How to Choose a WordPress Theme ‘Perfect’ for Your Site?

Are you wondering how to choose a WordPress theme? Then, you’re in the right place.

Choosing a theme is one of the most important tasks when building a website. Also, it is undoubtedly a tough decision.

The theme you choose should have a pleasing appearance. But, that’s not enough for a perfect website. An ideal theme should have some basic essential features. Plus, some factors also depend upon the functions you want with your website.

But you might be thinking about how to pick the right WordPress theme. Here’s a list of things that you should keep in mind while selecting the best WordPress theme for your website.

Let’s begin.

Why Should You Carefully Choose a Theme for Your Site?

Before diving into the list, learn why carefully choosing a theme is crucial for your website –

• A WordPress theme is the entire design frame that determines how your site looks, feels, and works.
• It provides style and functionalities to your site. In a nutshell, it shapes how your content will appear to users.
• Your website theme showcases your brand’s message and personality.
• The theme also impacts the user experience based on its readability, navigation, etc.
• Plus, it ensures your website ranks well in search engines through increased visibility.

Choosing the Right WordPress Theme – Things to Consider

As the theme is the backbone of your site’s visual appearance and functionalities, choosing a theme is a very important decision. You can’t go on with ‘any theme’ that’s there. But you should carefully pick a perfect theme for your needs.

But how to choose the right theme? For your convenience, we’ve listed down the important things to consider while you choose the WordPress theme.

Some of the included points may be the essential features that the theme must have whereas; some of them are suggestions for you to plan before choosing one.

So, here is the checklist to choose the perfect WordPress theme for your website.

1. Consider the Website’s Purpose

Before you choose a WordPress theme, you should make note of 2 things firstly:

• The type of website you are going to create.
• The goals of the website.

So, start by becoming clear about the type of website you want to create and the services your site will provide to the visitors. After that, you can look for a theme that fulfills your site’s requirements and presents it gracefully. 

For example, you can start the process by figuring out which type of site you’ll make. 

• Informative blog
• eCommerce store
• Business site
• Entertainment
• News and so on.

To see the full list, check our article on the most popular types of websites.

Suppose you want a blog site, then you should pick a theme with the facility to add dynamic content, organize structure, and display posts in reverse chronological order (newer post first). If you want to check out, then here’s our handpicked list of the best WordPress blog themes.

Similarly, if you want a photography website, then the theme should have a beautiful showcase for displaying pictures.

So, pick a theme that clearly describes the purpose of the website. This helps you to balance the appearance and performance of your website. Find your website purpose here!

2. Responsive Design 

You should always go for a theme with a responsive design. Responsive themes can adjust the page layout automatically across different devices and screens.

Thus, with a responsive theme, your website looks good not only on desktops but also on smaller screens like smartphones and tablets.

A responsive theme works in a way that it adapts to the screen width in which it is browsed. Also, it places the menus, links, header, and page areas to make it easier for visitors to navigate.

Because the theme determines how your WordPress site looks,  it’s important to have a theme that looks good on all devices and screen sizes. It’s even more crucial nowadays because people have started using small screen devices mostly to browse the internet. 

According to a report, about 65% of the web traffic comes from smartphones and tablets, and the rest 35% from desktops.

So, we recommend you choose a fully responsive and mobile-friendly WordPress theme for your website. It ensures your site’s full-scale appearance on all devices regardless of the screen size.

For example, Astra is a popular WordPress theme (over 1 million active installs) with a responsive design. Here’s how your site will appear on different device screens when built with this theme.

Thanks to the WordPress community that it offers thousands of fully responsive WordPress themes completely for free. Check out our hand-picked list of fully responsive free WordPress themes.

3. Compatible on All Web Browsers

The browsing habits of different people vary and they prefer different browsers to surf the web. Among the most popular browsers, Google Chrome is used by more than 65% of internet users worldwide. It’s followed by over 18% of Safari users and about 5% of Edge users. 

When people visit your website, they may use any of these browsers or others. But if your site doesn’t support any browser, then it may be a big loss for you as it’ll create a bad impression of your site among the users.  

To make your website compatible across different browsers, you need to choose a theme that’s compatible with all browsers. 

Luckily in WordPress, most themes are cross-browser compatible. The developers test their themes using different testing tools like Browsershots, Litmus, TestingBot, etc. to check code validation, performance, user interface, responsiveness, and behavior of the themes across most web browsers.

But it’s safer if you test the themes yourself before installing them on your website. There are many different online tools available for testing browser support. For example, Browser Sandbox, Browsera, Browserling, etc. 

To run cross-browser testing of a theme, you can open a demo site of a theme and then run a test of that using a tool. This way, you can find out whether a theme supports all browsers or not. 

4. SEO Friendliness

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the process of optimizing your website so as to get better ranks in search results. Having your website appear on top of search results, there is a higher chance of leading users into your website.

To make your WordPress site SEO optimized, you need an SEO-friendly theme. That’s because the theme in WordPress determines the overall design and structure of a WordPress site. 

When you choose a WordPress theme, you can check the following factors to test its SEO-friendliness. 

• Good web page speed – Most users expect the websites to load in a shorter time. If not, they tend to leave your site and visit other sites with similar content. 
• Responsive design – As mentioned above, most of the traffic on websites arrives through mobile phones nowadays. So, it’s important to have a responsive theme so that mobile device viewers can browse pages efficiently.
• Proper use of meta tags – The theme should allow you to add custom meta descriptions, and tags to your blogs. An attractive description can lead users to your site.
• Optimized images – Optimized images with smaller sizes take less time to load and hence, increase the website speed.
• Browser compatibility – As mentioned, the theme should be capable of operating across all web browsers so that you don’t miss any visitors due to browser issues.

Here are some SEO-optimized WordPress themes. Also, you should check if it supports popular SEO plugins such as Rank Math, SEMRush, All in One SEO Pack, etc. 

5. Theme Customization Options

With WordPress, you’ll get themes that are excellent in design and layout. But, chances are you would want to make some changes to it to make it look unique from other sites using the same theme. 

The good news, WordPress provides you with tons of fully customizable themes. All WordPress themes are customizable however they differ by the extent of customization they allow. There’s a default ‘Customize’ option from which you can change basic elements like fonts, colors, etc. 

Generally, free themes offer a handful of customization options. You should consider selecting a premium WordPress theme to achieve more customization options.

Customizing a theme is important because it will distinguish your website from other websites, even with sites that use the same theme as yours. 

So, the customization capability of the theme is an important consideration factor. Confused? Then, here are the most customizable WordPress themes to pick from.

6. Theme Developers’ Support Policy

Support is the technical assistance that the theme authors provide to their customers. It’s important because you sometimes need help no matter how tech-friendly you may be. So, whenever you choose a theme, you should always look into the developers’ support policy.

In general, forums are the most popular means of providing support in WordPress. A forum is a group discussion channel where users can post questions and the theme authors will answer them. 

Free WordPress themes mostly rely on forums for providing support. The WordPress.org theme repository has a support forum for every WordPress theme listed there. For example, the screenshot below is the support forum page of the Kadence theme at WordPress.org.

But some theme companies also use other means like email, live chat, etc. to their free users. 

Generally, premium themes offer better support. They provide dedicated support via email ticketing system, live chat, phone, and forums. But being a premium theme doesn’t guarantee better support; some premium themes have no support system. 

And in some cases, the theme authors give up providing support because they abandon the theme completely. So, it’s a good idea to research before purchasing a theme. 

Also, it’s up to the need of your website and the degree of modification you want, which determines the level of support you need.

Let’s say, that if it’s for a simple website like a blog, then a little or no support is fine. But, for a larger site like an eCommerce store, it’s better to have good customer support.

7. Consider Your Budget

Budget is another important thing you have to consider when you choose a WordPress theme. Actually, it’s the most crucial factor that determines whether to choose a free theme or a premium theme. 

Of course, you can have lots of choices on free themes from the WordPress.org repository. But, the bottom line is that you’ll get limited features and support.

But, if you are looking for a theme with superior design and advanced features, then you should invest a little money on a premium theme. Also, the premium themes have better quality code, more interactive design, rich customization options, and better support.

Premium themes generally have a reasonable price but it may vary based on the design and features they provide. You can get premium themes at an average of $40-$90 but some expensive themes can cost thousands of dollars.

However, the important part is choosing a theme around your budget range aiming to achieve all the required features.

ThemeForest and Template Sell are the popular marketplaces for the best premium themes. Even the popular free themes like Kadence, Astra, etc. have a paid version that offers more advanced features and functionalities.

8. Use Multi-language/Translatable Theme

If you want people to view your website in their preferred language, then you should pick a theme with a multilingual/translatable feature.

With a multilingual theme, you can add content in multiple languages. And it automatically translates the content into another language according to the readers’ preference.

Having a multilingual website allows you to reach a global population. If you have a business or eCommerce website, then you can advertise your product to a distant community as language is not the barrier anymore.

Multilingual websites can assist in boosting your marketing campaigns worldwide. This way, you can reach your potential customers and increase sales.

Find the best WordPress multilingual plugins that your chosen theme must support.

9. Updated Frequently

Checking if a WordPress theme is updated frequently is crucial during the selection process. A theme that is updated regularly is a sign that the developer is actively working to improve functionality and security. Both of which are essential for a website’s longevity.

Therefore, when a theme is frequently updated, it also ensures that bugs are fixed, and any vulnerabilities that arise are patched quickly. Overall, this keeps your website safe from potential threats.

Guess what? Regular updates also mean your theme will likely stay compatible with the latest web standards. Also, it integrates modern design elements and functionalities, like improved mobile responsiveness or faster loading speeds.

So, how to check if a WordPress theme is updated? For free themes, you can see the ‘Last Updated’ date on the WordPress theme directory as shown below. Plus, remember the increasing theme version.

In the case of premium themes, the last updated date may be mentioned on their original website. Otherwise, you can check the last update date or changelog with details of the changes made of premium themes in Themeforest.

10. Check the Theme’s Support for Your Favorite Plugins 

Plugins are the software that you can install to extend functionality and improve the performance of your WordPress site. Every plugin offers a unique facility that could be a small adjustment to a big change on your site.

The initial features provided by the themes are hardly enough for any type of website. So, you have to add plugins to your site to extend the functionalities that you need with it. And, any functional WordPress site rarely exists without plugins.

So, it’s important to choose a theme that supports the plugins you need. Although most WordPress themes support popular plugins like Rank Math, Akismet, Jetpack, etc., they may not support other plugins. 

Hence, it’s better to enlist the plugins you may need and test your theme’s compatibility with them. 

11. Working with Page Builders

Page builders are very popular among WordPress users nowadays. They’re the plugins that provide a simple drag-and-drop interface to create and edit web pages. You can use them to design your site’s homepage, contact pages, or any other landing pages.

Many premium themes have integrated page builders with them. So, picking up a premium theme saves you the time of installation and the cost of buying a new premium page builder plugin. 

You can get some page builder plugins for free as well. For example, Elementor and Beaver Builder are free page builders and are preferred by professionals.

So, make sure that your theme works with popular page builders like Divi Builder, Themify Builder, etc.

12. Check Ratings and Reviews

Ratings and reviews are the feedback from previous users. It can be utilized as a way to analyze the standards of the theme.

Before selecting a theme, it’s always a good idea to check its ratings and reviews. Doing so, you’ll have a good idea about the performance of the theme before starting to use it. Also, it prevents installing a defective theme.

Thankfully, checking themes’ ratings and reviews is quite simple in WordPress. At WordPress.org, you can find reviews and ratings of all the free themes. You can easily view them at the sidebar of every theme page and get a quick idea of the theme’s performance. 

You can also find reviews and ratings of premium themes in the directories like ThemeForest.  For example, ThemeForest shows an overall rating and the number of people who have given ratings for every theme.

Besides, some blogs on the web also provide a detailed review of the themes. Just Google search the review for any theme you’re interested in and you’ll find a handful of review articles. Also, you can check the comment section of those articles for more insights.

13. Accessibility Ready

An accessibility-ready WordPress theme is essential for creating an inclusive website that caters to all users, including those with disabilities. The major reasons why your theme must be accessible are:

• These themes support features like keyboard navigation, readable fonts, and screen reader compatibility.
• Complies with legal standards like the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).
• Improved user experience for all visitors, not just those with disabilities.
• Offers clean layouts, logical content organization, and intuitive navigation.
• Reduces clutter and makes content easily scannable.
• High-contrast color schemes or text resizing options can benefit older users or those with low vision.
• Positively impact your website’s SEO. Search engines like Google reward websites that are easy to navigate and follow best practices for user accessibility.

So, picking an accessibility-ready theme not only ensures inclusivity but can also boost your website’s search engine rankings. Your website can get more traffic and better user engagement.

Ensure your theme is compatible with the best WordPress accessibility plugins.

Examples of the Best WordPress Themes

Need further help? Here are some of the best WordPress themes under various categories that fulfill all the above criteria. So, choose one among them:

• Multipurpose themes: Kadence, Astra, Divi, OceanWP, Neve, Avada, etc.
• Blog themes: Ashe, Blocksy, Fairy, Bricksy, etc.
• eCommerce themes: Storefront, Woostify, Orchid Store, etc.
• Business themes: Flatsome, Total, etc.
• Non-profit themes: Benevolent, Charitas Lite, etc.
• FSE themes: Raft, YITH Wonder, Jadro, etc.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Conclusion

That’s it. We hope that you’re now familiar with how to choose a WordPress theme for your website.

Overall, you must consider factors including price, support, reviews, features, and many more. If you’ve already chosen a theme for your site, then please let us know your selection process. 

If you have any confusion related to WordPress themes, then you can notify us in the comment section below.

Also, check this helpful article on how to install WordPress on localhost. Using localhost allows you to try any theme or plugins on your computer and helps you choose the right product for your site.

Further, check out the best free grid-style WordPress themes and best WordPress landing page themes.

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