Responsive design is just what it sounds like: It’s a way to design a website so that it “responds” on every platform, whether someone is using a ten-year-old PC or the latest smartphone. It’s a crucial aspect of web development and requires constant maintenance since there are new devices coming out all the time. All in one computers, smartphones, tablets, laptops and PCs are all popular, and WordPress sites need to work flawlessly on all of them.
If this sounds like a lot of work, it certainly can be, but web designers have a few rules and tricks of the trade to share. Some WordPress themes are more responsive than others, so this should be a driving force when selecting a theme. Some will automatically adjust the screen size and layout depending on the platform, and more WordPress themes are being designed with responsive design in mind. Here are five easy ways to implement responsive design with WordPress.
1. WP Radiance
Radiance is a premium WordPress theme that’s arguably the best when it comes to responsive design. It’s available from Solostream and boasts flexible, variant themes that work for nearly any business or blog. It’s clean and comes with a blog as well as options for business pages. Choose from a selection of layout options, each with the ability to flawlessly be viewed on any device. This is an easy option for those who don’t want to mess with updates.
2. Gather
Gather is a minimalist option on WordPress, perfect for an eCommerce site that doesn’t want any bells or whistles. It comes with a touch-swipe slider and the ability to customize posts. It’s also a premium theme, and it’s available from Theme Trust. It’s created so that it’s easy to showcase products and sell items without having a strong background in eCommerce design. Many business owners trust Gather because of the convenience.
3. WP Professional
The name says it all, and this premium theme is offered from Solostream. It’s created for professional bloggers, consultants and coaches so that the site owner can easily interact with viewers. There are numerous features to choose from including different layouts, feature slider and the ability to manage multiple posts. It’s a bloggers dream come true as more people are jumping on the responsive design bandwagon.
4. WP Responsive
With “responsive” in the name of this theme, it’s clear that it’s been tested above and beyond what’s necessary for flawless responsive design. This Solostream premium theme has everything a person needs to customize a page, and it adjusts to any platform out there. It’s easy to use, beautiful in its simplicity and a smart choice for those who want to get a site up and running immediately.
5. WP Bold Theme
Another Solostream winner, WP Bold has been designed to work for a variety of different sites, and is especially favored by top online magazines. A video page template, post and page layout options, image gallery layout solutions and theme settings to quickly change the vibe of the site are just a few of the features. Due to the heavy emphasis on image and video, it’s no wonder that it’s a favorite of media outlets.
Responsive design and WordPress don’t always go hand in hand, and no one should feel limited just because the WP theme they adore the most isn’t created with responsive design in mind. There are professional web designers who specialize in working with WordPress so that any theme can be turned into a responsive site. Depend on a web professional to make the most of any website–even though WordPress is touted as “easy to use,” there’s definitely a steep learning curve and it can get frustrating quickly.
