Checklist: Changing WP Themes (during early stage website building)

I changed my WP Theme last night and here are a few action steps that helped me to make this transition smoother in the very early stages of WP website building.

1. Widget-ready

Check if you are using a widget enabled theme and then switch to another widget-enabled theme. If you switch to one that is not widget enabled, you will lose some elements.

2. Functionality and plug ins

Once the new theme is activated, test that everything still works. Check if you need to go back and add functionality that you want from the old theme to the new one. Try out all features including single post pages, contact page, etc. Ensure all widgets are still there and working properly. If you want the formatting to be relatively the same, you might check the new theme plug-ins because some use their own default styles.

3. Different Browsers

Check your site in various browsers (Chrome, Explorer, Opera, Modzilla, etc.).You want your website to look as expected in most browsers used today. Please note, some embellished or elaborate themes may not appear exactly the same from one browser to the next.

4. Trim the Fat

Some themes have many features pre-loaded. Get rid of things you don’t need. For example, some themes have too many SEO features. As you learn more about various pre-loaded feature, you might want to eventually choose wisely and trim the fat.

5. Careful Steps

Start changing smaller elements and check it functions properly in various browsers. Later, you can try more drastic changes. Take time to understand the structure of the new theme before taking radical leaps.

6. Navigation Friendly

Some themes offer better website navigation than others. Some may appear very impressive initially – enticing and beautiful yet lack ease of use. You want to test the new theme by imagining yourself as an online user accessing your website for the first time. You want your readers to have an enjoyable, easy and smooth experience when scrolling or browsing through content, topics or other call-to-action type steps on your site.

7. Ask for feedback

When you switch themes, you might ask other users to check out your site on their preferred browsers (with different screen resolutions) to understand better what they see and how they react (like or dislike). Be open to listening to their initial tips. You may or may not decide to make changes based on what they’ve shared. You could even ask them to send you a screen shot (just in case it’s difficult for them to describe their opinions and improvement tips).