The word perfect makes things seem to difficult. After all, perfection demands lots of time and energy. Doesn’t it?
So your search for the Perfect WordPress themes can be a long and daunting one. This is especially because WordPress has too many themes available for you to choose from. For one moment you may have decided the right theme for you and just when you stop scrolling, you come across another theme that looks more attractive. Most of us are too gullible to avoid such temptations right?
So let us find out how we can make this tedious task somewhat simpler.
1. The Design
Designs are the most dynamic part of your blog. They will change with time or you may be able to find something timeless. This will depend on how you see your blog’s personality. Would you like to keep up with changing trends? Or do you plan to go classic and stick with something that defines you in the long term.
Simple designs were a big deal in 2016 and 2017, but recently I have seen people beginning to try more exciting stuff where patterns and catchy colors are starting to show up on blogs more often. Identify the colors you connect with and then find a theme that offers something in those colors.
You may also want to look at different layouts. Photographers and artists prefer layouts that showcase their work beautifully. Writers tend to pick layouts that show snippets of their writing. Pick the right layout according to the objectives of your blog.
Navigation is also an important part of your blog. Look for a theme that helps your readers easily navigate. If they find it too confusing or if the archives are not easy to access then they may just leave.
I consider design to be a great place to start. So pick a few themes (around 10 or a few more if you can’t decide) and then check for details about technicalities and support that we have mentioned below to filter them further.
2. The Technicalities
The next thing to know about the themes you may have Okayed from the designs is the technicalities. Here are some points to help:
Browser Compatibility
The more browsers your theme is compatible with, the more readers you will be able to target. Check for browser compatibility among the selected themes and drop those that don’t offer enough.
Plugins available
If you are a seasoned blogger then you would already know the importance of plugins, if you are new blogging then you will soon realize how important a role they play. Find themes that offer more plugins. This way you will be able to get the most of your blog.
Multilingual Ready
If your blog is targeting a local audience then you can skip this but if you are aiming for global reach then pick themes that offer translation and are multilingual ready. As more people from around the globe visit your blog, this will turn out to be really helpful.
Mobile Friendly
Mobiles are the most popular medium for reading blogs these days. Don’t pick a theme that does not offer this important trait. Although I have recently realized, that there is hardly a theme that is not mobile ready and responsive, this is one feature that you should take the time to check before you choose a theme.
Readability
I am not going to blame the blog alone for readability, but fonts can make a difference. Choose a theme that has a layout which does not distract your readers and one that uses a font that is soothing for the eyes. This also affects your blog’s visibility in Search Engines.
While you may eventually have a company handle marketing for your blog it is good to start early and ensure good readability. Firms like Hopinfirst are a great place to get help for digital marketing when you are ready to start making money from your blog.
3. The Support
It is always helpful to be able to get support when you need it for your blog. Some themes have a robust support system while other theme developers may be slow to respond. Find out if the theme has an active community and that the developer has provided adequate documentation.
This will help you fix problems more quickly. Sometimes, in the absence of support, you may end up paying a third-party developer for fixing the problem.
4. The Reviews
Find out what people are saying about this theme. Don’t depend on the usual methods or the theme website for reviews. Instead, do your own research by reading about the theme in user forums and communities where people are talking about the problems they face with the theme and are discussing ways in which the theme has helped. This is a more definitive way of knowing that the theme will live up to your expectations.
About The Author:
James Tredwell is a Technical SEO at Hopinfirst.com who works with unique problems and advanced search situations. He helps clients improve organic traffic through a deep understanding of Google’s algorithm and Web technology.