People say “handsome is as handsome does” to indicate that inner qualities matter more than outward appearance. Though it applies to many cases, we also have a counter-argument: users will not bother to look into inner qualities if a cover doesn’t catch the eye! And this way of thinking applies to the WordPress websites. No matter how meticulous, informative and updated your content is, it cannot attract visitors with a poor, boring and outdated look. So the question is, how do you make sure that your site looks wonderful? How to choose the best WordPress theme? Picking the right theme is the best way to ensure it will appeal to users.

As of 2019, there are currently over 11,000 WordPress themes on ThemeForest so there are plenty of options to choose from. The real question here is, how can you spot the best ones among the crowd? What criteria can you use in the search to find good-looking themes? Even though it depends on your taste, there are specific do’s and don’ts that you need to pay attention to when deciding which ones to install.

Wondering what they are? Here’s the deal!

Set objectives

To find the perfect WordPress theme for your site, we have to set out clear and specific objectives. For example, if you aim to get as many email subscribers as possible, you should look for a theme with an email opt-in form built right into it. If you are an artist wanting to publish your portfolio online, the look of the site is the most important part. If you want to build a complicated WordPress site, you should put more emphasis on its features and functions.

So before you go to ThemeForest or any other store, spend some time asking yourself these questions:

• What type of website is it? Is it about news, a WooCommerce market, or a portfolio? Deciding on the content that will take up the most space will give you hints when choosing a suitable theme.
• What are your goals? Do you prioritize revenue, customers, or just popularity? Since many themes are designed for specific uses, you will want to decide on this first.
• What functions do you need? Will it be a complex website or a simple one with an elegant look?

Do’s of How to Choose the Best WordPress Theme

After answering the above questions, you’re ready to start your search. While you are browsing around, there are things that are worth doing:

1. Go for Responsive Themes

Life will be so much more stress-free with responsiveness, I swear!

A responsive website brings comfort and better results for both you and your visitors. Why? Users love it when they visit a site from their mobile devices and everything immediately scales to fit their screens. Not only does it look beautiful, but it also makes it easier to navigate. As a result, visitors feel comfortable and hence, you can expect higher conversions. That’s why you should keep an eye out for themes with features like fluid site grid and flexible images.

However, if you like a theme that does not scale, you can transform it into a responsive WordPress theme by following this guide.

2. Look for Premium Themes

If you’re serious about your WordPress business, one smart decision is to stop saving pennies by using free themes. You can’t imagine how much trouble it can cause. On the other hand, a premium theme will give you so much more – abundant features, greater coding quality, regular updates and, in most cases, life-time support too.

While many providers require customers to renew the purchase after some time, other premium WordPress themes are paid for one time only.

3. List Out Wanted Features

When we pay for something, we want it to be worth every penny we spent, right? The same happens when we buy a WordPress theme cluttered with features. However, we tend to forget that feature-rich themes slow down your site, so they are only a good fit if you run a complex business. That’s why it’s important to consider purposely-designed themes for your specific store or website.

If you find it difficult to figure out what theme to choose, you can use the WordPress Feature Filter. It will make things easier by filtering specific features you need your theme to include, such as translation readiness or flexible headers availability.

Remember, buy the things you need, not the things you want!

4. Test It

There are two times you must test your themes:

• Before Purchasing: Use its Demos to see how it will be displayed on a website. This is a vital step that you should not skip.
• Before Launching: When you have finished the content, images, and configuration, remember to check it all before publishing your site to the world. Additionally, you should install and run ThemeCheck to ensure it matches with all WordPress standards.

Don’ts of How to Choose the Best WordPress Theme

1. Don’t Spend Too Much Time

Carefulness is essential when choosing a theme, but if you are spending too much time weighing up the pros and cons, then you’re overdoing it! If you are a perfectionist and you can’t find something you like, remember that themes can always be customized later. It’s not worth delaying your project. Set a deadline and choose a theme that is closest to your desired vision, you can improve it later.

2. Don’t Choose a WordPress Theme with Difficult-to-read Fonts

Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.

Fonts play a vital part in displaying your content on a WordPress website and you should take great care of it. However, the above rule applies. Make it simple, readable and elegant so your visitors don’t have to spend too much time deciphering content, or navigating your site.

3. Don’t Tolerate a Theme that Uses Too Many Shortcodes

Shortcodes are great if they’re used efficiently for plugins, but if they’re overused for themes, they can cause chaos.

Sadly, many theme developers put them everywhere, creating an unnecessary burden on site performance. That’s not to mention that if the owner wishes to switch to another theme, they will have to remove the codes themselves from thousands of pages before they can complete the process.

And that’s a wrap. After this article, I hope that you’ll be able to choose the best WordPress themes out there. Have more relevant advice and ideas? Please comment below and share them with us!

If you want to know more about themes, check out our list of Best WooCommerce Free Themes for 2020