Top WordPress Themes (and Why You Need a Custom One)

Discover our favorite WordPress themes and uncover the uncomfortable truth: you might just need a custom one

When searching for the perfect WordPress theme, your project’s requirements, site dimensions, and desired flexibility should be your initial considerations. Selecting the right theme is crucial as it defines your site’s aesthetics and functionality. With a wide range of theme options available, ranging from niche-based to multipurpose, we’ll focus on the latter as they tend to suit most projects. Here are the essential features to prioritize when choosing a theme:

• Mobile Responsive Design: Make sure your site looks great across all screen sizes, from retina displays to mobile devices.
• SEO Optimization: To rank high in search engine results, your theme must be optimized for SEO (Search Engine Optimization).
• Speed and Performance: While pre-designed themes offer numerous features, they often sacrifice performance. However, prioritize a fast-loading theme for optimal user experience.
• Updates: Your theme should adapt to WordPress updates and receive periodic updates from a reliable source to maintain code integrity and functionality.
• Customer Support: Look for themes with comprehensive documentation, user-friendly instructions, and responsive customer support. A large community can also provide invaluable tutorials and assistance online.

We’ve curated a selection of multipurpose themes, and here are our top choices.

Divi

Arguably the most popular WordPress theme, Divi is designed and created by Elegant Themes. With its extensive collection of templates spanning various industries, users can effortlessly try different layouts for their sites through quick imports.

Offering complete control over layout, design, colors, text, and even custom CSS integration, Divi empowers users to personalize their websites extensively. Its modular architecture and adaptable nature make it a prime choice for developers seeking to craft customized solutions.

However, Divi’s heavy reliance on shortcodes and its proprietary page builder may lead to compatibility issues with certain plugins and pose challenges for content migration to different themes in the future.

Astra

This modern WordPress Theme is designed to create any website. Like Divi, Astra comes with a long list of templates you can use to jump start your site making it perfect for startups and small business.

Thanks to its lightweight design and lightning-fast performance. Built with speed and SEO in mind, Astra boasts a minimalist yet stylish aesthetic that is highly customizable to suit any brand or niche

While Astra offers a good selection of starter templates and customization settings, some users may find the design possibilities somewhat restricted, especially when compared to more visually dynamic themes

Custom Made Theme

Investing in a custom-made theme is an investment in the future of your business. Unlike pre-designed themes that may become outdated or incompatible with future updates, a custom theme can be easily updated and maintained to ensure compatibility with the latest WordPress updates and industry standards and that’s exactly what we do at 40Q. 

Here is how your custom made theme stands against a pre designed:

Performance

Standard build themes often come packed with functionalities that you may never even use. However, these excess lines of code linger, slowing down your website and consuming resources, ultimately impacting its performance. On the other hand, custom themes are crafted with performance in mind, following best coding practices. They are optimized for quick page loading and efficient resource usage. This is crucial because Google prioritizes page load time in its ranking algorithm, and it enhances the browsing experience for your users.

Flexibility and Scalability

As your business grows, you might face new challenges, such as adding new pages, features, and functions. Pre-designed themes might struggle to keep pace with these changes, but a custom-made theme offers the flexibility to adapt to your evolving requirements. Moreover, as your business expands, a robust custom template can effectively handle the increased demands, ensuring your website remains efficient and responsive to your growing needs.

Integrations

We understand that you rely on third-party integrations and occasional plugins. Outdated pre-designed themes may run into compatibility issues with the services and plugins you use, potentially leading to malfunctions. With a custom theme, you can ensure seamless integration of all your plugins and services, guaranteeing smooth and trouble-free operation. ( And yes, we can also develop your own custom plugin)

Brand Identity

Crafting a custom theme for your WordPress website is a great way to establish and reinforce your brand identity. Unlike pre-designed templates, custom themes are developed from scratch, ensuring that every aspect of your website reflects your brand’s unique personality and values. By tailoring the design specifically to your image, a custom theme sets you apart from your competitors, giving you a distinct and memorable online presence. While pre-designed templates may offer some degree of customization, they often lack  individuality and authenticity. With a custom theme, you can be confident that your website stands out in a crowded online landscape, making a lasting impression on your audience.

Getting a custom made theme for your site may be easier that you expect, schedule a quick call with our team to discuss your project and learn how we can build your custom theme and boost your online presence.