How to Update a WordPress Website – Tips for Designing a Better Theme
WordPress is the most popular blogging platform around currently, with a whopping 60.8% of all blogs currently being hosted on the website. It’s a blogging platform that is so incredibly flexible that you can use it for just about any purpose you can think of! One of the best things about WordPress is that it is constantly expanding and evolving to fit the changing needs of its users. While older versions of WordPress may not have featured many design options, the drag-and-drop builder has made it easier than ever for web designers to build a fully functioning WordPress website in just a few clicks!
If you’re looking to update your existing WordPress blog or website, but don’t know where to begin, this article is for you. Here we’re going to discuss some of the best tips and tricks for designing a better WordPress theme that will help you make your site look modern and polished, no matter what platform you’re using.
Make It Mobile-friendly
In today’s world, more and more people are shifting to a digital nomad lifestyle. As a result, the demand for lightweight, mobile-friendly blogs and websites is increasing. If your current theme isn’t coded with mobile optimization in mind, it’s time for an upgrade! You don’t want your readers to have a hard time enjoying your content on their phones, as you’d be losing a ton of potential traffic. Fortunately, WordPress makes this a breeze. All you have to do is download the mobile app from WordPress.org and log into your WordPress dashboard via web browser to view the code for any post or page.
While it’s a great idea to code a WordPress mobile app, not all blogs or websites need to be mobile-friendly. You can use a mobile-friendly plugin like Yoast’s Mobile-Friendly plugin to make your site more accessible to mobile device users. This will help improve the user experience for everyone, regardless of whether or not they’re using a mobile device.
Outsource As Much As Possible
One of the biggest problems with most blogs and websites is that they’re filled with unnecessary, complex code. When you have a lot of content, or if you’re running a complex eCommerce store, this can quickly lead to bloated code that isn’t easy to maintain. WordPress makes it easy for you to outsource some of the more tedious tasks, like shipping calculations, to a 3rd party plugin. This can leave you with more time to focus on the more important things, like creating engaging content that will keep your visitors interested and coming back for more!
WordPress also makes it easy for you to hire freelance contractors to help with any aspect of your site’s design. Outsourcing is a great way to save time and money, as well as improve your site’s look and functionality! There are a variety of freelancing services that you can use to help with everything from web design to SEO to content creation.
Keep It Minimal
Keeping a clean, uncluttered website is becoming a major trend, especially as more and more people turn to digital nomads for their content. According to Google, around 65% of users experience frustration when browsing through cluttered websites, as it takes too long to understand what the website is about.
When you have a cluttered or minimalist design, it doesn’t take long for the viewer to understand what the site is about. Google also found that when users encounter visual clutter, their attention is divided, which leads to them taking longer to process information and navigate the site.
Minimalism isn’t just limited to design either. You can also use WordPress to write content that is as minimal as possible. According to HubSpot Blogs, long-form content is on the rise. People are looking for quick news summaries and curated lists, which are easier to consume in short doses. Keep your content focused and to the point, and you’ll be able to engage your audience better than ever before!
Improve The User Experience
One of the most important things you can do for your blog or website is to make sure that every single person who visits it has an amazing experience. You can do this by investing in high quality, relevant content, using a sleek & modern design, and of course, optimizing for mobile users. The better the user experience, the greater the chance of them coming back for more!
If you have a WordPress dashboard, all you have to do to begin upgrading your site’s user experience is to log in to your dashboard and click on the three stacked cog icon in the top right corner of the screen.
From here, you can access the settings for your blog or website. In this section, you can change almost every aspect of your site’s look and functionality, from the font used in the interface to the overall feel and tone of your site.
You can use plugins or the WordPress settings page to make your site faster and more secure. You can also use a tool like GTMetrix to track the performance of your site, pinpoints areas of improvement, and monitor conversions. Doing this won’t guarantee that you’ll get more traffic, but it will certainly help in the long run.
There, now you have a complete guide to updating a WordPress website. You can use these tips to make the most of your existing content and ensure that you’re presenting it in the best possible way for your users. As with any other piece of software or platform, WordPress is always evolving and improving, and this will only benefit you in the long run.