WordPress is an extremely versatile content management system which has changed the face of blogging. WordPress used to be a platform for individual bloggers to upload and share their content with the rest of the internet. Gradually, it morphed into a great tool for small businesses to host their own sites. The versatility and ease of creating a blog or web page is what allowed business owners with virtually no knowledge of web development top crate and host complete websites for their products.
In order to customize your WordPress site according to your preferences or branding, it’s important to install a custom theme that reflects the personality of the brand or the blogger. A WordPress theme can be installed in three different ways.
Option 1: WordPress Themes
The very first method is the simplest one. The user can simply select a theme from the gallery of WordPress itself and select the theme that they feel best reflects their personality. These themes may either be free or premium, depending upon the level of features allowed. The steps that this method entails are as follows;
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Open the Dashboard; go to Appearance and then Themes
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Click the Tab that says ‘install theme’.
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Browse through the gallery that appears below or type your keywords in the search box to look for themes according to your product.
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Select your preferred theme
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Click the Install button
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Activate after installation.
The theme should have been successfully installed after activation.
Option 2: Upload your own Theme
The upload and install method is also a very popular method of installing WordPress themes. Companies usually make custom themes for businesses and provide them to the business owner for installation. The first step is to extract the files from the ZIP file received from the supplier. Go to the Dashboard > Appearance > Themes.
The Install Theme tab should have an ‘Upload’ button which will enable you to click on the desired file and then click install.
Option 3: File Transfer Protocols
This is a manual; installation in which a premium theme is provided by a company. Locate the ‘/wp-content/themes’ folder and then go to your FTP program. After entering the site credentials, drag the new theme into the ‘Themes Folder’. When you return to the Themes page on WordPress, you should be able to see the file. The theme will be successfully installed once you click ‘Activate’.
View this beginners instructional on ‘How to Install a WordPress theme’