How to Choose WordPress Theme: 9 Success Factors

How to Choose WordPress Theme

A key first step in creating a great website is picking the appropriate WordPress theme. Your site’s functionality and design are both impacted by your theme. Making a decision among the thousands of themes available can be difficult.

In this thorough guide, we’ll examine the crucial elements to take into account when choosing a WordPress theme to make sure it completely complements the objectives and aesthetics of your website.

Choose WordPress Theme: Catchy Design

Often, a visitor’s attention is first caught by an eye-catching design. It may make a lasting impression and establish the tone for your website. Here are some essential design-related considerations:

Aesthetic Appeal

The target demographic and purpose of your website should be reflected in the theme’s design. Choose WordPress theme that appeals to your visitors, whether you’re building a blog, an e-commerce site, or a corporate page.

Layout Options

Search for themes that provide a number of different layout possibilities. You can experiment with several designs thanks to this flexibility to find the one that best suits your content and objectives.

How to Choose WordPress Theme: Layout Options

Color Schemes

Make sure the color schemes for the theme may be changed. This makes it possible for you to coordinate the colors of your website with your brand identification or personal tastes.

How to Choose WordPress Theme: Color Schemes

Typography

Pay close attention to the theme’s font settings. Fonts that are readable and appealing to the eye are crucial for a positive user experience:

How to Choose WordPress Theme: Font Settings

Endless Customization Possibilities

Every website is different thus, your theme should offer plenty of customization possibilities so you may adapt it to your particular requirements. Themes with extensive modification possibilities have the following advantages:

Customization Panels

It is simple to change settings like colors, fonts, and layouts with themes that have user-friendly customization panels without needing any coding experience.

Widgets and Sidebars

A variety of widgets and sidebars are supported by some themes. This lets you give various parts of your site dynamic information and functionality.

Page Templates

The process of building several sorts of pages, such as portfolios, contact pages, and landing pages, is made simpler by themes having many page templates.

Custom CSS

The ability of skilled users to apply custom CSS code might be invaluable for perfecting the design to your precise requirements.

Theme Frequently Updated and Maintained

Your selected theme must keep up with these changes because WordPress itself is always changing. Themes that are constantly maintained and updated provide a number of benefits.

Verify Yourself

Make sure to check the theme’s Last updated date in WordPress repository. It’s best if it’s within the last few months:

How to Choose WordPress Theme: Last Update

Security

The security of your website and the privacy of your visitors are ensured by updated themes because they are less susceptible to security risks.

Compatibility

By maintaining compatibility with the most recent version of WordPress and widely used plugins through regular updates, compatibility problems are avoided.

Bug Fixes

Bug fixes are frequently included in updates, which enhance the general efficiency and stability of your website.

Support

The responsive customer service that comes with well-maintained themes can be really helpful if you run into problems or require help.

Good User Ratings and Reviews

It’s a good idea to look at customer reviews when you choose a WordPress theme. User opinions and evaluations shed light on a theme’s advantages and disadvantages:

Theme Repository

Consider user feedback and read reviews when choosing a WordPress theme. Themes with high ratings and favorable comments are typically a better option. Positive feedback from many users is a reliable indicator that the theme will not cause any major issues.

You can check out the user reviews in the Theme Repository:

https://wordpress.org/themes/

Simply find the theme by its name, and click on More Info button. A right panel will show up with the star ratings from one to five:

How to Choose WordPress Theme: User Reviews in Repository

Third-party Marketplaces

Read customer reviews and comments if you’re thinking about purchasing premium themes from marketplaces like ThemeForest to get a sense of the theme’s quality, support, and general contentment.

Community Feedback

Find WordPress forums and communities where people talk about their experiences with various themes. This can assist you in identifying any problems or difficulties that might not be immediately obvious.

The official support forum automatically exists for every theme in the WordPress Repository. Here, users can ask questions and post issues about the theme. To visit the forum, click on the button View support forum on the theme’s page:

How to Choose WordPress Theme: Support forum link

Responsive Design on all Devices

A responsive design is necessary in the current digital environment. Your website must display and work properly across many platforms, including PCs, tablets, and mobile phones. Keep the following in mind as you choose WordPress theme’s responsiveness:

Mobile-Friendly Design

To check whether the theme satisfies Google’s requirements for mobile compatibility, use the Mobile-Friendly Test. In addition to improving user experience, websites also benefit search engine results.

Many websites provide a Demo Theme page. It is possible to check out the theme layout with different screen resolutions. By changing the resolution, you can quickly verify the theme’s responsiveness.

How to Choose WordPress Theme: Responsive Design

Cross-Browser Compatibility

Check to see if the theme functions properly in Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge, among other web browsers. To ensure a seamless user experience, browser compatibility must be consistent.

WordPress plugins increase your website’s capabilities. It’s critical to choose a WordPress theme that works with these tools if you intend to use particular plugins, such as WooCommerce for e-commerce or a forms plugin for contact forms and lead generation:

WooCommerce Compatibility

Make sure the theme works flawlessly with WooCommerce if you have an online store. Some themes include unique functionality and aesthetics that are specifically created for e-commerce.

Forms Plugins Compatibility

Check to see if the theme supports well-known plugins like Contact Form 7 or WPForms if you want forms for interaction with users or data collecting. The smooth integration of forms onto your website is ensured through compatibility.

The content of your website can be designed and organized easily using page builders. Elementor and Gutenberg Blocks are two of the most widely used page builders for WordPress. Take into account the following to ensure compatibility:

Gutenberg Blocks

Make sure the theme has sufficient styling and support for blocks if you intend to use the default WordPress block editor (Gutenberg), which will enable you to produce aesthetically appealing content.

Elementor Compatibility

Select a theme that is entirely compatible with this page builder if you prefer utilizing Elementor for its rich design features. These themes frequently provide pre-made widgets and templates that work well with Elementor.

Active Customer Support is Essential

Even with the most user-friendly themes, you might occasionally run into problems or need help. A theme with responsive customer service could save your life:

How to Choose WordPress Theme: Customer Support

Support Channels

Examine the assistance options, including email, live chat, and a dedicated support forum. You may avoid wasting time and frustration with prompt and accessible support.

Response Time

Look for themes with support teams who have a reputation for providing prompt service. A prompt response to your questions or issues helps reduce downtime and maintain the efficiency of your website.

Documentation

Make sure the theme has detailed instructions that walk you through installation, modification, and troubleshooting. When you need to modify your website, clear documentation can be a useful tool.

Ready for Translation into Different Languages

Having a theme that is ready for translation is crucial if your website caters to a global audience or people who speak languages other than English. Think about the following elements when choosing a WordPress theme:

Translation Plugins Compatibility

The process of building a multilingual website is made easier by themes that integrate with translation plugins like WPML or Polylang. By doing this, you can increase the audience for your website.

RTL Support

If your target audience uses right-to-left (RTL) languages such as Arabic or Hebrew, ensure that the theme is RTL compatible. This ensures a smooth reading experience and correct text alignment for RTL scripts.

Wrap It Up

Choose WordPress theme for your website requires careful consideration of various factors, from design aesthetics and customization options to technical compatibility and support.

Your choice of theme significantly influences your website’s identity, user experience, and overall success. Take your time to explore and evaluate different themes, keeping in mind your website’s specific needs and goals.

By following the guidelines in this guide, you’ll be better equipped to select the ideal WordPress theme that aligns with your vision and helps you achieve your online objectives.

About the author
About the author

Bootstrapthemes editorial team comprises professionals that strive to deliver well-researched and comprehensive content focused on WordPress, web design, and growing your online ventures.

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