How to Select a WordPress Theme

One of the best features of WordPress is the availability of thousands of themes to help you customize your blog. There are many free themes available for business owners who are just starting out and don’t have a large budget yet, but there are also a lot of premium themes that offer additional customization options. Picking the right theme is essential for online success, as an attractive, professional theme can make the difference between building relationships and driving visitors away from your site. These are just some of the things to consider when selecting a WordPress theme.

Personal vs. Business

Using a WordPress theme for a personal blog is a lot different from using one for a business website. If you are creating a personal blog, you have a lot more leeway with the colors and features you choose. If you plan to create a business website, you will need to choose a theme with colors that match your logo or your custom site header. You will need to select a theme that has features you need to connect with your customers. Decide how you will be using your theme before you make your selection.

Customer Preferences

If you are planning a complete redesign of an existing website, it is a good idea to survey customers to find out what they want from your business. When you conduct a customer survey, you can ask your customers about the features they want your website to offer. Some customers might want you to use a larger font because they find your site difficult to read. Others might suggest adding new features to your site. Use this feedback to select a theme that is compatible with your site’s new features.

E-commerce Sites

Many WordPress themes work with e-commerce plugins and features, but some do not. That is why it is important to decide whether you will be using your theme for a static content site or an e-commerce site with new products added regularly. The Magazine Basic theme, for example, is ideal for featuring popular products and posting product descriptions. This theme works well with plugins like Widget Logic and Amazon Product in Post, which are two free tools you can use to customize your site.

Customization Ideas

Even if you use a stock template for your site, you should customize it as much as possible. Customizing your site helps set you apart from other businesses and eliminates confusion on the part of your visitors. If you only want to change the font colors and styles, you can pick a basic theme that does not offer a lot of customization options. If you want to change sidebar placement, menu styles, and other features, invest in a theme that allows you to make these changes.

Coding Knowledge

If you have no coding knowledge, you should pick a theme that has drag-and-drop or point-and-click customization options. This makes it easy to change the placement of photos, increase or decrease your font size, change your site colors, and upload custom site headers. If you have some basic PHP knowledge, you have many more theme options available. Knowing basic code allows you to edit your WordPress files so that your site looks exactly how you want it to look.

Widgets

If you have a specific widget in mind, make sure the theme you select works with that widget. A widget is an application that adds extra functionality to your website. There are widgets that control the look of your site, determine which ads to display on each page, and help you collect customer information by allowing people to enter their names and e-mail addresses. If you want these widgets to work properly, you need to use a theme that is compatible with each one.

Plugins

Plugins are similar to widgets, as they help you get more out of your WordPress website. You can download and install plugins for almost every function, from optimizing your website for the search engines to adding social media bookmarking buttons to each of your posts. Select a theme that works with the plugins you intend to use. If there is a conflict between your theme and your plugin, you will not be able to take advantage of the added functionality offered by the plugin.