appealing and highly functioning WordPress website a cinch. The WordPress theme directory is huge, growing every day and supported by developers all around the world.
That being said, trying to choose a WordPress theme can feel overwhelming because of the thousands of free and premium WordPress themes available. Fortunately, you can find the best WordPress theme by considering your specific business needs.
What’s your preferred look?
As you look for a theme, one of the first things you’ll probably notice is the style of the theme. While you can customize the theme after you download it, choosing the right theme often starts with picking an option that matches your brand aesthetic.
Many WordPress users prefer simple lightweight themes with lots of white space. Others prefer a theme that’s more visually unique. Changing colors in the WordPress editor is easy, but adjusting the overall look and feel of a WordPress theme is harder — so pick a theme that looks like a good fit for your brand from the start.
Regardless of the look, make sure you select a responsive theme that will help your website look good and work well on any device.
What kind of theme features will your WordPress site need?
Each WordPress theme is unique. Some are simple and easy to work with. Others are more complicated but provide much more functionality. As with WordPress plugins, there are many free theme options, as well as premium themes that will give you more out of the box.
As you look for themes, you might be tempted to ignore paid themes and focus only on free options. However, free WordPress themes may not have all of the functionality your business needs. For example, premium WordPress themes make it easier to implement features like an online shop.
When you choose a theme, knowing the basics of what you want your site to do is vital. You might just want a few basic pages covering your business’s services. Or you might want something more advanced, like a portfolio which pulls in images of past projects in a fluid, grid-like format.
As part of this, be aware of what plugins you’ll want to use for your site. Make sure your theme is compatible with the plugins you need to better serve your customers.
In addition to checking what kind of features different themes offer, it may help to look for industry-specific WordPress themes. There are many themes with a focus on specific industries or styles, which can make it easier to select a theme that fits what you want.
WordPress theme developers matter
Another important aspect of the theme you choose is its developer. Choosing the right WordPress theme should always include evaluating the developer. Was it made by reputable theme developers? Is the theme compatible with the latest WordPress update? When was the last time the theme was updated?
The WordPress community is good about providing reviews for both free and paid themes. As you try to find a theme in the WordPress.org theme directory, you can also check the developer info, which highlights its update history and other important information. Good reviews, active support, compatibility with the latest WordPress update, and lots of downloads are usually signs that the theme you’re considering is good quality.
An up to date theme would offer greater cybersecurity protection and better functionality. If your chosen theme is a paid theme, the theme developers may also provide support if you encounter any theme quality issues.
Choose the Perfect WordPress Theme
You need a theme to create a WordPress site — and the right theme can make all the difference in helping your business stand out. The theme selection process is the foundation for everything else you’ll do with your site.
If you want a theme but aren’t sure what would be a good theme for your needs, Site Rockstar can help. In addition to understanding good theme design, we can help you choose the best WordPress theme for your needs, install a WordPress theme for a new or existing site, and even manage WordPress hosting and make sure that your theme is kept up to date.
And if you don’t like your current theme, don’t worry — we can help you find a new theme for your website that better fits your needs. The perfect theme is closer than you might think!
