What are the best WordPress themes for bloggers?
A WordPress theme is a tool that allows you to design your website’s layout and appearance.
The layout, typography, color, and other design components of your website are all customized by themes.
A theme is a PHP-written zipped folder that contains files. These files include page templates that dictate the appearance of a website.
In simple terms, a theme is a tool that is precoded to help you customize the outlook and functionality of your blog or website.
WordPress do come with its default themes which is active when you install WordPress afresh on your website.
Though I don’t know of any web designer who doesn’t change the default WordPress theme. This’s because WordPress default themes have limited features.
We all prefer to handpick our themes.
In WordPress, you can alter your theme to suit your needs, industry, or website purpose.
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Importance of WordPress themes for blogs
- Increases Attractiveness and Usability of a Website
- Extended Functionality and Faster Results
- Keeps Websites Updated and Maintains High Quality
- Supports Easy Browsing and Provides Beneficial Features
Types of themes: Free and Premium
Free WordPress themes
Let me clarify that when we say “free WordPress themes,” we’re referring to free WordPress themes that are featured in the WordPress.org Themes directory.
I DO NOT recommend that you download or install any free WordPress themes from an untrustworthy site.
Best themes free for WordPress
The most significant advantage of themes free for WordPress is that you have total access to the theme’s features without paying anything. This is ideal for you if you are on a tight budget, or not ready to invest in a premium theme.
Many individuals, though, are wary of the word “free.” If others are selling their themes, why would someone provide you with a WordPress theme for free?
Some people think that themes free for WordPress are of substandard quality, or not even safe to use. Quite the opposite is true.
Free WordPress themes do have a high degree of quality. All themes in the official WordPress theme repository are subjected to a thorough assessment before being allowed in the WordPress directory.
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My recommended best themes free for WordPress
These free WordPress themes that I listed here are the result of thorough research and my six years of web/blog design experience. These listed free theme for WordPress are safe, and professionally built and you have free unlimited access to them.
Note also that they are not in any particular order.
1. OceanWP
2. Astra
3. Free Elementor
4. Neve
5. Blocksy
6. Hestia
7. CosmosWP
8. HELLO elementor
9. Shapely
10. Suki Theme
Are these all the good themes free for WordPress?
No, I’m not saying that.
If your favorite WordPress theme is not on my list, that doesn’t mean that I’m contesting its quality. I have only listed themes that I have tested over time and those that some of my mentors have used and recommended over the years.
Premium WordPress Theme
Premium WordPress themes, unlike free ones, are purchased for a fee, usually from third-party WordPress theme shops and marketplaces.
They offer much more possibilities for website customization and features.
The most significant benefit of a premium theme is the increased number of features and customization choices.
Theme retailers are constantly seeking to offer more features at reduced pricing due to the rivalry in the premium theme sector. It plays well for you as a web/blog designer.
Premium themes are utilized less commonly than free themes because they have a cost placed on them. But I must confess that they are worth the money, I mean the good ones.
Best premium WordPress themes
I use the Divi theme builder to build websites. Divi and Elementor are my most preferred premium theme as I explained in this article.
Apart from these two, a couple of premium themes are listed that will serve you well. I have listed my best seven. If you have one that you think is great but not in my list, then bear with me.
These are the ones I have either used or had friends, colleagues and mentors use them with great feedbacks.
1. Divi
2. Elementor Pro
3. Avada
4. Genesis Framework
5. GeneratePress
6. HighEnd
7. OceanWp
WordPress theme installation
How to install WordPress free themes
Below is a clear step-by-step WordPress theme installation guide for you to install your preferred free theme in WordPress.
You will install WordPress Theme from the Theme directory of your WordPress dashboard.
1. log in to your WordPress account
2. Hover your mouse over Appearance on the dashboard’s left side menu and select Themes from the drop-down menu.
3. On the Themes page, at the top of the page, click the Add New button.
Type in the name of your theme. Your theme will be on display if found in the WordPress directory.
Once you identify it, click the Install button. This process will be successful in a matter of seconds.
4. Once you see that the theme has been installed, click Activate.
You’ll get a notification stating that the installation was successful after it’s completed. You can inspect the look of your website as the theme would have changed its appearance.
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How to install WordPress premium theme
The method for installing a WordPress premium theme is a bit different. Not so much though.
A premium theme is uploaded using the upload method.
When you buy a premium theme, you will be expected to download this theme to your computer in a zipped file. You should note the folder where the downloaded file is saved.
Afterward, you will have to upload this theme to your WordPress website dashboard by following these steps:
Note where your premium theme zipped file has been saved on your computer.
1. While in your WordPress dashboard, select the Appearance tab and then Themes from the drop-down menu.
2. On the themes page, at the top of the page, click the Add New button.
3. Click the Upload Theme button after clicking the Add New button to upload your theme.
4. Click the choose file option It will redirect you to your computer to upload your zipped file.
5. Once you locate this file, click it and upload on to your WordPress dashboard. Once it uploads, click install Now
6. When the upload has been successful, click Activate.
Congratulations, your WordPress theme has been installed successfully.
Conclusion
When it comes to functionality, appearance, user experience, and even to an extent, SEO, a WordPress theme is the most essential tool for your blog or website.
You must be careful to pick a great theme, either free or premium.
Some good free WordPress themes I recommend include Astra, Neve, and Elementor, among other ones I have listed in this article.
When it comes to choosing premium themes that offer much more functionality, the Divi is always my most preferred option. But there are other great ones like Elementor pro and Generate press.
Finally, if you want to use a free theme, be careful to follow the advice I have given in this article. A theme can make or mar your blog or website.
Feel free to share other themes that you think deserve mentioning on this list. Also, If there are themes that you feel should not be here, share them with us.
We love to hear from you.
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