Do you have or plan to have a business? Maybe you want to promote your skills? Then you need a website. And if you choose a WordPress website (here is why you should), you need to have a good theme. The theme determines how your site feels. Choose a good one, and you will see your business grow. Choose a bad one, and your prospective customers may turn away. So how do you choose one?

What kind of WordPress themes can you choose?

All kinds. There are both general themes and ones dedicated to particular businesses, such as car rentals, dentistry, photography, shops, etc. Themes determine the appearance of the site but might also have some features included. However, it is better to install features with plugins. Learn more about themes and plugins, and their differences.

Themes can also be free or premium. If you plan to start a blog and do not need specific features, you can choose from free themes. However, usually premium themes are much, much better. Your website will look unique, be more secure, and you will be able to get support and updates. And if you are planning a specific business, definitely go for premium themes. Also, remember to purchase from a safe place, such as ThemeForest. And never go for cracked premium themes! They often contain malware which could even ruin your business.

Decide what you need in a theme

Your theme needs to serve your business well. You can certainly find one that fits perfectly, but you need to know what you want. Let’s say that you are planning a rental site. You probably want a theme that allows you to showcase your properties well. You will also probably need a reservation system, but plugins like Car Rental System will probably do that better. Just make sure your theme supports the plugins you plan to install! Read how to choose the right plugins.

We highly encourage making a list of the features you need. You could also browse similar websites to see what kind of features they use. And always try to go for a fully responsive theme that makes your website look good on all devices!

Good features to look for in any theme

While some features depend on your specific needs, some are good for any website. When choosing a theme, look for those that:

  • Boost your SEO. If your website is not SEO-optimized, it will lose a lot of its value. You want your page to appear as high as possible in search results, right?
  • Have a good loading time. The site should not load for more than 3 seconds. Otherwise, many of your visitors and prospective clients will lose patience and turn away.
  • Are multilingual and ready for translation. Chances are, you might want to translate at least some of your pages into other languages, especially with a growing business. So it is better if the theme allows the translations. But you can also try translation plugins.
  • Have active developers. You want the theme to be updated regularly. Otherwise, it will be much less secure, will be functioning worse, and one day might not be compatible with WordPress anymore. So you want the developers to be active. Otherwise, who will update it?
  • Work well on various devices and browsers. You want to make sure that people on all devices and browsers can access your site successfully. So, test the theme on various browsers. Also, go for one that will make your website looks good on phones since more and more people browse on mobiles rather than desktops!

Finally, choose a simple theme rather than one with excessive features which can distract your visitors. Remember that you can add any functionality with plugins. We also recommend going for a theme with a content builder, which allows dragging and dropping various elements you want your site to have. And always research and test the theme before you buy it! 

Now you can choose the best WordPress theme for your website. Perhaps you are interested in developing themes yourseld? Read about child themes and WordPress frameworks.

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