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WordPress is the most popular content management system (CMS) on the planet. According to W3Techs, well over a third of the web (43.5%) runs on WordPress. It’s flexible, open-source, customizable, and scalable, making it an ideal platform for building your website.
But one of the most critical decisions you’ll make when doing so is choosing a WordPress theme. Select the right one, and it’ll speed up your website, make it easy to customize, and scale as you wish. If you end up with the wrong theme, your website will be slow and clunky.
As WooCommerce experts, an e-commerce extension built on WordPress, we’ve worked on many WordPress themes and know the ins and outs of choosing one.
Let’s explain how to choose a theme on WordPress, including tips and best practices.
What Is a WordPress Theme?
WordPress is a content management system that consists of multiple components, including the core software, plugins, and a theme. A WordPress theme controls how your website looks and feels. Consider it the face of your online store or website, if you will.
Technically, it’s a combination of templates, code files, and stylesheets that modify the front-end of your website. However, it doesn’t change the core WordPress software. Sometimes, WordPress themes come with a drag-and-drop builder like Elementor, which allows you to customize them without touching code.
Plugins vs WordPress Themes
While your website needs both a theme and plugins, they’re not the same. Plugins add a particular feature or functionality to your website. For example, you can use an SEO plugin like Yoast SEO to readily optimize your website for search engines.
Free and Paid WordPress Themes
When selecting the best theme for your WordPress site, you may consider both free and paid ones. Free themes cost nothing and are better suited for small projects, like a standalone website for a local charity.
On the other hand, complex websites like online stores require paid themes because they offer more flexibility, control, and customization. Unlike their free counterparts, premium themes also come with updates, documentation, and customer service.
How to Choose a Theme on WordPress: 4 Questions You MUST Ask
The best WordPress theme is the one that boosts your site’s performance, security, and functionality. To find a theme like that, you must ask the right questions.
Here’s what you can ask:
What Kind of Content Will You Have?
Before you choose a WordPress theme, ask yourself what type of content your website will have. Is it a simple blog, a designer portfolio, or a WooCommerce store?
The content you display will decide how you choose a theme for your WordPress site.
For instance,
- Blogs need a theme with easy-to-read text.
- Stores need product grids and fast checkout pages.
- Portfolios need galleries and image sliders.
When you choose a theme, keep these factors in mind. Go with a theme that best suits your requirements, not just now, but for the long haul.
What’s Your Brand Aesthetic?
Choose a theme that looks like your brand, or at least closely resembles it. That means you’ll need to pay close attention to fonts, colors, and layout styles. If possible, all of these elements should support your brand aesthetic.
Some of the best WordPress themes come with multiple templates. You can choose a template that best fits your brand voice. The good news is, WordPress boasts over 13,000 themes, which makes it easier to find something that speaks for your brand.
What Functionality Do You Need?
Different websites need different functionalities. For example, if you run a salon, your website will need an online booking system and even a membership area. But online stores need many features, including payment gateways, security, product displays, and a membership area.
Some of the themes will come with these features, while others will rely on plugins. Make sure to choose a theme that plays well with plugins. In other words, don’t just look at the design, think about how compatible the theme is with WordPress and other plugins.
What’s Your Budget?
If you’re building your website on a budget, you can start with a free theme. However, free WordPress themes have limited features and no support. Given what’s at stake, you should consider investing in a premium theme.
The other option is to ask your developer to create a customized theme. Many WordPress themes allow you to customize them, or you can build one from scratch. It’s worth investing in a custom-built theme, especially if you want to plan for long-term success.
How to Choose a Theme for WordPress: Features to Look For
Asking these questions is a good starting point, but you will need to think about what features it offers. The WordPress theme you choose should have these features:
Responsiveness
In 2024, over 60% of all web traffic came from phones, with this percentage steadily rising in the last decade. If your theme isn’t responsive (or mobile-friendly), your website will lose customers.
A responsive theme will adjust automatically for all screen sizes, including phone, tablet, or desktop. This improves user experience and keeps people on your site longer.
Google, the search engine giant, also prioritizes mobile-first design when ranking web results. If you want your website to rank higher in search results and have a better SEO profile, look for a theme with a responsive design.
Performance (Speed)
The next feature to look for in a WordPress theme is speed. Lightweight themes (those with no unnecessary code) can boost your website’s loading speed. This is a critical performance factor because it affects your SEO and even leads to conversions.
Nearly 70% of US consumers admit that page speed affects their willingness to buy from an online retailer. If you choose a bloated or slow theme, you will lose your customers, most likely to your competitors.
When searching for WordPress themes, look for:
- Lightweight code.
- Clean CSS and JavaScript.
- No large files that slow things down.
Customization
The best themes for WordPress are customizable. This means you can:
- Change layouts
- Edit headers and footers
- Customize fonts and colors
With a customizable theme, you can change the color or fonts to match your brand. This flexibility also allows you to add more advanced features, such as custom product filters or multiple payment gateways.
Plugin Compatibility
The WordPress theme should be compatible with major plugins, including:
The Yoast SEO plugin is used for search optimization, which makes your website more visible online. It’s the backbone of your lead generation.
WooCommerce is a must if you want to add e-commerce functionality to your WordPress website. The theme has to be compatible with it if you plan to sell products online.
Elementor or Gutenberg are drag-and-drop editing tools that let you update your content, visuals, and functionality without touching code. They make it easy to keep your site fresh.
WPForms Gravity Form helps you create and customize contact forms, which are a critical part of your website.
These are a few basic plugins, but you must choose a theme that’s compatible with all the plugins you need for your website.
Accessibility
Accessibility is more than just a moral obligation. It’s now a legal and business imperative. Still, 94.8% of the world’s top one million homepages failed to meet WCAG 2. If your website is accessible, you can tap into a wider segment of customers, those relying on screen readers or keyboard-only navigation.
When looking for a WordPress theme, look for the one with the latest WCAG compliance. These themes meet the accessibility standards set for contrast, text size, alt text, and navigation. In short, you won’t have to spend more time and money on adding accessibility to your website.
Ongoing Support
Outdated themes are not just a design let-down; they’re a security risk. In 2024, there was a 58% increase in info stealer attacks.
If your website stores sensitive customer information, using a free or outdated theme may not be a good idea. Without active updates and tech support, it can open a doorway for cybercriminals to hack into your website.
However, when you install a well-supported theme, you get:
- Update logs
- A support forum
- Clear documentation
If something goes sideways, you can lean on the tech support or detailed documentation. That’s why premium, well-supported themes are worth the investment.
Reviews and Ratings
Finally, take a look at the customer reviews and ratings. The best WordPress themes typically have a 4.5+ rating and plenty of positive reviews. When going through the reviews, look specifically for comments about speed issues, bugs, and tech support.
Avoid using themes with:
- Complaints about bugs or slow loading
- No updates for months
- Poor customer service
Where to Find the Best WordPress Themes
Now that you know how to choose a WordPress theme, let’s talk about where you can find them. Typically, there are three ways to find a reliable, well-supported, and mobile-friendly theme.
WordPress.com Theme Gallery
If you use WordPress.com hosting, this is the best place to get started. The WordPress.com theme gallery offers a curated list of themes that are tested for compatibility and performance. You can install a theme with just a few clicks.
WordPress.org Theme Directory
Another option is the WordPress.org directory. It’s packed with thousands of free WordPress themes. Each one is open-source and reviewed by the WordPress community for code quality and security. While most themes here have basic features, it’s a perfect place to find lightweight, well-built themes.
Third-Party Marketplaces
If you can’t find a WordPress theme in either of these directories, you can look at the third-party marketplaces. These are premium themes from trusted sellers.
Some of the popular marketplaces include:
- ThemeForest has a massive catalog of themes suitable for all industries.
- Elegant Themes is the maker of Divi, known for its design flexibility.
- TemplateMonster is another marketplace with diverse offerings.
These marketplaces usually offer niche-specific themes, bundled features, and dedicated support. If you want to build an online store, investing in a premium theme from one of these sources makes sense.
FAQs about How to Choose a Theme On WordPress
What is the best theme for WordPress beginners?
The best theme for WordPress beginners is one that’s lightweight, easy to use, and compatible with popular page builders like Elementor or Gutenberg. Astra, Divi, and GeneratePress are a few options to get started.
Can I change my WordPress theme later without losing content?
Yes, you can change your theme whenever you want, without losing your content. However, some layout and widget settings may reset. If you want to switch the theme, back up your website first. Also, check it in the staging environment before going live again.
How do I know if a theme is SEO-friendly?
Look for themes with clean code, fast load speeds, and responsive design. It should also support schema markup, work with SEO plugins like Rank Math or Yoast, and pass Google’s Core Web Vitals.
Should I choose a free or premium WordPress theme?
Free themes are a good starting point, but not a reliable solution for complex or customized websites. A premium WordPress theme is worth the investment if you want a good-looking, secure, responsive, and high-speed website.
How many themes can I install on my WordPress site?
You can install as many WordPress themes as you like, but only one can be active at a time. We recommend deleting inactive themes to reduce bloat and security risks.
Need Help with Your WordPress Theme? Let’s Talk!
Selecting the best WordPress theme isn’t about how it looks; it’s also about how your site performs, feels, and grows. When choosing it for your website, focus on speed, mobile-friendliness, customization, and long-term support.
If you need expert help selecting a WordPress theme, CoSpark is here to help. We’re a full-service white-label WooCommerce development agency with years of experience. Our experts can help you choose, install, maintain, and even customize a theme.
Contact us to discuss your web development project.
