Before switching over to WordPress there was quite a bit to consider. One of the things that boggled my then-Blogger mind was frameworks and themes. I knew that I wanted to use the Genesis framework (mainly for the reasons listed here). Beyond that though I was stumped. I wanted a theme that I could easily change to fit my tastes and needs and one that would be able to grow with the changes I wanted for my blog down the road. I came across the Restored 316 Themes and was immediately hooked. Here are some things you need to consider when choosing a WordPress theme.
What Sets Restored 316 Designs Apart From the Rest?
The Restored 316 themes are beautiful; clean and simple with feminine lines. I love the soft colors. Perhaps those color schemes aren’t your favorite though. Each theme comes with various color options or the option to implement your own color scheme.
Each theme is mobile responsive as well. You can rest assured that your blog will look beautiful when viewed on cell phones. Let’s face it, a huge chunk of our blog reading is done on our phones so you don’t want your blog looking anything but it’s finest.
I loved that the theme I chose (Adorn, below) gave me the option to use various plug ins if I chose to and that they weren’t built into the core functionality. This allows me to not feel locked into something. For example, some themes come with a responsive slider as a built in function. With my theme I was able to use it on my home page if I chose to. I went months without using it and love that if I tire of it I can easily deactivate that plug in.
Price is something that you want to consider as well. Being on self-hosted WordPress costs you. Knowing that I am able to purchase a beautiful theme at a reasonable price makes me happy.
Each theme comes with different layout options and various widget areas. I didn’t learn for a few months after my transfer how important widget areas are. They allow you to truly make your blog look and function the way you want it to. For example, when I created my blog home page, I basically dragged and dropped different plugins into the widget areas to create my home page. No knowledge of coding was needed. That’s a relief for a non-techy person like me.
Keep in mind that any theme will be able to be tweaked and molded to fit your tastes and needs. Take a look at the Showcase on Retsored 316’s site. You can easily see what the theme looked like when purchased and then see what each blogger did to make it unique to their needs and liking. Amazing what you can do isn’t it?
Perhaps down the road you will be selling something or opening a shop in conjunction with your blog. Be sure to note if you will be able to use a Woo Commerce plugin.
What truly sets Restored 316 Designs apart from the rest is their support. Once you buy a theme you gain access to a private Facebook group. You can ask any question and someone is always willing to lend you a hand and give advice. To me that is priceless.
These are some my favorite Restored 316 themes:
What do you consider when buying a WordPress theme? << Tweet This!
Still not sure what theme is for you?
Perhaps you want to shop around more and look for other themes. Spend some time blog hopping. Take note of what you like about a blog. I recently found a website that I find to be so helpful. If you land on a WordPress blog that you like simply copy and paste the blog’s URL and enter it into this website:
What WordPress Theme is That?
When I enter my URL this comes up:
It tells me what framework is being used:
It even lets me know some of the plug ins I am using:
For someone that doesn’t really know where to begin when shopping for themes, this site can be a huge help. Take note of the features you like and determine which theme best fits your needs.
Ever wonder what theme a blog’s using? Now you can find out! << Tweet This
What factors did you take into consideration when you were looking at themes for your blog?
