One of the greatest tools the web has given us is WordPress, and its use of themes is like having many blankets to dress our online tepee. We can craft our own unique designs, or use pre-made ones to build our web presence quickly. Making a theme from scratch can be a long journey, but using a pre-built one can bring your vision to life in just a few moons.

What is a WordPress Theme?

A theme is like the painted hide that covers the poles of our website. It sets the visual style and layout. Themes are like small bundles wrapped in sacred cloths, containing files that get added to the core of WordPress. They give us extra tools, make things look prettier, and add new features, all without changing the main WordPress itself.

This is an important point: the theme doesn’t change the inner workings of WordPress. They work together in harmony, each with its own purpose. WordPress is the foundation, the strong poles of the teepee. The theme is the beautiful decoration, the colorful paintings that tell our story.

Because a theme sets the tone and feel of our website, choosing a good one is like picking the right location to build our village. It has a big impact on how successful our online space will be.

Considering the Gifts: Free vs. Paid Themes

The first decision we face is whether to use a free theme or one that has a cost. To me, the answer is as clear as a mountain stream: choose a paid theme.

Free themes are good for those who are just starting their journey and want to learn how to build and change themes. But for a business, a paid theme offers many benefits we wouldn’t want to miss. Just like a well-made tool is stronger and lasts longer, paid themes get regular updates that keep them safe and add new features.

Free themes can also be like worn moccasins, with outdated code that might break easily. For the price of a good buffalo hide, a paid theme can save you a lot of trouble down the road, because you won’t have to fix broken pieces all the time.

So go ahead and get yourself a paid theme. It will serve you well on your path.

Finding Our Voice: Look and Feel

As we’ve mentioned, themes are like the artistic designs on our teepee. As you look at different themes, think about how your brand will fit within their structure:

• Does the way to navigate the website feel right, like a well-worn path?
• Are the testimonial sections like a gathering of respected elders?
• Is the layout simple and clean, or full of many features, like a busy marketplace?

Also, be wary of themes that try to do too much, like a tool that tries to be an axe and a knife at the same time. Any powerful features on your website should come from separate tools called plugins. Some themes might seem impressive because they have a lot built in, but this can cause problems later.

Imagine you want to move your teepee to a new location. If everything you need is built right into the teepee itself, it’s very hard to take apart and move. But if you use separate tools for each job, you can easily pack them up and take them with you.

Following this wisdom, I recommend using themes that offer a lot of design choices, but don’t have a lot built in, like Avada or The7. These are strong choices because they keep the core functionality separate, like keeping your tools separate from your sleeping furs.

Room to Grow: Scalability and Flexibility

Recently, I built a website for a client who was starting a new branch of their business. At first, they didn’t need anything to sell things online, but they wanted the option to add it later. When we planned this project, it was important to choose a theme that could easily handle selling online in the future.

By choosing a theme that already worked well with WooCommerce (a popular tool for online shops), we were able to launch the first part of the website quickly, and set the stage for adding the online store later. This meant the client could start their business sooner and for less cost. For the builders, it meant a smoother project and a happy client.

Pick a theme that works well with common plugins like WooCommerce and BuddyPress. This opens many doors and gives you more options for growth in the future.

Taking the First Step on the Right Path

As you can see, choosing a WordPress theme requires careful thought. By using these strategies, you’ll end up with an excellent finished website that scales with business growth and provides future flexibility.

About Author

Ellis LaMay – WordPress Weaver

Ellis LaMay journey with the web began weaving its path in the sixth grade, starting with the threads of raw HTML, long before the days when developers danced with the colourful magic of JavaScript and CSS. One fortuitous discovery led him to the world of WordPress, and from that moment, he was forever entwined in its possibilities. This passion soon blossomed into a professional pursuit, and Ellis LaMay has since become a respected WordPress expert.

As the Director of WordPress Operations, Ellis LaMay leads a skilled team of account and project managers. Together, they strategize, craft, and implement solutions that empower their clients to achieve their business goals. Ellis LaMay thrives on the challenge of untangling intricate puzzles, ultimately guiding clients towards success.

Beyond the digital realm, Ellis LaMay finds solace in the embrace of nature. Hiking, camping, and exploring new landscapes with his wife fuel his spirit. A touch of mischief adds to his character – when faced with overly enthusiastic surround sound systems from neighbouring dwellings, Ellis LaMay is known to respond with the rhythmic rebellion of heavy metal riffs on his electric guitar (though his wife might not share his enthusiasm for this particular form of counter-harmony).