This Wednesday, I will be talking about WordPress website safety at Nework Space, and it’s motivated me to share WordPress safety tips! There are many things to share on that topic, but today I will explain why you should use a well-known WordPress theme and avoid custom-built themes.

When you build a WordPress website, you must choose a theme. A theme is essentially a website template. At Woodchuck Arts, we prefer Divi by Elegant Themes. It has been around for several years, has good customer support, and has thousands of free and purchasable add-on products. In addition, it is so widely used that it is easy to find custom code, solutions, and fixes through Google searches. It is well-known that plugin developers will adjust their code to work with the Divi code. Another typical theme example is Elementor. I prefer Divi because I have been using it for ten years, and it uses fewer plugins for its core which causes fewer overall conflicts. Still, Elementor is another example of a quality theme.

(Plugins are what you add to WordPress websites to add various functions, like specialty forms, calendars, pop-ups, etc.)

When I say template, I want to clarify that I am referring to a core structure with many customizable options. Your website can be custom in the way that matters most. The function and appearance can still be unique; it will just have a good solid foundation.

When you use WordPress, you have to make sure that the WordPress core, your theme, and plugins are regularly updated, or they will lose function and/or become vulnerable to hackers. Quality themes and plugin companies periodically adjust their code to work with new browser, plugin, WordPress, and hacker protection requirements. Part of what we offer as part of our website hosting management service is weekly updating your website to ensure it lasts, stays safe, and runs smoothly.

About 1% of WordPress users need a custom theme.

One percent because it’s generally not good to make absolute statements. We have created large WordPress websites with many complex functions without a custom theme. You can completely customize the look and function of your website by using a typical WordPress theme like Divi or Elementor. When you utilize these themes, you are smartly utilizing already developed tools with a lot of support. Using a well-vetted theme allows you to spend more time thinking about user experience, SEO, and putting creative touches on your site that will set you apart from your competition. No need to recreate code that already exists with a custom theme exists.

If someone tries to talk you into a custom theme, the answer you give is a hard no.