WordPress is a great platform for news-related blogs and websites. There are many free and premium WordPress news themes that meet or exceed modern standards with responsive designs that look great on any device from desktop screens down to mobile phones.
Support and Updates
Using free news WordPress themes that have support and regular updates should be a consideration in your choice of WordPress theme templates because themes that are not supported or regularly updated may not be compatible with new releases of WordPress. Always research what level of support and updates a theme provides whether it is a free theme or a premium theme.
Features and Functionality
One of the most important things to consider after support are the features and functionality that free news WordPress themes provide. A good news theme will offer features that include some or all of the following:
- A fully responsive theme that scales and look good in any device size
- A reliable theme that is flexible
- A theme that provides updates to ensure it remains compatible with newer versions of WordPress
- Multi-layer sliders
- Theme options
- Widgets and widget sidebars
- Advertisement module with the ability to categorize ads
- Unlimited colors
- Google webfonts
- A theme that offers a variety of home page and inner page layouts
- A theme that provides video support
Free WordPress News Theme
If you are searching for a light, flexible free WordPress news or magazine theme then it is worth checking out WP-Aire by Solostream. Some of the key features of WP-Aire include a two column layout with a widgetized sidebar, optional footer widgets, a theme settings page, featured content glider, multiple home page layouts, threaded comments, logo integration, multiple background style options, optional banner Ad integration, social networking integration, SEO optimized, built-in author page, multiple page templates and much more. The free theme is pretty robust and solostream also offers a paid premium WP-Aire theme so you can always upgrade to the paid version if you need a more responsive theme or you want the support and update of a premium theme.
Benefits of a WordPress Theme Available in Free and Premium Versions
Most individuals starting a business or small business owners are looking for the most economical way to begin their site. Wise business owners think about growth and scaling so they are not caught in a situation where they have to completely replace their website. Consistency and availability of a business site are extremely important to attracting and maintaining high traffic.
WordPress themes that are available in free and premium versions allow you to scale up or down depending on your business need without totally starting over.
With both a free and premium version of WP Aire you will not have to worry about the theme becoming obsolete or incompatible with future WordPress versions. You will not have to start your site over with another free theme when the next version of WordPress comes out because Solostream’s premium version comes with all updates and full support.
Choosing the right free theme can be difficult but looking for free themes that also have a premium version available with full support and updates will help narrow the choices and ensure a product that will serve your needs now now and in the future.
We live in a new digital world where Facebook, Instagrams and sites like Pinterest have taken the art of photography to new levels of interest and popularity. For amateurs and professional photographers that like blogging about photography or showcasing their work on a portfolio website there are many excellent premium WordPress themes for photographers that will meet the needs of amateur and professional photographers alike. With thousands of themes the possibilities and options are nearly endless.
Portfolio Versus Photography Themes
Many people ask what the difference is between portfolio themes and photography themes. Portfolio themes really focus on galleries or sections of your site where you can showcase a collection of images-often with special effects. A photography theme may have the same capability to showcase images but a photography theme normally places a greater emphasis on blogging. If you plan to blog, comment and provide dialogue about your photos or photography in general then a photography theme may be more useful and flexible than choosing a portfolio theme.
First Steps
The place to begin searching for premium WordPress themes for photographers is to identify the features and functionality that are most important for your site. Photographers create sites for different reasons-some to showcase their work and others to sell their photography. Premium photography themes do not all provide the same features and functionality so understanding what is most important to you helps narrow down the premium themes that are most suited to your use.
Think about how you plan to use your site. What will you do with the site and what do you need? Create a list of the things you want to do on the site and the type of tools and functionality you will need to accomplish each task. Once you have your list completed you will be able to determine what type of theme is best for your site.
Features and Functionality
Some of the most popular features and functionality found in top-selling portfolio ad photography premium WordPress themes include the following:
- Outstanding support and regular updates to ensure the theme is always up to date and compatible with the latest WordPress releases
- A theme settings page that makes customization easy
- Featured content silders
- Gallery or project sliders
- Multiple home page layouts
- Multiple page layouts
- Featured page widget
- Multiple background colors and patterns
- Fast, easy logo integration
- Fully responsive and adaptable for all device sizes
- Social networking widgets and integrations
- Multiple banner ad locations
- Built-in author page
- Google fonts
- SEO optimized
- eCommerce module
- Lightboxes
Considerations
For anyone using a WordPress theme that is not a developer or comfortable working with code look for premium themes that are highly customizable and allow you to change colors, header images, logos, and CSS styles at a minimum. It is also good to look for premium themes that make it eay to add supporting codes for things like Google analytics. Likewise, make sure the provider of the premium theme you choose comes with a wealth of technical developer support and offers an online community where you can get questions answered and problems resolved.
Another important consideration is to look for premium themes that guarantee lifelong updates, improvements, additions and newer versions at no additional cost.
Make certain the theme you purchase comes with user manuals and clear, easy to understand documentation. This is critical because buying a theme template you cannot manage or customize easily is throwing your money away.
Finally, always look for a theme that will support your goals and be easy for your target market to interact with. Your site and the theme you choose should focus on making the user experience easy, pleasant and beneficial to your visitors and customers.
You may be wondering what is so special about premium WordPress themes for bloggers and whether or not they are worth paying for when there are thousands of free WordPress themes available. It comes down to your personal preference and needs. If you blog a lot and are looking for quality, exceptional functionality and support then a premium WordPress themes for bloggers may well be worth its cost. (more…)