Bloatware, terrible coding, needless pre-installed plugins, and large file sizes abound in today’s WordPress theme collections. Most of them can impair site performance in a flash. What is more, new users may not see the problem until it is too late. As a result, understanding how to select a WordPress theme is crucial.
Are you having difficulty selecting the most suitable assets from thousands of available choices? With so many alternatives, it seems like seeing a flying pig is more possible than finding something for your taste. Not all choices are made identical. There are specific criteria to consider to avoid problems later on.
Definition of a WordPress Theme
A WordPress theme is a group of pre-designed templates that determine the general style and feel of the site. It is in charge of practically every part of your site. These include header, footer, colors, and layouts.
Where to buy WordPress theme? There are dozens of premium and free WordPress themes available in various categories. Personalizing it means adding some individuality and making an online project differentiate it from the crowd.
What to Know Before Choosing a WordPress Theme?
With so many ready-made solutions to pick from, it is easy to become paralyzed looking at them. You can modify different elements at any time, but it can be tricky. Much depends on the material sort you have included and the level of customization you have performed.
Here are a few things to remember while selecting a WordPress theme:
1. The goal of your site. What type of material will you be posting? Is it a blog, an online store, a gallery, or anything else? After you have determined the objective, you can begin to limit your alternatives.
2. Budget. Ready-made solutions are accessible in both free and paid versions. Free themes can be a good alternative for individuals on a low budget. However, they sometimes lack the functionality and assistance that premium ones have.
3. Design. Examine various elements and settings that each variant provides. Pay attention to appearance, usability, speed, and plugin compatibility.
4. Customization options. Many themes provide a range of personalization capabilities. It means that customizing a WordPress theme and adjusting stuff like colors, fonts, and layout is effortless.
What to DO When You Download WordPress Theme?
1. Navigation
The initial phase in developing a more user-friendly site includes improving its navigation. Poor navigation is the third most identified cause for visitors quitting a website based on HubSpot research. Make sure your choice will be easy to navigate, particularly for new users.
It must have a straightforward appearance that allows people to locate what they are searching for as quickly as possible. Every WordPress theme for personal website includes a demo that you are free to test before purchasing. It will show you how your menu appears and whether or not it is easily navigated.
2. Peculiar Functionalities
Frequently, you have a concept that requires the development of certain functionality. For instance, if you are crafting an eCommerce site, you need to download WordPress theme with:
- a shopping cart;
- single product pages;
- wishlist and comparison functionality.
Perhaps you have an interest in launching a restaurant website. In this scenario, you require a choice that allows showcasing a menu and booking a table. In addition to this, consider how you see a company in ten years and choose a WordPress theme with all the features you may require.
3. Security and Updates
One of the most significant factors to take into account is selecting a secure WordPress theme. Sucuri conducted a valuable investigation in 2020. It revealed that 74% of 8,000 attacked websites were built on WordPress. The majority of these cyberattacks are the result of a malicious theme or plugin selection.
A secure WordPress theme for personal website has the following characteristics:
- obtained from a reliable source;
- compatible with different WordPress plugins;
- updates are routinely rolled out;
- professional support.
Do not forget to make certain that your variant is fully compatible with your WordPress version. Failure to do so may lead to a website breakdown.
4. Fully-Responsiveness
Every site necessitates a fully-responsive theme. It makes your online project appear attractive and simple to use across all platforms. In general, it will adapt to the size of every screen, improving the total surfing experience.
The majority of ready-made solutions are fully-responsive by default. However, you must inspect it to ensure that it is mobile-friendly. In this case, you can resize the page and see whether it adapts to the width layout while being changed.
Main DON’TS to Know When You Are Selecting a WordPress Theme
1. Excessive Number of Features
A WordPress theme with hundreds of functions may confuse you and entice you to install it. However, having multiple undesirable elements may cause your site to load quite slowly. So, avoid including every element you believe is fresh and stylish. It can make your online project appear eye-catching, yet it degrades its speed.
2. Fonts Are Hard to Read
It is possible to engage in situations that degrade the user experience. One of them is difficult-to-read typefaces that are difficult to read. There is a good probability that a font you think is easy to read may not be for different web users. As a result, you will face an increasing bounce rate.
Users may find it tough to browse the content if the font is dense and illegible. Keep your typefaces simple and easy to read. As a consequence, successful interaction occurs, and total user involvement rises.
3. Limited Customization Options
A personalized WordPress theme helps you to grab people’s attention in the industry. Assume you own an eCommerce business in a competitive market. The companies you are dealing with are major players. So, the only way to defeat them requires customizing a WordPress theme to the greatest extent possible.
Publish your website in different languages, adjust the images, and allow consumers to pay in their national currency. These will allow you to surpass your opponents, regardless of their size.
4. No Well-Structured 404 Error Page
If you enter the incorrect URL, you can receive a notice like 404 – PAGE NOT FOUND. These are often displayed when a user visits a non-existent or removed page.
Websites need to have 404 pages with the same navigation components. They inform users gently of the page’s inactivity. Furthermore, such pages allow people to notify you about faulty or absent links.
Perhaps these pages are inconvenient for the user, and they may depart dissatisfied. Google, on the other hand, suggests that every site needs to have an error page.
A Few Words in Conclusion
Picking from a multitude of ready-made solutions available can be challenging. A successful WordPress must be flexible, customizable, clutter-free, and fully-responsive. We hope that you will no longer face the question of how to launch a WordPress site or where to buy WordPress theme. Thanks for reading!