The emergence of content management systems and other similar platforms has made web development easy and affordable. These systems come with pre-built templates that can be used for building an interface. However, picking a suitable responsive website design theme for business is a vital task. The selection will affect not only the appearance of the interface but also its user experience. A bad choice can repel visitors and cause serious financial losses. A photographer in Vancouver hired a web design services firm to get a professional website. The agency first chose a suitable development platform and then showed a selection of templates especially created for the professional’s field. This not only eased the process but also ensured that some necessary features were already included on the website. Let’s see how business owners can choose a good theme.
1. Ensure The Availability Of Developer Support
A lot of themes, especially on open-source platforms like WordPress are created by third-party developers or agencies. An important point to consider while selecting a template is whether developer support is available for the product or not. Lack of support can cause problems in the future when the platform sees an update and the template does not remain compatible. Most products created by professionals will display contact information apart from details of all the updates. Choose a theme created by a dependable agency with a long update history.
2. Assess Mobile Adaptability Of The Product
Being responsive does not guarantee that the product will provide a wholesome experience to visitors. Many responsive websites do not render well on smaller screens. It becomes, therefore, essential to assess the levels of mobile adaptability of a chosen theme. Working demos are provided with most of the listed products on a theme store. Check the samples on different kinds of mobile devices like smartphones and tablets to ensure that the design is rendered perfectly on all screens. This is an important factor which has to be considered for guaranteeing a fulfilling user experience.
3. Availability Of Functionality Extensions
Entrepreneurs must carefully evaluate all web development options before settling for the one which suits their requirements. This is important to get access to extensions which help to enhance the functionality of an interface. These tools go by different names and on some platforms, they will be called apps while on others they will be referred to as apps. The Candian photographer who was looking to get a business website wanted to sell his work through the interface. The Vancouver-based web and graphic design company hired by him presented two options based on the project requirements- Shopify and WooCommerce. The professional chose the latter as he felt that it gave access to WordPress which has a large portfolio of plugins.
4. Check The Theme’s Compatibility With Browsers
The main objective of a business website is to reach as many members of the target audience as possible. In order to ensure this, it is essential that the interface can be accessed easily by people. Entrepreneurs must check the compatibility of a chosen responsive website design theme with all the major browsers. It will be pertinent to find out the different types of browsers being used by the target audience. Make sure that the template is rendered perfectly on all these browsers. This will assure you that the user experience will remain consistent irrespective of the browser being used to access the website.
5. Evaluate The Loading Speed Of The Template
The speed at which a website loads plays a key role in engaging visitors and ensuring god traffic. The loading speed of a template must be evaluated before its selection. Most people will be confused that how can this be done as you need a URL to conduct the speed test. You do not have to create a website to get the link. Simply use the URL of the demo link and use an online tool to check the theme’s speed.
6. Adaptability With Touch Gestures
The compatibility of the design with touch gestures which will be used mobile users to navigate through the website must be checked. Find out whether it is easy to click buttons on a small screen or not. The test can be conducted by opening the URL of the template’s demo in Google’s Chrome desktop browser. Press Control + Shift + I followed by Control + Shift + M to open the sample in the mobile emulator. The mouse can be used to mimic touch gestures and assess the theme’s adaptability levels.
Conclusion
These tips to choose a responsive website design theme will be helpful for business owners looking to acquire a website. However, entrepreneurs must make a complete assessment of their requirements before finalizing the web development platform and design template.