A majority of the startups, bloggers and online businesses start with a simple WordPress site. But with the availability of a huge number of WordPress themes choosing the best becomes a daunting task. For visitors, your website theme will be limited to the look and feel only but for your business, your website theme sets the pace of your website. If you choose a complicated website theme with loaded visuals and animations, then your website can slow down. So, a WordPress theme isn’t important in terms of design only but also the overall functionality of a website. If you’re struggling to select the best theme for your WordPress, then here are some tips for you to follow.
1. Know your Requirements
Every website is created with an objective, they have their specific features and functionalities. Even if you choose the same products or services, it’s the features that will set you apart in the competition. And the design as well. The best thing you can do before launching your WP site is to create a list of features you want in your website.
If you’re a blogger and want a website that is dedicated to make money online then think the necessary features for this purpose. Like a theme which is good for content management, has readability and offers myriad blogging features. Similarly, your requirements will be different when you’ll have a product or services to sell through your website. So, start by creating a list of features for your website.
2. Responsiveness is a Must
In the mobile-driven era today you can’t rely on the outmoded website tips and tricks. Customers love the idea of browsing and shopping from mobiles. If they can’t find you there, then you’re probably going to be replaced by your competitors. Therefore, when you’re rummaging the WP themes, make sure you keep responsiveness a top priority.
No matter if a customer comes to you through mobile, tablet or computer, your website should be easy to scroll and navigate. And that is achieved by choosing a WP theme. If your website isn’t responsive, then you’re responsible to lose a major traffic coming to your website. In addition, the theme should also offer cross-browser compatibility because some users browse through Chrome, Firefox while others can come through Opera or Safari.
3. A Customized Theme
Imagine launching your website with a general theme and when you’ll decide to expand it, you’ll be stuck with the theme limitations. So, it’s better to start with a customized theme.
A custom theme is the one which you can edit and change as per your requirements. With customization, you can change the website look including the colors and features. When you’re choosing the theme, perform in-depth check with demos to find the extent of customization with functionalities and user experience. Also knowing your target audience can help you to come with the best custom theme that appeals to them.
4. SEO-Friendly Theme
A good thing about WP is that most of them are already SEO-friendly. But in order to stay safe and ahead in the competition, you should always opt for a SEO-friendly theme. If the theme isn’t SEO friendly then you will find it a challenge to rank your website on search engine.
Try checking your theme with Moz Analytics and Google webmaster tools to know if the theme is search engine friendly or not.
5. Easy to Install Plugins
Instead of hiring a social media agency to optimize your website with the social plugins, choose your theme WP theme wisely. Plugins are important for your WordPress site, they support a number of features and functionalities like Analytics, social media plugins, comments, subscription, number of views, etc.
Know the plugins that are your immediate requirements and see if the theme you choose can support the plugins you want. A good WP theme coupled with a number of useful plugins makes your site better. If the theme you choose miss certain features, you can cover it through plugins.
Above All: Test your Website
When you’re done with choosing the right WP theme for your website, test it. You’ll get to know if your theme is working well and resonate with the audience requirements. It will also save you from the pitfalls later.
It’s okay to start small rather than investing in the wrong theme. A short demo before making your website live will confirm the status of your website. Either it’s good to go with the theme or more changes are required to optimize.
I hope you find the above tips helpful and easy to apply. What’s important to you when you search a WP theme for your site?
