When you start using WordPress, you’ll learn about themes. So, what is a WordPress theme? In this article, not only will you learn how to install a WordPress theme, but some tips on how to pick the right one for your website.
What is a WordPress Theme?
A WordPress theme is the front display of your website that your visitors will see. A theme contains different templates that allow each type of post or page or custom post type to look a specific way. They may have settings that allow you to upload a logo, change specific areas, or even change colors of text and links.
There are tens of thousands of themes available for free in the WordPress theme directory. All of them are free for you to do anything you want. You can install a WordPress theme and make it suitable for your business’ branding. You can even make your own child themes that are based on a main theme.
WordPress themes are not to be confused with plugins, as they serve different purposes. Plugins add extra functions and features not native to WordPress. This can include extending your themes. For example, maybe your theme has some customization features, but there’s a plugin that adds more settings.
Tips on picking a good WordPress theme for your website
When it comes to picking a good WordPress theme for your website, you should probably surf around and check out some websites, especially in your niche. This will give you some idea of what is working, and even an idea of what you like. Make a list of what you need on your website, and what you’ve found that you like.
Once you’ve made an initial list of what you’d like for your theme’s design, it's time to search. Your first stop should be the WordPress Theme Directory. You can find thousands of free themes you can search through and even preview before you install them on your website. Some things to consider when looking for a good WordPress theme:
Does the theme have a clean design?
Is the theme responsive in design?
Does the theme have some accessibility-ready features?
Does the WordPress theme design have a format that you use?
Is the theme well-supported and up-to-date?
Does the theme load quickly?
Does the theme have a clean design?
A clean design is one where it’s easy to navigate. Make sure the white space in the design is used wisely so it doesn’t look all jumbled together.
Is the theme responsive in design?
A responsive design in a theme allows the site to adjust to whatever device your users are viewing the site, like desktop, tablets, or smartphone. This is important, as more and more users are using mobile devices to surf the Internet. In fact, it’s expected that there will be over 253.3 million mobile users in 2023.
Does the theme have some accessibility ready features?
Accessibility ready in WordPress themes means that the theme may have some basic features that work well with screen readers or accessibility plugins. What this does is allow people who have issues with eyesight or other physical problems the ability to surf your website with more ease.
Does the WordPress theme design have a format that you use?
When searching for a WordPress theme, make sure it has some areas in the design you could see using for yourself. For example, if you offer two or three core services, you might want a front page that gives you room to nicely display them.
Is the theme well supported and up-to-date?
WordPress is always evolving, whether to keep up with the rest of the Internet, or for security. Your theme should also be compatible with the latest version of WordPress.
Does the theme load quickly?
Make sure your WordPress theme loads quickly. Of course, when you’re initially previewing and shopping around for themes, the default information may make the theme load fast. However, once you’ve selected a theme, you should set up a staging site to test the theme.
Easy Way to Install a WordPress Theme
There are a couple of ways to install a WordPress theme. In this article, you’ll learn the two easiest ways - easy and manual upload. This is the easy way to install a WordPress theme:
Navigate to the Themes section of your WordPress admin
Search for a theme
Preview theme
Install a theme
















