What is a Website Theme? A Complete Guide for Novices

A website theme refers to a pre-designed template or layout that determines the visual appearance of your site. These themes consist of a collection of elements such as colours, typography, graphics, and other design elements that are used to give it a cohesive and professional look.

A predesigned option can be customised to fit the needs of a particular website, including its content and functionality. Themes can be used for various types of sites, including blogs, online stores, corporate websites and more.

There are various ways to acquire a theme, including downloading a free design, purchasing others or using a theme builder to create a custom design from scratch. Many platforms like WordPress offer a wide range of free and paid themes that can be easily installed and customised to fit the needs of a website.

Website Theme vs Web Designer

Choosing whether to go for an off-the-shelf options or hiring a web designer depends on various factors, including budget, time constraints, and specific website requirements. Here are some pros and cons of each approach:

Website Themes

Pros:

1. Cost-effective: Using a pre-designed website theme is cheaper than hiring a web designer to create a custom website from scratch.
2. Quick turnaround time: Since the theme is ready to go, it can be installed and customised relatively quickly.
3. Wide selection: There are many themes available on various marketplaces and platforms, including WordPress, providing a wide range of options to choose from.
4. Ease of use: Most website themes are designed to be user-friendly, even for those without a technical background.

Cons:

1. Limited customisation: Although most themes can be customised to fit a specific website’s needs, there are limits to how much they can be changed.
2. Lack of originality: Since they are pre-designed, there is a risk that a website may look generic and lack originality.
3. Potential for compatibility issues: There may be compatibility issues between your chosen design and other website components, such as plugins or extensions.

Web Designer

Pros:

1. Customised design: Hiring a web designer allows for a completely original website that can be tailored to fit specific needs and requirements.
2. Unique design: A web designer can create a unique design that stands out and creates a strong brand identity.
3. High level of control: Hiring a web designer provides almost total control over the design and development process.
4. Ongoing support: A web designer should also provide ongoing support and maintenance for a website.

Cons:

1. High cost: Hiring a web designer can be expensive, especially for custom-designed websites.
2. Longer turnaround time: Creating a custom website from scratch takes longer than using a pre-designed theme.
3. Technical expertise required: Working with a web designer requires some level of technical expertise and involvement in the development process.
4. Dependence on a single individual or company: You have to rely on their availability and support, which may be a disadvantage if they become unavailable or unresponsive.

The Benefits of an Off-the-Shelf Theme for Small Businesses

Opting for a pre-designed theme can provide several benefits for a new business with limited resources. In general, it is much more affordable than hiring a web designer to create a custom site from scratch. This is especially beneficial for new businesses that are just starting and have limited budgets.

Another big benefit is that they can be installed and customised relatively quickly, providing a quicker turnaround time compared to creating a website from scratch. In WordPress, for example, all you need to do is select your theme, activate it and you are practically ready to go within a few minutes.

Most are designed to be user-friendly which means you need little if any technical understanding or skill. There are also 100s of different designs available on various marketplaces and platforms, providing a wide range of options to choose from.

This can help new businesses find a design that fits their needs and requirements without having to invest significant time and resources in the design process. You can customise by adding branding and logos to meet your specific needs and give your site a clear identity.

Free vs Paid Website Themes

Apart from the price, the main difference between free and paid options is the level of customisation, support, and quality of design. Here are some key differences:

1. Free themes generally come with limited customization options. They may have a limited range of colours, fonts, and design elements, making it difficult to create a unique look for a website that stands out from the crowd. In contrast, paid designs usually offer greater customisation options and more flexibility in terms of design and layout.
2. Paid options normally come with dedicated support from the theme developer or vendor. This can be helpful in case of technical issues or questions related to theme features. Free website themes may not offer any support or have limited support options, leaving the user to solve issues on their own.
3. Paid themes are often designed by professional designers, providing a high-quality and polished look to the website. In contrast, free options may not be as well-designed, with limited attention to detail and functionality.
4. In general, paid website themes come with more features, such as premium plugins or widgets, that are not available with free themes. These features can add extra functionality and enhance the overall user experience.
5. Paid website themes are thought to be more secure than free themes, as they are regularly updated to fix any security issues. Free themes may be more susceptible to security breaches and vulnerabilities.

Pre-Designed Themes and SEO

Some pre-designed themes can have an impact on your website’s SEO in several ways and much depends on the design you choose. If the theme is poorly coded, bloated or contains a lot of unnecessary elements, for example, this may lead to slow page loading times. Slow page speeds can negatively impact SEO, as search engines like Google prioritize fast-loading sites.

Most themes should be mobile responsive but it’s important to check how this looks in the real world. Some themes profess to be responsive but look quite poor when viewed on a smaller screen. This again can affect your standing when it comes to SEO.

Other important factors include:

1. A well-coded theme should make it easier for search engines to crawl your website, and make sense of your content. Poorly coded themes can lead to crawl errors, which can affect ranking.
2. A design that has good navigation and usability will help keep visitors on your site for longer, improving engagement and reducing bounce rates. Search engines take these user behaviour signals into consideration when ranking websites.
3. A website theme that includes schema markup is important. This is a way of labelling content in a structured way to make it easier for search engines to read and understand.

Picking the Right Theme for Your Business

There is a lot to choose from when it comes to themes and it’s important to find a design that not just looks good but is easy to work with.

1. Before choosing a theme, define your website’s purpose and goals. Consider what kind of content you will be sharing, what features you need, and what actions you want your visitors to take on your website. This will help you narrow down your search for a website theme that meets your specific needs.
2. Your website should reflect your brand identity and messaging. Look for themes that complement your branding in terms of colour scheme, typography, and overall style or which can be customised to do so.
3. A responsive website design ensures that your website looks great on any device, including smartphones and tablets. Don’t just assume that your site will render well on a smartphone, check it out and see for yourself. Some pre-designs are good, others are pretty poor.
4. Look for website themes that offer the features you need, such as social media integration, e-commerce functionality, contact forms, and more. In truth, most themes come with a good deal of functionality nowadays.
5. Before choosing a theme, read user reviews to get an idea of the theme’s performance and reliability. This can help you avoid ones with known issues and help you select a high-quality, well-supported one.
6. Make sure the website theme you choose comes with documentation and support options. This should help you troubleshoot any issues that may arise and ensure that your website runs smoothly.

Choosing the right theme for your small or starter business requires careful consideration of your website’s purpose, branding, features, and user experience along with what is currently available. The good news is there are hundreds of options to choose from. Take your time and don’t be afraid to swap if one is not working for you.

Website Themes FAQs:

1. Are website themes free? Some website themes are free, while others are paid. Free themes are often basic and have limited customization options, while paid themes offer more features and flexibility.
2. Can I customise a theme? Yes, most website themes can be customized to some extent, including the layout, colours, fonts, and content.
3. How do I install a theme? Website themes can be installed directly through your website’s content management system (CMS) or by uploading theme files to your server.
4. Are these themes mobile-friendly? Most website themes today are mobile-friendly or responsive, meaning they adapt to different screen sizes and devices.
5. Can I change website themes after launching my website? Yes, you can change website themes at any time. However, switching themes may require additional work and can affect your website’s layout and functionality.
6. How do I choose the right theme for my business? Consider your branding, goals, and features when choosing a theme. Look for themes that match your brand identity, provide the functionality you need, and support your business objectives.
7. What support is available for website themes? Most website themes come with some level of support, such as documentation or community forums. Paid themes often come with dedicated support from the theme developer or vendor.
8. Can I use a website theme for e-commerce? Yes, many website themes are designed specifically for e-commerce, providing features such as shopping carts and payment gateways.
9. Do themes affect SEO? Website themes can affect your website’s SEO, as they can impact website speed, navigation, and usability. Choose a website theme that is optimized for SEO and follows best practices for website design and development.