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Two WordPress themes dominate the field of professional WordPress website development. As a WordPress instructor, I train staff members on their brand new company website. During training, I get to see the theme chosen by the original developer. Eight out of ten times, I guess the theme correctly without seeing it in advance. Just two themes are most commonly used by WordPress developers. They are Divi by Elegant Themes and Avada by Theme Fusion. The WordPress Theme for your website is one of the most important digital asset decisions you will make. The right theme can stay with you for years, strengthening your influence as your brand develops. Choose a theme already proven to be flexible and popular.
Learn to use these website themes quickly with Advanced 1-on-1 WordPress Training. Contact our office at (844) 972-6224.
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The wrong theme choice causes increasing headaches and loss of money over time. That’s why it’s so important to make the right choice from the beginning. As a developer who has worked with WordPress since 2012, I have my favorites. But before I share those, let’s look at some things you should consider while making the choice.
Choose a theme used by WordPress developers
There are thousands of theme options on the market today. It’s easy to get really overwhelmed by the prospect of choosing one for your brand. How are you supposed to know which one will work and which ones won’t?
You don’t.
There are simply too many to consider. Most WordPress developers use the Avada theme or the Divi theme for ALL of their client websites. But, if theme research is an area you want to spend time…
All web devs have struggled with this process. I’ve put together six things to consider when choosing a WordPress theme. By examining themes with these elements in mind, you’ll see a few candidates rise to the top.
Price
There are both free and premium WordPress themes. Free themes are unpredictable and not well supported. And, if you don’t think you will need support, then you are kidding yourself. 🙂 Purchase a theme from a company that creates themes as their primary business. Do not purchase a theme from a website development company that also happens to make themes on the side.
Speed
This is an important element in terms of both SEO and user experience. You don’t want a bloated theme that has too much weighing it down. A slow website can turn people off before you ever get them reading the page. If a WordPress theme requires a bunch of plugins to function, then keep looking.
Design
Website developers like to use themes with brand flexibility. Business brands have different design needs. You should be able to customize the theme’s design to match your client brand specifications. But beyond that, the theme should have solid design bones that makes customization as simple as possible. There shouldn’t be any need to write or edit code to get the look and functionality you want.
Responsiveness
You’ve got to have a responsive website. If you’re not on mobile, you’re not only losing potential mobile views, but you could get dinged by Google in terms of SEO. Make sure the theme is responsive. These days, almost all WordPress themes are responsive and mobile friendly. But, some look better than others on mobile. Check it out.
Customization
Business clients have specific ideas regarding every detail of their websites. Total customization is possible by digging into code. But, most businesses want their staff to be able to make changes directly from the WordPress dashboard. Coding up the website backend is not a good idea. Instead, Website developers look for themes that allow for customization and flexibility directly from the WordPress dashboard.
Age
Seriously. How old is it? Did you look? Just because it looks new to you doesn’t mean it isn’t on the verge of old age in terms of it’s latest update. WordPress themes need to be updated often in order to stay compatible with WordPress security updates. These important updates are not just for kicks. They are for security gaps. When you are considering a theme purchase, look at the update history. It will be public and should be visible on the sales page. The most recent update should be less than three months ago. If it has been more than 6 months since the last update, then the theme may have been abandoned by the original creator. Steer clear.
The balance of these 6 elements makes for a complete theme. The themes I suggest below are strong in each of these areas. Ultimately, it’s up to you to choose the best thing for your brand – whether it’s one of these or something else.
My top themes used by WordPress developers
- Marketer’s Delight (Great for copywriters and authors)
- Authority Pro (perfect for business coaches and real estate agents)
- Divi (Flexible and highly customizable. Comes with excellent documentation and creative options)
- Avada (ideal for complicated websites needing unlimited functionality. The most flexible theme on the market.)
I also recommend the following theme providers:
- studiopress.com
- themify.me
- elegantthemes.com
Each of these themes are built well. You’ll find each of my 6 preferred selection elements prominent in each choice.
Choose the best WordPress theme for you
Ultimately, the thing that matters most: actually choose a WordPress theme. Don’t fall into selection paralysis by becoming overwhelmed by your options.
I wished I had somebody to just tell me which theme to use when I was just starting out! Instead, I spent too many weekends fiddling around with themes that looked nice but didn’t make the cut.
Choose a theme that meets most of your criteria and move on to bigger and better things.
Advanced WordPress Training
Learn to use these website themes quickly with Advanced 1-on-1 WordPress Training. Watch the video below for details or contact our office at (844) 972-6224.
