I have talked in another post about how to start a WordPress blog for beginners with TSO Host, today I’m going to chat about a question that I often get asked and that is how do I choose a WordPress theme for my blog?
Choosing a theme for your WordPress blog is an important decision so you will want to make sure it fits like a glove. There are many options out there but below I talk through where to start and deciding how to choose a WordPress theme that suits you and your audience. After all, you will want your blog to accurately reflect you and be as right from the start as possible without thinking three months later you want to change it. Did you also know that the right theme can also boost your readership?
Choosing the right WordPress theme can be very overwhelming. Those who are starting out also often opt for the free templates provided when you login to WordPress. I would suggest you don’t go for one of these generic themes. The key for me to choosing a WordPress theme is to know what features I want. I’m going to take you through a step by step process which will help you find out what features you are looking for in a theme. I will then show you some options of where to buy your themes. I really do hope they help you to decide on a WordPress theme quicker than I did. Honestly I was so overwhelmed with the choice that I ended up changing my theme 3 times before eventually getting one that I was happy with.
WHAT ARE YOUR BUSINESS GOALS?
First, it’s important to clarify what your goals are for your blog. By jotting down your goals, it will become easier to decide on the type of WordPress theme. You may need to take a wee bit of time to determine your goals. For example, my goal is to increase my revenue from my blog and at the same time help others set up a blog and make money. Your goals may be different. You may decide that you want to blog for fun, you want to grow your social following, you want to grow your email list.
Take a bit of time to jot down your goals as a start to the process of how to choose a WordPress theme.
WHAT BLOGS DO YOU LIKE?
After you have jotted down your goals for your blog, I recommend you go look at other blogs that you like the look of. Note down some of the things you like about those blogs. Consider the colour, the layout, the menu area and the widget areas.
Don’t just look at one blog, choose a few and see if there are similar features that keep popping out at you that you like.
CHOOSE YOUR FAVOURITE FEATURES
So you have noted your blog goals, looked at other blogs and noted what you like about them. It’s a great idea now to choose the features that appeal to you most.
You my not find a WordPress theme that has everything you want but you will get one that comes close. It’s important therefore to list your favourite features.
If I go back to my goals one of which is to grow my email list then I need a theme that allows me to display an email signup form. This could be dedicated areas in the sidebar or footer to have an opt-in form from the likes of Mailerlite. I would go back and look at your favourite blogs and see if they have opt-in forms and where are they located.
My next goal is to grow my social media following so a theme for me is important to have social icons prominent on the front page. I also want to be genuine so having the option to place my photo on the front page and a little bit about me is so important.
MAKE YOUR FEATURES LIST
So you have your blog goals noted down, you have a list of what features you like from other blogs, you also have a list of the features you need. Next step is to make a list of your must have features. For example below I have noted down my features list that I was looking for when I was choosing my WordPress theme.
+ Area to have an opt-in form
+ A place where I can put my photo and a bit about myself
+ High visibility of social media icons
+ Visible social media icons
+ A sidebar to show most read posts
You now have a list of must have features which will most certainly help you to choose a WordPress theme for your blog. Other things that should be on your list include how quickly your blog will load on websites and on mobile devices such as phones and tablets.
THINGS TO LOOK OUT FOR
There are a lot of places to buy WordPress themes out there but it can be tempting to go for the first nice one you come across. Indeed what I did was go for the free one, then opted for a low price paid one and then had to get one that was £38 that did have all the features I wanted and the look I wanted.
My best advice is to take your time and don’t be tempted by the first ones you come across. Focus on your features and then consider your colour, fonts and images.
HAVE FUN CHOOSING YOUR WORDPRESS THEME
Choosing a WordPress theme for your blog should be like shopping for clothes – it should be fun. Below I have listed some places to look for WordPress themes to choose for your blog. I also highly recommend you head over to my blog post on where to find photos, 10 Places of Where to Find Feminine Stock Photos.
WHERE TO FIND WORDPRESS BLOG THEMES FOR YOUR BLOG
The first place I would recommend for finding aWordpress theme for your blog is Pipdig. Their range of themes is extensive, really easy to install and so user friendly that anyone can use them. This is the place I purchased my final WordPress theme.
The second place I would recommend for finding a WordPress theme for your blog is on Etsy. There are a lot of options on Etsy and again they are user friendly, easy to download and change to your needs.
I do hope these tips help you choose a WordPress theme for your blog. I put them together through my experience of going through 3 different themes before settling on the right one. I just wish to save all that time I had given it better thought. If you find these tips helpful I’d love to know. Just leave me a message below in the comments.
Take care.
Elf x
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