To create a new WordPress website for your business the very first step that you will have to do is find the best suitable theme. And this is one of the toughest jobs to do. What is the reason behind this?
This is because in the market thousands of themes are available. And another problem is that these all themes seem to keep all their promises and ensure you will not face any problem while creating a website.
When we talk about a theme then it becomes very important to choose a perfect theme as it carries a large set of responsibilities. The theme will not only give a new look to your content but also it will make it easy for customers to navigate throughout your website easily. Plus the theme is responsive to adapt the size and layout of various devices.
In a wide marketplace where more than 50,000 simple free WordPress themes and more than 80,000 premium themes are available, how would you choose the best template for your need? So we have listed some characteristics that you should check out before choosing any theme for your business.
- Capable of turning off or removing unused features
The main goal of any author is to sell their themes to maximum users. This is the reason that they ensure to put all those features which can be required for getting any type of business niche online.
Some features like fancy JavaScript effects or scroll animations are something that not every user looks for. Thus it becomes important that the theme you choose must allow you to turn off the features that are not required.
The theme author should ensure that their customers should be able to disable features either by code or via the settings panel.
- Responsive layout
Any simple free WordPress themes that you are trying to install should work great on every screen size. Not just the theme should get fitted on mobile screen and be responsive but also the theme should be easy to navigate by the users on touch-enabled devices. Most of the time you will see that the menus are not very easy to use if the website is not responsive.
Another important point is that the functions of a site including shopping carts must be hidden on short viewports. These features should be easily accessed by the users without requiring searching for them.
- Do not need extra plugins
Not every person will be using the theme for similar niches. Therefore it is very important to check whether the theme you choose is working great with or without a plugin. Mostly you will find that not every theme works without the need for plugins.
Limited functionality can be added via plugins but it is the wrong to use plugins if you are adding for every small functionality or feature on the website because access use of plugin will make your website slow down.
- Very seriously take the accessibility
Accessibility is a simple feature. Actually, it is a basic requirement. There are some basic standards that should be fulfilled by the themes when we talk about keyboard navigation, semantic markup usage, and focus styles.
There are some things that are not easy to control by the theme author. The theme which allows the user to use customize the color by their choice will not be actually responsive or not getting more users because of bad contrast ratios.
- Bug fixes regularly
Because WordPress introduced a new advanced feature i.e. Gutenberg block editor it is becoming quite difficult for beginner users to use it easily. The new feature means more new code which will lead to more security holes, bugs, and other technical problems.
But because WordPress is meant for every kind of business needs it is important to make WordPress plugins, themes and core updated. Always choose a simple free WordPress themes that constant entries in their changelog. Plus make sure to check whether the support team gets back to you instantly.
6. Perfect WordPress theme
It is better to take your time for searching for a theme that goes as per your requirements. Study if the theme is properly optimized, updated, and supports third-party plugins. Plus check if the theme looks good on all major devices and browsers.
7. Do make a list of the features you want ahead of time
Before selecting a theme, it’s absolutely important to determine which features are essential and which you can live without.
The WordPress Feature Filter makes it super easy to customize your search for free themes based on specific features you want, like being translation ready and allowing for a flexible header. It’s important to have the design in mind before making a selection. For instance, you should be prepared to know if you want your site to have one column or multiple columns.
When it comes to WordPress themes, less is always more. Building from the bottom up, the theme you choose should only have the features that will help you accomplish the goal of your site, not unnecessary ones that clutter your theme, which brings us to the next point.
8. Don’t choose a bloated theme
The importance of this is you don’t want a theme cluttered with features — this will only hurt you in the long run. A feature-rich theme might be nice, but it can severely affect site performance. Be sure to restrain yourself against installing every feature you think is cool.
While fancy music players or gaming capabilities might be alluring, they could detract from site performance. Plus, developers often use code they found on the internet for these features, thereby creating security weak spots because they aren’t necessarily focused on keeping a site secure, but performing a specific function.
9. Do choose a responsive theme
Responsive design simply means making your site ultra-easy to use—not just on a laptop, but on multiple devices. This means that it’s compatible with mobile and has menus and other widgets that are easy to navigate.
Look for features like a fluid site grid and flexible images that can translate to non-desktop devices. An example of a responsive theme would be one that can easily translate on a mobile device without any hiccups.
Say that you picked a theme that you love, but it’s not as responsive as you’d like. You’re going to have to customize it a little bit. Here are some ways to make your WordPress theme responsive on your own.