When beginning a WooCommerce retailer, certainly one of your first steps is selecting a theme. Not solely is a theme required to start the positioning creation course of, it additionally impacts all the things out of your web site’s design and performance to efficiency and safety.
There are millions of choices from a wide range of sources, and so they differ in high quality and effectiveness. How do you make the best selection in your retailer?
Let’s begin by discussing some theme fundamentals, then discover the qualities of a superb theme. We’ll end by explaining find out how to change a theme on a reside website.
Guests type an impression about your website virtually instantly — good or unhealthy. And that impression impacts their resolution to be taught extra, ask a query, save a product, or make a purchase order.
And whereas a theme does play a task in your website’s design, it additionally impacts advertising, conversions, load time, safety, and extra. A gradual, unresponsive, difficult-to-use web site performs poorly in search outcomes and discourages gross sales.
However don’t get overwhelmed! We’ll talk about how one can select the best theme in a second. First, let’s discuss in regards to the variations between basic themes and block themes.
Within the WordPress world, there are two forms of themes: basic and block.
Block themes
A block theme allows you to customise all your web site templates utilizing drag-and-drop components known as “blocks.” In case you already work with WordPress, you then’re seemingly aware of the block editor, which is enabled on pages, posts, and different particular person content material sorts. Block themes embody a instrument known as the Web site Editor, which takes this idea and applies it to all the things from headers, footers, and aspectbars to product pages and the checkout expertise.
What does this imply for retailers? This implies that you could really customise each side of your on-line retailer on a worldwide degree (international that means throughout your complete web site), with out having to work with any code.
Simply drag and drop blocks — like paragraphs, headings, pictures, movies, and product feeds — into place, then edit their settings. You may as well use the Web site Editor to make sitewide design modifications to colours, fonts, spacing, and extra. You possibly can be taught extra about utilizing blocks in WooCommerce on this documentation web page.
Traditional themes
A basic theme is a conventional WordPress theme that doesn’t assist the Web site Editor. A basic theme has a extra fastened format and design than a block theme, and also you’ll want to make use of the WordPress Customizer to make design modifications.
Customizing basic themes varies fairly dramatically in terms of complexity. With some, you’ll have to work with code to make even easy design modifications. Others embody simple settings that make customization simple. Some even embody their very own proprietary drag-and-drop editor.
The TLDR model is that block themes enable for rather more customization without having to work with code, significantly for international website templates.
Able to dive in? A high-quality WooCommerce theme:
1. Has knowledgeable, high-quality design that meets your wants
The kind of design wanted can be totally different for each retailer. Begin by attempting to know your viewers. What sorts of designs attraction to them? Do they like daring colours and crowd pleasing graphics or do they like a peaceful, muted model?
Don’t simply seek for a theme that “appears to be like good.” It must be applicable for your corporation. A Ferrari appears to be like nice, however isn’t the only option for a household street journey.
Think about your clients, your model, and your merchandise. Promoting minimalist furnishings? Search for a theme with whitespace and clear typography. Must showcase numerous photos on product pages? Select a theme that prioritizes pictures. Wish to spotlight particular options, like supplies or dimensions? Select a theme that features icons to characterize them.
There are lots of industry-specific themes, and these may be nice choices that embody most of the design options you want. In case you’re a boutique, The Threads theme has all the things you want: clothing-specific templates, lovely store and archive pages, and gorgeous associated product designs.
In case you promote hand-crafted merchandise, you may select the Artisan theme, with image-focused web page designs and product templates constructed for collections, galleries, and extra.
Take a look at examples of shops that use the theme you’re contemplating. Most themes supply a reside demo model so you may take a look at them out, which is a good way to see them in motion. You need to be capable to navigate the demo simply and visualize it working in your model.
Check out the theme’s documentation as nicely. How a lot work will it take to get your web site trying just like the theme demo?
Be mindful, too, that some themes are extra “plug and play,” permitting you to easily substitute demo content material with yours, whereas others function a basis in your personal inventive design. Suppose by means of which route you’d quite take.
2. Integrates with WooCommerce
Whereas WooCommerce works with all WordPress themes, selecting a theme constructed particularly for on-line shops ensures design continuity between pages, posts, and merchandise. Search for “WooCommerce Integration” within the checklist of theme options or use an “ecommerce” filter to slender down your choices.
WooCommerce-specific themes might also embody extras like ecommerce blocks and patterns, product web page and checkout templates, and product gallery designs. Search for these options when studying the theme description and exploring the reside demo.
3. Gives all the things you want with out being bloated
Many themes transcend design to supply performance like web page builders, customized sliders, widgets, pop-ups, and extra. Whereas these are nice for those who want them, don’t select a theme with 50 options for those who solely want 5 — this could result in an unnecessarily-bloated, gradual web site that’s troublesome to handle.
Plus, for those who determine to change themes down the street, you’ll lose all the theme-dependent customized performance that you will have used to construct your website. This may be extraordinarily problematic! Think about you’re utilizing a [slider] shortcode on all your product pages. Whenever you change themes, you would want to undergo all your objects to take away situations of that shortcode — not enjoyable in any respect!
That is an space the place block themes actually shine. Since their performance and design are largely primarily based on the Web site Editor and blocks quite than proprietary code, you may rather more simply change as your retailer grows and your wants change.
In abstract, it’s usually greatest to search for light-weight, lean themes after which add performance by means of plugins and extensions.
The Block Store theme, for instance, emphasizes effectivity over pointless options, offering all of the customization choices you want with out being overwhelming.
4. Is responsive
Greater than half of internet site visitors occurs on cell units — and this may be even increased for sure audiences and areas. In case your web site isn’t simple to make use of on telephones and tablets, you’re alienating an enormous chunk of potential clients.
When contemplating a theme, open the reside demo in your telephone. Can you discover your method round? Is something lower off or too small to learn? Run the demo by means of Google’s mobile-friendly take a look at — how does it carry out?
You may as well use instruments like BrowserStack to check the demo on a wide range of display screen sizes, from cell phones and tablets to desktops.
The Bistro theme is a good instance of a mobile-friendly design: photographs, textual content, and merchandise resize mechanically on cell units. There’s additionally an easy-to-access menu bar that hyperlinks to account, search, and cart performance, so it’s all the time there when clients want it.
5. Masses shortly
Load time is essential, too: 47% of holiday makers count on an internet site to load in two seconds or much less. If they’ve to attend too lengthy, they’ll simply go store some place else.
Whereas there are a number of things that impression web site velocity, your theme performs an enormous position. Check the velocity of the reside demo utilizing instruments like GTMetrix or PageSpeed Insights — all it is advisable to do is enter the demo URL and also you’ll get a full velocity report. You may as well learn buyer evaluations to be taught extra in regards to the experiences of different on-line shops.
6. Is up to date commonly
WooCommerce, WordPress, and different plugins launch updates commonly and, in case your theme hasn’t been totally examined and up to date alongside that software program, there may be points. Plus, an out-of-date theme may cause vital safety liabilities.
It’s all the time a good suggestion to examine a theme’s changelog to make sure that the developer is commonly sustaining it. The WordPress.org theme library reveals each a “final up to date” date and a “WordPress Model” discipline that is a sign of compatibility. Search for themes which were up to date inside the previous couple of months. WooCommerce themes are typically extra advanced than an ordinary WordPress theme, so it’s good to know that the theme builders are retaining tempo with software program updates.
7. Is simple to make use of
If that is your first time utilizing WordPress, you’re going to desire a theme editor that makes it simple so that you can make modifications with out understanding code. Or, higher but, you’ll select a block theme that simplifies modifying each side of your website, from pages and posts to templates.
However for those who’re a developer, or working with one, it’s your decision a theme that’s simple to construct on or that gives a wide range of customization choices. Select one that matches your degree of ability and expertise.
How will you inform? Learn by means of the documentation. Does it make sense? Are you able to think about your self navigating by means of the directions? If not, strive one thing else.
8. Gives good buyer assist and documentation
What for those who run right into a query or situation together with your theme? How will you determine it out? Be sure that your theme developer gives assist in some type — discussion board, reside chat, electronic mail, and so on. — and assessment the documentation to ensure it’s thorough earlier than buying.
Almost all web sites will comprise bugs every so often. In case you run into one, it is advisable to know that the developer will patch it shortly or present steerage on find out how to proceed.
9. Has good evaluations
Critiques are sometimes the best approach to know if a theme is high-quality. Are there greater than a handful? Are they optimistic or unfavorable?
Take the time to learn evaluations quite than simply trying on the common star ranking. This offers you an in-depth take a look at any potential issues — gradual velocity, poor assist, bizarre glitches — and helps you make a top quality dedication.
10. Suits into your finances
Themes can differ extensively in terms of pricing. There are free and premium choices accessible, together with “freemium” themes with plans that embody totally different options.
Free isn’t essentially higher or worse than paid — it’s all about worth. See what encompasses a theme gives, together with the extent of assist. Maybe you’re a newbie who would recognize the hands-on assist and instruments {that a} particular premium theme gives. Possibly you have got a bit extra expertise, and would quite go together with a free theme and use plugins and the block editor to create one thing really customized.
How do you discover these nice themes? Since WordPress is open supply, there are millions of choices! Listed here are two stable locations to begin your search:
- The WooCommerce theme library: These themes are all assured to work with WooCommerce and are backed by the Woo assist group.
- The WordPress directory: Every theme goes by means of a rigorous high quality examine earlier than being added to this library. To make your search faster, you may filter themes by options, layouts, or matter.
In case you see one other WordPress website that you just like, there are instruments like WordPress Theme Search that may attempt to decide what theme a website is utilizing.
There are additionally a wide range of paid marketplaces with wonderful, high-quality themes. Be further cautious and take the time to vet every one. Solely use marketplaces with high quality necessities and easily-accessible evaluations and demos.
Begin exploring! Have enjoyable attempting out totally different themes and all of the choices. Take the time to undergo this guidelines — you’re certain to seek out the proper match in your on-line retailer.
If you have already got an internet site and wish to change themes, comply with these steps for a profitable migration:
Planning the transfer
Your first step is to plan the transfer. That can contain discovering a brand new theme, but additionally:
- Making a staging atmosphere. Arrange a staging atmosphere, which lets you preserve your reside website working whilst you change themes and take a look at.
- Figuring out what issues it is advisable to resolve. Undergo your website and search for theme-dependent performance. This contains issues like shortcodes, templates, and web page builders. Make a listing so what options it is advisable to discover.
- Making a full backup. Run a full backup of your website that you could restore if needed.
Migrating content material options
In your staging website, begin by activating your new theme. Then, assessment all of the totally different publish sorts you have got (posts, pages, merchandise, and so on.) and ensure they give the impression of being the best way you need. Make any needed edits with the block editor, your theme’s built-in performance, or customized CSS.
Migrating customized options
If there are performance discrepancies between your earlier and new theme, you have got two choices:
- Make code updates your self or rent a developer to take action.
- Search for plugins or extensions that present comparable performance.
Check and make any remaining tweaks
Lastly, take a look at and take a look at and take a look at once more! Undergo all your pages and posts to ensure they give the impression of being good on units of all sizes (particularly cell). Check all your website performance, just like the cart and checkout processes, to make it possible for guests can use your retailer correctly. You’ll additionally wish to run a efficiency take a look at to examine your website velocity and make any needed enhancements.
As soon as all that’s completed, you’re able to go reside!
This was not a whole information to switching themes. For extra particulars, take a look at these sources:
