When creating a WordPress website, you soon come up against the choice of which template/layout to use. There are many thousands of templates to be found on the internet and this can make the choice difficult. Here are some tips for making this important choice.
Paid or free
In addition to WordPress being free to use, many templates are free to use. The difference between paid and free templates can be very large. A paid template usually costs between 20 and 70 euros and offers the look and feel of a uniquely designed website without the high costs involved. The templates are usually fully customisable in your house style.
A few things to think about when choosing between paid and free:
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Themeforest offers premium templates at a reasonable price
Download only from reliable source. The best source for free templates is www.wordpress.org/themes.
Paid templates can also be found here, but if you want to use a paid template then Themeforest.net recommended.
Sometimes paid templates can be found on download sites. Using these is strongly discouraged. This often packs malware, so a website will be hacked quickly.- Only use templates that are well-maintained by their creators. You can see this in the ratings or comments for the template in question. Here you can also see how problems are handled and how (and whether) they are solved neatly.
- Keep in mind that with both free and paid templates, the template remains the property of the creators. This sounds more annoying than it is. The only notable disadvantage of this is that you may not sell the website as if you created the template yourself, or sell the template as your creation.
- With a paid template, you can expect more as a licensee. Both in terms of functionality and quality. With sources like Themeforest, the rule is often; not good, money back.
Functionalities
Paid templates often include more features by default.
- A good template uses a good framework.
A framework is well-written basic code and thus provides the creator with a good basis for the template for. The amount of functionality varies enormously from one framework to another.
Examples of such frameworks include Redux Framework and Options Framework. Some major template builders even have their own frameworks, such as Fusion Core of the Avada template. However, a proprietary framework is an exception and not necessarily a plus. - Functionalities not provided by the framework can be obtained by using plugins.
A plugin is a piece(s) of software that gives a certain functionality to a website. Functionalities that come standard with a template are usually not complex. Think of the ability to customise colours, add Analytics code or a field to add Custom CSS enter.
Templates that do come with complex features like a reservation system or sales system usually use a plugin like Bookly, WooCommerce or other well-known plugin.
It is wise to check carefully beforehand what the website will be used for and whether the template offers these functionalities by default. If this is not the case, you can look for a good plugin with these features. With plugins too, it is important to look at quality and support from the makers. Also, only download plugins from reliable sources. Always try to make sure in advance that there are no known conflicts between the plugin and the template used. - Many templates offer "free" paid plugins like Revolution Slider and Visual Composer. This makes a considerable difference as such plugins can easily cost 20 to 40 euros each. However, this licence differs from the usual licence and is issued to the builder of the template.
This means that the creator of the template will have to provide any new versions. For example, Revolution Slider and Visual Composer provide updates pretty frequently. This can become a problem if the creator does not maintain the template properly and does not provide the latest versions quickly enough. However, this can be quickly remedied by purchasing a regular licence of the plugin in question.
Final choice
When making the final choice, always choose the template you feel most comfortable with. See if any problems are to be expected, and then how best to tackle them.
Should you need help finding a good template? Or would you prefer to outsource the construction? We will be happy to assist you without any obligation. You can reach us via info@milcraft.nl or 0172-897789.