WordPress offers the exciting ability to transform a website’s appearance and features easily by installing different themes, making it a key appeal of this popular content management system.
A theme is a collection of files that controls the look and functionality of a WordPress website, influencing visitors’ experience while browsing the site.
A variety of free WordPress themes are available, but a significant market has emerged for paid WordPress themes, providing excellent choices for websites of various types and purposes due to the platform’s popularity.
In this article, we will explore the benefits of utilizing a premium WordPress theme. Ready?
What is a premium WordPress theme?
A paid WordPress theme, known as a premium theme, is a theme that can be bought for use on a WordPress site at a specified price. Unlike free themes, premium themes are typically available for purchase on specialized websites and may be used on multiple sites based on the included license.
When purchasing a theme, you typically pay a one-time fee for its use, allowing you to use it indefinitely on your website without any additional charges.
Once the theme is installed on the website, it can be customized as desired by the purchasers to meet their specific requirements.
Next, we will demonstrate the practical application of a premium theme with popular examples, such as TemplateMonster’s Monster2.
Benefits of using a premium WordPress theme
Using a premium WordPress theme has numerous advantages over using free templates. Let’s explore some key points to consider.
Installation Center
The beginning of using any topic is the setup. A premium WordPress theme provides certain benefits in this regard. To comprehend this, it’s important to step back and gain a deeper understanding of how a WordPress website operates.
WordPress, being an open source tool, is involved in a highly collaborative ecosystem where various plugins are developed to enhance website functionality, making it more versatile than relying solely on themes.
Paid WordPress themes often come with an automated installation process, making it easier to set up the theme with all the required features.
The theme Monstroid2 offers an initial setup that can be easily completed with the help of a plugin.
The wizard assists the user in setting up their premium theme by guiding them through the configuration steps when the plugin is installed and activated.
During the installation, the screen will display theme configuration options, including the choice to auto-install necessary plugins for optimal theme setup.
chsyys/DepositPhotos
You can choose to add extra plugins, which may or may not be necessary based on the kind of website you aim to build.
Any WordPress theme can be utilized in both the installed version from WordPress.org and the hosted version from WordPress.com.
One distinction between WordPress versions is that in one case, customers are responsible for hosting and maintenance initially, whereas in the other, these tasks are included in the service provided by the company. WordPress.com’s paid plans include additional perks like unlimited premium theme access and a free domain for a year. Users should assess the cost-to-benefit ratio based on their individual needs.
Explore: Traditional and contemporary web design trends worth adopting, along with a curated selection of 10 themes.
Different types of designs and content for marking
Free themes often lack identifying markers or sample content during installation, leading to unexpected site appearances after activation.
To prevent this and make a positive in-person impact, premium WordPress themes often offer the feature of adding markup content. This enables you to have a visually appealing website, rather than just a basic WordPress setup. Furthermore, the layout of the website is often designed to avoid the appearance of being “empty,” as shown in the image above.
One benefit of this feature is the ability to easily replace placeholder content on a page with actual content while maintaining the original design and settings set by the theme creator.
The Monstroid2 premium theme showcased in this article provides the ability to add markup content and select from various layout options to customize the initial content of your website.
The Monstroid2 installation wizard simplifies future editing and content insertion by adding the markup content of the selected template to your site. The provided markup content is in English.
Pre-set theme
WordPress has developed significantly over time and offers numerous configuration options. A paid WordPress theme comes with pre-configured features, making installation easier.
Creators of paid WordPress themes often focus on the custom menu feature, which is included in many themes. This feature requires user interaction to create, customize, and publish the menu after installing a new theme.
In a high-quality WordPress theme, the custom menu(s) are typically pre-set and positioned, as demonstrated by Monstroid2, where the main menu (main) was set up during the theme installation process.
The footer and other page elements, in addition to the menu, were set up simultaneously. This involved configuring social networks, text, and markup links, to be substituted with actual content at a later time.
chsyys/Pexels
High-quality assistance
The official WordPress theme directory provides numerous themes available for free download, but users may not receive assistance when needed as these themes typically do not offer support services.
Free themes typically offer support through forums, where users can report issues and seek help from the community. Yet, it is not uncommon to come across unresolved queries within these forums.
When purchasing a premium WordPress theme, users typically receive a certain amount of support from the seller. This support often includes multiple channels such as live chat and ticketing systems.
Premium WordPress themes often come with support provided by the template author, which is a significant benefit compared to free themes.
Detailed records
The documentation for a theme is like an instruction manual, providing guidance that can be referred to as needed. It is crucial to read the documentation before beginning the theme installation, especially during the initial stages.
Free themes may not come with thorough documentation, whereas premium themes, including those offering both free and paid versions, typically provide detailed usage instructions.
The documentation, which is included with the theme files after purchase, provides useful guidance on setting up various aspects of the theme, such as customization options, widget areas, menus, and page appearances. It’s important to note that the documentation is usually in English, like the theme itself.
Frequent updates
Paid themes typically provide a significant benefit over free themes when it comes to updates. Understanding how updates function in WordPress is essential before providing any specific information.
The WordPress core code is updated regularly with new features or security fixes, and it’s crucial for plugins and themes to stay current with these updates.
WordPress feature updates can be integrated into theme features upon release, while security updates are crucial and must be included in the theme.
Paid themes receive regular updates to maintain security and compatibility with new WordPress features as they are designed for commercial use.
Drawbacks of utilizing a premium theme
A paid WordPress theme, like everything else in life, comes with both advantages and drawbacks that must be addressed in this article.
The primary concern is the cost, as the price of a theme – currently around 300 reais – may exceed the budget for websites without commercial goals.
Having too many choices in a paid theme can be overwhelming for some users. In such cases, a free theme without pre-set content might be preferable for those looking to customize their site slowly.
Some premium themes may not be suitable for hosting cheaper websites due to their extensive features, potentially requiring more robust hosting services. Consider opting for WordPress Hosting or a more advanced hosting plan for optimal performance with a premium theme. If unsure, you may find the article “Website Hosting or WordPress Hosting: which one to choose?” helpful in making a decision.
One concern is the lack of exclusivity in the layout of a paid theme, as it is sold to multiple users. This may prompt area professionals to create their own theme to ensure a unique appearance and only include essential features.
A paid theme is not suitable for everyone. Some individuals may find value in using a free theme due to its simplicity, while others might prefer a customized lean theme for their specific website. Additionally, some users may opt for a more user-friendly and straightforward website creator tool.
Selecting a high-quality theme
Before purchasing a paid WordPress theme, it is advisable to exercise caution and consider important factors.
- A paid theme may come with many features, but it is important to focus on the ones that are essential for your website.
- It is essential to ensure that the desired theme is compatible with the most recent version of WordPress due to its regular updates.
- When searching for a product or internet service, having a reliable review system is essential. This also applies to paid themes for WordPress, where the top theme stores feature user reviews for each theme they offer. It is recommended to choose themes with positive feedback, such as Monstroid2 mentioned in the article.
- Technical assistance for a theme can be crucial in situations where the theme guide does not address all potential issues. Opt for a premium theme that includes technical support.
- When purchasing paid WordPress themes online, it is crucial to ensure that you are dealing with a reputable company. It is advisable to buy from established and specialized platforms like TemplateMonster.
Summary
Using a premium WordPress theme can provide various benefits compared to free choices. I aim to highlight key advantages without covering all aspects of the topic.
If you have any inquiries or want to contribute, feel free to leave a comment, and I will be happy to discuss. 🙂
To find out more about the theme demonstrated in this article, please visit the Monstroid2 page on the TemplateMonster website or access the theme’s demo link.
Publication date: 27/05/2020 (latest update on 28/07/2023)
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