If you have the funds, invest in a bespoke WordPress theme rather than settling for a free one. However, don't go to just any WordPress theme designer. Make sure you work with an expert and SEO-savvy WordPress template designer / developer to get the most out of your theme. A skilled designer, based on my experience, will cost you between 3K and 5K, depending on your design needs. If you choose for a custom WordPress theme, you should be aware that you will have to pay the developer to upgrade your theme at some point in the future if WordPress publishes a newer version. If you're comfortable with the aforementioned, a custom WordPress theme is highly recommended for you. You might also choose for the next best thing: Premium WordPress themes.
Premium themes such as Thesis, Headway, Genesis, and Catalyst give you a leg up on the competition when it comes to customization and SEO. These themes were created by experts, so you can rest assured that they adhere to recognized web standards. They're also compatible with almost any internet browser, so you don't have to worry about how your website will seem in other browsers. These are just a handful of the advantages that come with using a Premium WordPress theme.
Premium WordPress themes are budget-friendly.
One of the main reasons why most bloggers and webmasters prefer Premium WordPress themes to custom-designed themes is cost. Despite the fact that this should not be the case, website owners are constrained by their resources. The truth is that a good custom created WordPress theme will cost you money, thus if you don't want to spend money on your WordPress theme, a Premium theme will suffice. It will cost you a fraction of what a custom-designed theme would. The problem is that if you don't alter it, you risk losing your website's brand because many other people will be using the same theme.
Customization and premium themes
Premium WordPress themes are simple to customize, which is great news. The "customizability" of premium themes is, in reality, their strongest selling point. While the ease of customization differs from one Premium theme to the next, they're all rather simple to change without the use of codes. This functionality is particularly appealing to website owners who do not know how to code and instead want to focus on developing high-quality content and selling their products.
Updates, upgrades, and support for the rest of your life
While not all Premium WordPress themes offer lifetime updates and upgrades, a significant number do. WordPress continues to improve, which is why newer versions are released. However, due to WordPress's updates and improvements, your old theme may no longer function properly. Worse, it has the ability to prevent your website from reaching its full potential.
Another key element that should be "a-must" for every WordPress theme is theme support, which is not always provided. If you've opted to use a Premium Template, there's a good chance you'll get all the help you need. For example, the Thesis theme includes a fantastic support group where you may get all the help you need. A detailed theme documentation included with almost all WordPress themes is insufficient to get you up and running on your own. You may require some unusual customization that hasn't been recorded, and you'd like someone to assist you. This is why assistance is so important.
SEO stands for "search engine optimization."
Every website's lifeblood is traffic. You must ensure that people visit your website on a regular basis in order for your internet business to succeed. The greatest way to get to your website is through the search engines. Why? Because search engine traffic is highly focused, it is also very convertible. Your website must be optimized for Google, Yahoo, and Bing to gain a share of their traffic. It's known as SEO (search engine optimization). You might be wondering what Premium WordPress themes have to do with SEO. On-page optimization is where SEO begins, and it begins on your website. You can't expect much love from the search engines if the WordPress template you're utilizing is badly coded and unclear to them. Unfortunately, free WordPress theme users are frequently confronted with this fact. The majority of free WordPress templates are developed by inexperienced designers. Premium WordPress Templates, on the other hand, are usually designed by WordPress developers and designers that are more experienced and skilled. Because it's for mass consumption, distinguishing the good from the average should be simple. It only takes a short Google search to find reviews and testimonials from current and prior customers. It's quite difficult to discern with custom built themes, especially if you don't know how to code.