Content management systems (CMS) like WordPress make it easier for companies to set up, launch, and manage their websites. WordPress is a popular CMS because it’s easy to use and customize. Google’s Matt Cutts also said that WordPress “takes care of 80-90% (of the mechanics of) SEO”, making it an excellent option for businesses that want to get their website ranking in search results.
Many web design and development companies offer pre-made WordPress themes or offer custom WordPress development services. Whether the company wants to install a pre-made theme or have a development team create one from scratch, the final theme should have these four important features.
Personalized Designs or Flexible Customization Options
A company’s custom WordPress site should reflect its brand and personality by incorporating its logo and specific color scheme into the theme. Designing a brand new theme and working closely with a web design and development team is the best way to produce a unique, personalized theme for the brand.
When searching for a pre-made theme, look for one that’s easy to customize. The best pre-made themes are often used by multiple websites, and businesses need flexible customization options to make theirs stand out. At the very least, the chosen theme should support custom logos, colors, and fonts.
Responsive Design
The popularity of mobile devices makes it more important for companies to have responsive websites that automatically adjust to suit the type of device the visitor is using. Non-responsive sites can be difficult to view and navigate on mobile devices, which can even frustrate users and potential customers. Search for responsive pre-made themes or find designers that can create customized responsive themes from scratch
Functionality and User Friendliness
Good WordPress themes should not only look good – they should be easy for visitors to navigate and use. Visitors will give up on and navigate away from websites that are too slow or difficult to browse, no matter how beautiful its design is. Choose or create a theme that balances good design with intuitive navigation elements and fast loading speeds.
Reliable Support and Continued Updates
Good theme developers won’t leave their users hanging when something goes wrong, but there are some that don’t provide support or updates for their creations. Themes that are updated regularly are also more secure than older themes, as outdated themes or plugins often leave WordPress websites vulnerable to hacking or malware.
When working with a web development team, find out what kind of support they can offer in case something goes wrong or when the theme requires an update. When downloading a pre-made theme, check if the creator recently provided a new version of the theme, or if he or she actively responds to user questions on public forums.