Imagine turning your system on to determine how your website works properly. Then you realize you're like, "Where the hell is my website"!
This scenario can occur when your website may have been
compromised, and all your information is gone.
Does it sound like a scary idea? Doesn't it?
I didn't intend to be frightened, but these situations
happen to bloggers who opt for a free blog theme instead of a premium theme.
Let me be honest with you. The truth is that free is only
sometimes good, even if it's a WordPress theme.
In this blog post, I'll explain why using a free theme
can be risky for your blog.
Why free WordPress themes aren't worth your time
1. URLs with unwelcomed URLs in
the footer
If you decide to use a
no-cost theme, you agree to the user agreement of the theme creators.
In exchange for free themes,
the developers always ask you to include their affiliate URLs in your site's
footer.
Remember, if you attempt to
delete these URLs, it could be considered a breach of the terms of the
agreement.
If you attempt to eliminate
these links, you'll never be able to remove them of these links. In addition,
all you'll receive is an unresponsive theme.
Sometimes, these links are
obscured using a template color which means you won't be able to see them
without moving your mouse to the bottom.
In most cases, the links you
click on are not hazardous, but in many cases, they lead you to dangerous and
fraudulent websites.
Additionally, you could risk
exposing yourself to viruses like Trojan.
- No SEO-optimization
As bloggers and web admins,
we know the power of SEO and how crucial it is to blogs or websites. It is also
rare to get a theme that includes SEO-friendly options!
The following elements are
what make the theme SEO optimized:
Clean code: Clean code can
help search engines better understand your site.
Light Weight: If the theme size is huge, it will take a while to
load.
Avoid using too many JS and
CSS codes: The Free theme comes with numerous Javascript and CSS codes. It is
recommended that the JS and CSS should be at most 12-15.
Responsive layout: If the audience cannot access your website on their
mobile devices (tablets, phones, tablets, etc. ), You are likely to be losing
your audience.
Responsive Design: Free themes seldom include a responsive layout.
Compatibility with Plugins
There are many plugins on WordPress that can improve your SEO. The free theme
doesn't have these plugins installed.
Theme developers have other
features reserved for their premium themes.
- No Customer Support and Updates
If you need help with using
a free theme, you won't have access to any assistance from the business. Guess
why. You're right! Since it's a no-cost theme!
If in the future it happens
that the developer upgrades the theme to fix bugs or advances in coding, you'll
not be notified. Therefore, your website will be in danger. Only premium theme
owners have the option of updating their site.
There are theme designers
who will offer an update for a free theme. But, you may be unable to access
your website after.
- Limited Features
Premium themes include
helpful features that enhance your website's performance and ease of use.
When using free themes (with
only the most basic features), competing with your peers with the high-end theme
(with more advanced functions) isn't easy.
- Hidden Costs
A few days ago, I had one of
my friends set up a theme for free for one of his websites. He was thrilled to
discover a gorgeous, and the best part was that it was completely free!
Then, he checked for any
hyperlinks in the footer. However, there were none! At the time of writing, his
website was also performing very well in search engines.
A few days later, the user
noticed 25 links outbound on the right-side navigation pointed to various types
of sites.
But the most interesting
part was that he didn't have any of these hyperlinks. He tried to delete the
links from his website but was unsuccessful!
He removed the theme for
free and reverted to a simple tune. There were no links. After a few hours after
that, he downloaded the music free of charge to determine what had gone wrong.
He believed he was superior
to the theme; however, as soon as the music was installed again, the outbound
links returned.
Then, he could let go of the
concept of a free theme entirely.
I then realized there are
hidden costs in free themes too.
- Problems with compatibility issues for
plugins
Most free themes do not have
advanced plugins, which can cause a negative user experience and low SEO
performance.
The issue arises because the
theme is not often up-to-date. The majority of plugins can support the latest
articles.
I ran into this issue before
when I installed a plugin that collects subscribers' email addresses.
The plugins can only work
with updated themes.
The final thoughts about the use of WordPress themes for
free: WordPress themes:
Themes are different, and many excellent WordPress
designers created good-coded pieces for free and later made them paid articles.
If you're working on a WordPress blog for a brief period, it is not an option
when you find a theme that is safe from all of the risks mentioned above. It is
also feasible if you're experienced in identifying the mistakes and the wrong
code within the theme.
If you're someone like me, who prefers to concentrate on
what we're good at, then it's best to purchase a premium WordPress theme. It's
not just about getting support, updates, and support; it also ensures your blog
runs smoothly and has an amazing appearance. If you could have sought my
opinion some time ago, I would have advised that you download one of the free
WordPress themes for your blog; however, nowadays, when earning money through a
blog, purchasing a Premium WordPress theme is simply an investment worth the
time. Here are a few of the well-known high-end WordPress themes. I suggest you
go through all of them and choose one that meets your needs in terms of design
and function.
- Themes Thrive (Probably the only music you'll require)
- Genesis
- ElegantTheme (This one is great for niche websites)
I'm hoping that you are aware of the dangers free themes
carry.
I'm interested to hear your thoughts. Have you
encountered problems with a completely free theme? Do share your opinions and
experiences.