The layout (structure) of a website or blog is essential for creating your brand identity. For this reason, one of the first steps you should consider before publishing your project online is choosing a template .
The template, also known as a theme, is very important for the organization of your website. It determines how the elements (menus, headers, footers, text, images, videos) will be presented to your readers or customers.
If you’re going to use WordPress to publish your website, the number of options is really large, both for paid (premium) versions and for free versions.
How to choose the best WordPress theme for your website?
Regardless of your choice, it’s important to consider a few criteria before selecting the ideal WordPress template for your project. Therefore, we’ve outlined some tips, which you can see below:
1. Choose a template that matches your project WordPress Template
There are many options to choose from. To start, think about the type of website you want to create. Is it an institutional site or an online portfolio? A personal or business blog, or an online store?
With this information in mind, you can now make a selection; not all available templates serve the same purposes. Some themes are brother cell phone list designed for specific purposes , such as an online store, an NGO, a restaurant, or a pet store.
Tip: Your business profile is important, but remember to also consider the audience you want to reach . If your audience is younger, for example, a more modern template may work better. For executives, something more formal may be ideal.
2. Evaluate the level of customization
If you’re going to use a ready-made template, it’s best to verify that the chosen theme can be modified to meet your needs. Think about what resources you’ll need and look for options that offer the necessary level of customization .
Customizable themes allow for the use of additional features, such as easy integration with social media, creation of registration and/or contact forms, photo galleries, and more.
Tip: If the theme you chose doesn’t create irresistible offers that sell offer some of the features you’re looking for, you can also activate them using plugins.
3. Analyze if it meets SEO requirements
To make your website easily found in search engines, using an SEO-friendly template is an excellent idea. Check the template’s description; it usually tells you what features you can expect from that theme. SEO-friendly should be the term that describes this characteristic.
Tip: In addition to having a user-friendly template, we recommend adding an SEO plugin . On the HostGator blog, we use WordPress SEO by Yoast .
You may also be interested in: What is SEO and why is it important?
4. Choose a responsive theme
Being responsive is nothing short of a luxury. With the number of access points via tablets and mobile phones growing rapidly, having a responsive website is a necessity, and it’s one of the aspects we consider strategic when publishing a website or blog.
When selecting your WordPress template , choose one that automatically adjusts to ensure optimal content display on mobile devices.
Tip: Responsiveness has become one of Google’s ranking factors , which prioritizes responsive websites for mobile searches. For more information on this change, we’ve prepared a post that presents the main advantages of having a responsive website and discusses some available options.
5. Make sure the template is up to date
WordPress isn’t the only one that constantly updates to implement improvements and make minor fixes. Themes can and should be updated too. When choosing your template, make sure it’s been updated within the last year or powder data recently; also check for previous security issues.
Don’t purchase or download templates from unknown sources . Use reliable sources; there are several specialized websites, such as Mojo , for example. If you’re downloading a free theme, use the search in the admin area to find it. You can also search the WordPress theme gallery .
With these 5 tips, you’ll be ready to define the best template for your web project. If you’d like to learn more about how to optimize your website, we’ve prepared a post with 5 recommended plugins to improve your WordPress website .