Changing your WordPress theme can be an exciting yet daunting task. With thousands of themes to choose from, it‘s tempting to quickly switch to a new look. But changing themes requires careful preparation to avoid losing data or breaking your site.
In this guide, we‘ll share 12+ things every WordPress user must do before changing themes. Following these steps will ensure a smooth transition to your new design.
If you or a developer have customized your current theme‘s code, you‘ll want to document these changes before switching themes. This ensures any custom functionality or design elements are preserved.
Here are some common theme customizations to look for:
- Modified theme files like header.php, footer.php, functions.php, etc.
- Additional CSS or JavaScript added directly to the theme.
- Custom code snippets added via a plugin like Code Snippets.
- Extra theme options added by a developer.
Go through each theme file and note down any custom code. Save these code snippets in a text file so you can easily add them back later if needed.
You should also take screenshots of any visual customizations like:
- A custom homepage layout.
- Modified styling colors.
- Extra widget areas.
Having visual references will make it easier to spot differences or replicate the look in your new theme.
Before you change themes, get some performance benchmarks for comparison later. Two key things to test are:
Site speed – Use a tool like Pingdom or WebPageTest to measure your overall page load time. Look at both desktop and mobile speeds.
Analytics – Look at recent site traffic and goal conversion rates in Google Analytics. This gives you a snapshot of how your current theme is performing.
After switching themes, you can run the same tests. If speeds are slower or analytics numbers dropped, it may indicate an issue with your new theme.
Mistakes happen. Before making major changes, always backup your WordPress site. This gives you a safety net if anything goes wrong.
Use a dedicated backup plugin like UpdraftPlus to schedule regular backups and save them offsite. UpdraftPlus lets you backup to cloud storage like Google Drive or Dropbox.
At the very least, manually export your WordPress content. Go to Tools > Export in your dashboard to download your posts, pages, media, and plugins.
Having a recent backup means you can easily restore your old site if needed.
One of the biggest pains when switching themes is rebuilding your widget areas. Sidebars, footers, and other widgetized zones likely will change with your new theme.
Before you switch, document what widgets are assigned to each dynamic area. Take screenshots of your sidebars and note which widgets are placed where.
Some key things to document:
- Sidebars on posts/pages vs your homepage.
- Footer widget areas.
- Any other widget zones like hero sections, etc.
You can then refer to these notes when setting up your new theme‘s widget areas. This helps replicate your existing layout faster.
Losing analytics or ad tracking codes during a theme switch is a rookie mistake. But it‘s an easy one to make if you don‘t record them beforehand.
Audit your current theme and document any external scripts for things like:
- Google Analytics
- Facebook Pixel
- AdSense ads
- Affiliate links
- Heat mapping tools
The easiest way is to use a snippet manager plugin like Code Snippets to consolidate tracking codes in one place.
Just remember to transfer over any codes you find directly in your theme‘s code or settings. You don‘t want to lose valuable performance data.
Do an honest evaluation of what features your site needs from a theme before picking a new one. Outline any must-have functionality like:
- Advanced theme options panel
- Built-in widgets/page builder
- Specific header designs
- Certain page templates or layouts
- Compatibility with essential plugins
- Demo import options
Prioritizing these needs helps narrow down themes that are suitable replacements. Don‘t assume your new theme will have the same options or integrate with key plugins.
It also highlights if you need certain customizations for an ideal setup. Doing this upfront prevents having to switch themes multiple times.
Take time to map out a transition plan for your WordPress content before changing themes. You want to minimize disruptions for returning visitors.
Here are some tips:
- Schedule your switch during a low-traffic time if possible. This avoids frustration for active users.
- Put up a maintenance mode page while you migrate content. This managing expectations.
- Plan content freezes if doing major layout changes. This prevents editorial fires to put out.
- Draft transition posts announcing the new theme. Get audiences excited about changes.
Having a documented rollout plan means less stress when it comes time to launch your new look.
A theme switch is also the perfect opportunity for some site maintenance. Here are a few cleanup tips:
Delete unused media – Upload folders can get bloated with unnecessary images and files over time. Delete ones you don‘t need to improve site performance.
Remove stale posts/pages – If you have outdated or irrelevant content, get rid of it. This declutters your site for a fresh start.
Deactivate unused plugins – Take stock of all plugins and remove ones you no longer need. Less is more when it comes to plugins.
Run optimizations – Use a tool like WP-Optimize to clean up your database, compress images, and clear caches. This speeds up your new site.
Starting with a lean site makes it easier to troubleshoot issues and tuning performance with your new theme.
Setting up a staging site lets you test run your new theme before going live. This is highly recommended to catch any issues.
Use a duplicating tool like BlogVault or Duplicator to clone your existing site to a test domain. This gives you a near-identical copy.
With a staging site, you can:
- Fully configure your new theme offline.
- Work out any theme/plugin conflicts.
- Tweak designs and layouts.
- Migrate content gradually.
- Conduct quality assurance testing.
Once everything looks good, you can push your staged site live with more confidence.
When you‘re ready, it‘s time to install your new WordPress theme. A few tips:
- Only have your new theme active to avoid conflicts.
- Refer to the theme‘s documentation for setup instructions.
- Import demo content if available to give you a headstart.
- Activate essential plugins one at a time, troubleshooting any issues.
Take it slow to minimize disruption. Get the basics working before customizing further.
Many themes support demo importers to quickly add sample content, widgets, etc. This gives you a solid foundation to build upon.
Now comes the biggest task – migrating your existing content over to the new theme. Here are some guiding principles:
- Focus on key pages first like your homepage, about, contact, etc. These are critical to get right.
- When updating posts/pages, tweak content to match your new layout or design.
- Add redirects if URLs change to avoid breaking links.
- Update site-wide elements like fonts, colors, and branding for visual consistency.
Migrating content piece-by-piece gives you more control over the process. You can refine as you go based on feedback and testing.
Patience is key. Avoid rushing the migration if possible. This is your chance to freshen up content for the new design.
Double check that all your site settings carried over properly during the transition. Key things to review:
- General site settings like title, description, admin email, etc.
- Permalink structure to maintain correct URLs.
- Reading settings like homepage layout and posts page.
- Discussion settings for comments, pingbacks, etc.
- Media settings like image sizes and file upload options.
- Email and notification preferences.
It‘s easy to overlook settings when focusing on the frontend. But fully configuring the WordPress backend ensures everything functions smoothly.
Take time to test and tweak these settings until your site behaves as desired.
Once your new theme is in place, re-check the performance benchmarks from tip #2. Compare your page speeds and analytics numbers.
If speeds are slower, this indicates further optimization is needed:
- Enable caching via a plugin like WP Rocket or server-side caching.
- Optimize images by enabling Smush and resizing ones that are too large.
- Load third-party assets like fonts, CSS, and JS deferentially.
- Minify CSS, JS, and HTML output through plugins.
Continuously improve performance until on par or better than your old theme. This ensures a great user experience.
If you have a team that helps manage your WordPress site, train them on how your new theme works differently.
Create documentation that outlines:
- Where to find all theme settings and options.
- How to format different content layouts/templates.
- Locations of widget/sidebar areas.
- Any compatibility issues or quirks.
Schedule a training session and walkthrough key changes together. Being aligned will prevent headaches down the road as everyone gets up to speed.
Finally, let your audience know about your snazzy new theme! A few ideas:
- Send an email newsletter highlighting new features or design elements.
- Share teasers on social media building up to the big reveal.
- Create an explanatory page/post about the new layout.
- Add a notice bar to the site temporarily explaining changes.
Proactively communicating what visitors can expect from your redesigned site helps ease uncertainty. Be transparent about tweaks you‘ve made.
And encourage feedback! Listen to reactions and be willing to make adjustments based on user response.
Just remember to celebrate your exciting new look as well. Changing WordPress themes is no small feat.
Switching up your website‘s design and layout through a new theme can often reinvigorate your content and visitors‘ interest. But failing to properly setup your new theme can sabotage those good intentions.
By following this comprehensive checklist before changing themes, you‘ll avoid frustrations and ensure no critical aspects fall through the cracks. Taking it slow and steady allows you to minimize disruption for both visitors and your own team.
So don‘t rush in changing WordPress themes. Lay the necessary groundwork and you‘ll reap the benefits of a successful migration. Your refreshed site is worth the extra effort.
