What is a WordPress theme and how do you choose one?

4903233912 0b4f886c24 What is a WordPress theme and how do you choose one?If you’re reading this post, you probably just started blogging on WordPress. Either that or you’re re-evaluating your current theme choice.

What is a WordPress theme?

Simply stated, a theme dictates the design and functionality of your website without changing the basic WordPress software.

A WordPress theme is your superhero clothing. Your WordPress Pages, Posts, Permalinks and other basic structural elements are the arms, torso and legs of your superhero. The theme is the cape, lariat, boots and gloves.

Depending upon your theme, your site could look like this (yikes):

4902694577 5ce175c42f What is a WordPress theme and how do you choose one?

Or like this:

4903279178 8089b26ac5 What is a WordPress theme and how do you choose one?

How should you choose a theme?

Changing themes is not as easy as pressing a button, so you should really start with a few basic questions about the goals of your WordPress blog:

  • Are you using WordPress for only blogging or an entire website? The more complicated your site design and functionality, the more robust and flexible you’ll need the theme to be.
  • How does the theme reflect your brand or personality? Some themes have a very fixed look and feel which can only be tweaked with code. Other themes, like Headway (affiliate link) are extremely flexible in both style and functionality.
  • Can the theme enable your site to change and grow along with you and your goals? Again, you’ll want something flexible enough for future growth.

You also want to be asking a few questions related to the theme itself:

  • What kind of support does the theme developer offer? This is one of the main differences between free and premium WordPress themes.
  • How flexible is the Page layout? Does it allow you to have 2 columns on single posts and one column on your about Page? This will be more important if your designing a website and not just a blog that’s added to an existing site.
  • Does the theme have a developer community that shares creative ways of using the theme?
  • Who else is using the theme? How are they using it? What industries do they represent? If you’re launching a website to talk about legalizing marijuana and most of the users are lawyers, pick another theme.

Tips for new sites

  • In order to get a better idea of how your site will look with a specific theme, create a Page, a Post and install a few sidebar widgets. This will provide some content to see the theme wrapped around.
  • If you’re a complete beginner, look at a 5-6 previews of free themes to get an idea what elements of your site will change with a theme (watch this video on previewing themes). This way, even if you end up buying a premium theme, you’ll be better educated about what you like and what you don’t like.
  • Colors can be changed, so don’t focus on that. Instead, focus on the overall layout – where elements are placed on each Page.
  • Once you install a theme, look at archives, multi-post pages, single-post pages too see how the layout changes.
  • If you’re not sure if blogging is for you, start with a serviceable free theme. Focus on writing posts instead of getting bogged down with theme choices.
  • If you’re on Twitter, join the #SBT10 chat – every Tuesday night at 9:00PM (EST) for a variety of topics around blogging.
  • Be aware that most a-list bloggers have paid developers to tweak their theme.
  • Read Lorelle’s post called “Choosing a WordPress theme”.

How did you choose your theme?

Rehydrate your inbox here. Send hate mail here.

Read more articles about WordPress
  • http://dannybrown.me Danny Brown

    Hey there fella,

    Thanks muchly for highlighting the Bonsai website – we're really proud of how that came out, so thanks for reinforcing our efforts :)

    Great overview of themes and how important it is to choose the right one. Functionality should always be key over looks. A great designer can make an ugly pig look like a princess, but only a master butcher can make tasty bacon (or something like that!).

    Cheers!

  • http://blogforprofit.com Grant Griffiths

    Damnit Haydon, you stole my idea for a post this week. LOL

    Seriously, great post and I love how you summarized the great conversation from last nights #sbt10 twitter chat. You guys did a bang up job discussing this topic.

    • http://johnhaydon.com John Haydon

      Thanks, Grant! It was a great chat, wasn't it. :-)

  • http://twitter.com/subuyoung Susan Young

    This is right on. I feel that many people should start with a free theme and work their way up if they are trying to figure out if blogging is something they want to do. Free themes can be found on wordpress.org and some other good places like http://newwpthemes.net. A step up from there is investing in a premium theme and if someone is really serious, going with a unique design that can be created by someone like ewebscapes.com. But there are really so many options out there. Just be careful of malicious links that some free themes have. To help, there is a wordpress plugin called TAC that scans the new theme for odd links.

    • http://johnhaydon.com John Haydon

      Susan,

      Thanks so much for all the useful tips!

      John

  • Mosh

    Why is Superman stepping on Batman's toes? = O

  • http://www.savvywp.com Bob

    Hey John, great post. I always tell anyone that the theme is one of your most important decisions when moving to WordPress. And you have pointed out some good steps in helping peeps make that decision. I have so many war stories about themes. And I actually do a workshop primarily around the selection of a theme.

    In fact just had a new client send me a theme she likes for her new blog. Says it works with WordPress 2.0. Yikes, you can guess what theme I will be suggesting to her : )

    thanks!

  • Pingback: WordPress themes essentials