Tips to Choose a Good WordPress Theme

When it comes to WordPress sites, the first element that’s needed is a good theme. This is something that many people don’t give much thought to. This is partly because WordPress supplies a default free theme which, to a very limited extent, can be customized.

There are also lots of free themes that you can access from your WP dashboard. However, there are some good reasons why you might want to look a little further. The following tips can help you settle on the best possible theme for your WordPress site.

Don’t Settle For the Default Theme

There is nothing wrong with the free default theme -except for the fact that it’s used by tens of thousands of sites. People without blogging or website experience will not think to change the theme, which is why the default theme is by far the most common one.

Despite the fact that you can change the header and a few other settings, using this theme will give your site a cooker-cutter look. Furthermore, anyone with WordPress experience will instantly see that you are using the default theme.

Finding a Good Free Theme

If you are determined to use a free theme, you can find many alternatives to the default theme. You can search right from the WP dashboard and find hundreds of themes. The list is always being updated. Some of the themes are generic, while others are created for more specialized purposes. You can also use these great free themes from Automattic.

Remember that you can always choose a theme and try it out. It only takes a few clicks to do this, so if you decide to change your mind there’s nothing lost. You can also search for free themes off site, using Google or another search engine.

Advantages of Premium Themes

Premium themes are ones that you have to pay for. These can cost anywhere from a few dollars to $50 or even more. When you purchase themes, you usually have a choice of buying a personal or developer’s license (with layered PSD files and etc).

The latter is if you want to create sites for other people and sell them. These licenses can be quite expensive, but if you’re a developer it can be worth it to have the ability to create quality sites for your clients.

What are some of the benefits of premium themes?

• A More Distinctive Site – Fewer people using the theme makes your site look more original.
• Better Support – You will get much better support for themes you pay for than free ones.
• Updates – Free themes are not updated consistently. This can be a problem if your theme isn’t compatible with a WordPress update. Premium themes are frequently updated.
• More Secure – Premium themes are usually more secure than free ones.
• More Customizable Features – You will have more features and ways to customize your site with a premium theme.

Choosing a Theme That Works For Your Site

Whether you choose a free or premium theme, you want to find one that is appropriate for your site. If you have a business, you can often find a theme that matches your industry. The same goes for blogs devoted to hobbies, causes or interests.

While you can sometimes find free themes that are specialized, with themes you pay for you will have a wider variety of choices. If you need a theme for an unusual type of business or interest, you may have to do a little searching. Of course, you can always customize a theme yourself with images and other features that you add.

Don’t just settle on any old theme. Make sure it does justice to your objectives for your site. People will notice how your site looks before anything else, so it’s important to realize that appearances do matter!