If you have decided to build your new website on WordPress then picking the right theme can be tricky. You may get confused by the endless number of free or premium themes available when you start.

Given below are a few guidelines which will make things easier for you while selecting your WordPress theme.

1. Responsive Design

Your website has to display properly on all devices from a desktop computer to tablets and mobile phones since many users are switching devices. Hence this feature is not optional anymore. You can avoid themes that lack responsiveness easily with a filter.

To check whether the theme you’re thinking about is mobile-friendly, Google even offers a free mobile-friendly testing tool. Almost all WordPress theme companies like Template Monster for example build only mobile-responsive themes. The team at dessign.net specialize in responsive themes too, and this should be the case with any high-quality theme shop.

2. Compatibility Across Browsers

You have to make sure the WordPress theme that you are planning appears well across different browsers. In the same way that users use different devices, they also have various browser preferences. There are chances that the theme may look perfect on your current browser, although it may not perform well on others. Usually, the WordPress theme developers test their themes, but if they have not mentioned it in the theme description, you can try a simple test by trying it on different popular browsers such as Google Chrome, Opera, Safari, Internet Explorer or Firefox.

3. Easy Customization

The customization options vary from theme to theme. And without any knowledge of coding or CSS, by changing a few features, you can create diverse layouts. Even though some of the themes come with advanced options, it still may not include the functionality you are looking for.

You can spend time trying demo versions, and by doing this you can find out how the basic layout looks. Although you have to keep in mind that a variety of functionality is not an essential part of each theme, it could be useful depending on what you want your website to do.

To get more custom options and be able to do as much as possible without messing with the code, you should ideally choose from among the best WordPress themes providers. For creative designers, portfolio showcases, agencies, and other creative businesses, ‘Webcreate.me’ offers a professional collection of WordPress themes. And then there is the Divi WordPress theme and easy-to-use-page-builder for those new to WordPress.

4. Loading Speed

One of the most significant factors affecting the conversion rate is Website speed. There is nothing more annoying than a website that takes ages to load, and people wouldn’t waste their time on it. The average user expects the loading time to be only about 3 seconds. And this is a pretty clear reason why you should be thorough when choosing a theme because the problems with load performance may destroy the beauty of a well-coded and good-looking site.

5. Customer Support

Customer support is usually a part of the package if you go for a premium theme. It can be a call center, email support, or even a forum and tutorials.

Even though free themes are mostly only side projects for developers, many of them offer at least some form of email support. You may have to wait a little bit longer for the resolution, but it’s better than trying to deal with issues yourself.

6. SEO Friendly

As a matter of fact, many vendors may claim that their themes are “SEO-friendly” but they may be filled with errors. Firstly, it’s a good sign that a developer has considered SEO but on the other hand, we personally suggest that you investigate the SEO before trusting it blindly.

7. Support All Essential Plugins

The powerful plugin library which WordPress provides you is what makes it so popular. So, remind yourself to check if your theme supports all plugins you might need to use in the future since some of these plugins are necessary for every website.

8. Simple and Uncluttered Design

If you want people to have a seamless and enjoyable experience while visiting your website, you should consider using a user-friendly design. You can find hundreds of themes that come with lots of layouts, colors, and features which may be useful, although, in the end, you got to focus on a simple design.

We all know that minimalism never gets old and looks cool, and it affects the conversion rate. So, make sure your content is easy to understand by using WordPress themes that are not too complicated.

You may come across templates that might be appealing and beautiful, but that does not mean it will help to grow your business or improve sales. Hence keep in mind that you are creating a website for your potential customers and you want them to find what they need quickly.

9. Updates and Security

New core updates of WordPress for your theme should get automatically updated. Without a doubt, security is the most important reason why WordPress is launching updates.

Since themes that are free are usually a side project of developers, they aren’t launching updates straight after a new WordPress update is out. So, make sure your theme comes with regular updates for better security.

At Helpbot, services like creating a new site, choosing a theme template according to business niche, moving to a new hosting provider or changing the domain are provided seamlessly without any hassles by our express WordPress Management Executives. We offer our services at different prices to suit your budget accordingly, take a look, and schedule a free call today!