How to Select a Theme

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It’s time to select your theme.

Here's how to begin...

  1. Watch the video below.
  2. Scroll to read the rest of this lesson.
  3. Select and install your theme.


Paid Themes vs. Free Themes

Investing in a paid theme vs. a free theme is a business decision that’s totally up to you.

There are a lot of options out there. We started with a free theme and that totally worked at first, but we spent a lot of time and money redesigning later.

If I was starting again, I would select the Genesis framework and a Genesis child theme (links below to some of my favorites) from the beginning (this is what we use now) and save myself the redesign hassle.

Genesis themes are very clean, which is better for SEO (search engine optimization -- something that will bring you more Google traffic.) They are mobile responsive (which is likely how a large percentage of your readers will view your site); and they have amazing support.

While not as search engine friendly, there are also free themes available that you can start with if your budget is tight. You can always start with a free theme like we did and redesign later.


Favorite Genesis Themes

Don’t get so caught up choosing a theme, and not start because of it. You can always change it later if needed. Here’s a great list of popular Genesis themes from which to choose. If I was at the beginning point, as you are now, I would select one of these:

9 Popular Genesis Themes:

If you decide to go with a Genesis theme, you will need to purchase from their site, download it to your computer and then upload it to your Wordpress.org dashboard under themes.

We will be using Genesis framework + theme in our examples throughout this course, which is the route we recommend.

Tip: If you do go with a paid theme, keep your receipt. Business expenses are tax write offs at the end of the year.


Recommended

My favorite Genesis theme is the Foodie Pro theme (even though it has "foodie" in it's name, it's not just for food bloggers). It's what I've used for years on my site. I still use it for everything but the homepage of my blog.

If you're looking to have the least amount of tech difficulties as you go through this course, I would recommend starting with Foodie Pro.

Every theme has slightly different settings and ways to customize.


Action Step

Select and install a theme on your site. Decide between...

  1. Foodie Pro
  2. One of the Other Genesis Themes
  3. A Free Theme Inside of Wordpress

Complete and Continue