We already covered why WordPress is the best platform that allows you to create your website. It is simple to learn, SEO friendly, and much more. One of the greatest challenge that people face when creating a website however, is selecting a suitable theme. There are thousands of themes available to choose from WordPress theme directory alone, not considering those available on other vendor websites like Theme Forest.

The sheer number of themes can easily cause confusion when one is looking for a suitable theme best for their website. No matter your nice – political news, sports, food and drink, or event planning, there are always several themes to choose from. For example, if you are creating content about social issues, you would then want a theme that presents content in a scannable format.

The good news is that most themes for WordPress have a lot of customizations that enable you get the most out of them. However, if these are coded the wrong way, they could rein havoc on your website by making it sluggish or worse. This would adversely affect your SERPs ranking. To be on the safe side, there are factors that need consideration before you settle for a certain theme and brand it ‘the best theme for me’. Here are 6 of the most important considerations to make.

6 Factors to Consider when Choosing a WordPress Theme

  1. Does it fulfill your purpose?

It all boils down to this. Yes, it is a great theme, and you love it. But if it does not fulfill your purpose, it is best to leave it alone. It is important to understand what you want to achieve. If you are an event planner, getting a newspaper theme is the worst decision you will make. No matter how good and optimized the theme is, your business will never take off.

  1. Cross-browser compatibility

There are more than 5 major browsers available today and all use different technology to render web pages. It is also a fact that many of your website visitors will be using a browser different from yours. The theme you choose may appear to be the perfect fit when viewed on your browser but may not render well on others. You therefore need to ensure that your website renders correctly to all users irrespective or their browser of choice. Good thing is that in this era, developers go the extra mile to ensure cross-browser compatibility but this does not mean you should not check it out for yourself.

  1. Simplicity

Everyone wants to make their website stand out. One of the surest ways of doing this, is by using a theme with bright layouts, colors, and lots of animations. But while it may stand out, all the pomp may spoil the user experience. In reality, people will visit your website for the content and all the color and animation may only push them away. Simplicity is therefore the best way to go. Go for a theme that looks good and is in harmony with the content and you can never go wrong. The presentation of the content should be in such a way that it makes it easier for users to navigate. Overall, such a theme will help you achieve your goals.

  1. Is it responsive?

More and more people are using their smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices to access the internet. In fact, the number of mobile users has surpassed that of desktop computer users. This means that a website that can render well on these devices has an upper hand. Additionally, google ranks mobile friendly websites higher. The question on whether a theme is responsive should therefore be one of the first things on your mind. If it is not, it is better to move on.

  1. Security and Performance

Because of the high competition among theme developers, some may use quick solutions that enable them churn out themes fast. This usually results in themes with poor code structure that affect performance and also have security vulnerabilities. So how exactly would you know if a theme offers optimum security and performance? Well, unless you go through every line of code, there is unfortunately no sure way of knowing. To be on the safe side however, it is always best to go for themes from reputable vendors and developers like Elegant themes, StudioPress, and Themefy. Also, the ratings and reviews of a theme can be a great source of information on this.

  1. Free or premium: Which is best

Most WordPress themes – free or premium, will pass the test on all points above. The question then becomes, which one is best for your website? This completely depends on you. If you are starting out or are on a tight budget, a free theme is obviously the most practical option. However, paid themes usually have a number of advantages over free themes, especially when it comes to support. So, if you will need to tweak things a lot, or would want help setting thigs up, a premium theme would be a better option. Also, premium themes tend to have cleaner code compared to free themes, but not always.

Choosing a great WordPress themes for your website is one step in creating a good quality website. When building a website, you need to ensure that it can keep the reader captivated while also making it easier for him or her to navigate. Once you have a great WordPress site, you will find it easier to achieve your goals.

What next?

To get help selecting the best theme for your website, contact us now. We will be glad to help.