WordPress has touted its editing system as a replacement for traditional premium WordPress themes. So why do so many still use them?
Since WordPress first introduced its Gutenberg editing system way back in 2018. For years now, we’ve been hearing about Gutenberg’s ability — or eventual ability — to replace most premium WordPress themes.
The idea, as I’ve understood it, is that users would be able to replicate most anything a premium theme can do with the Gutenberg block editor. There’s a lot of appeal to that idea, of course. It gives bloggers the ability to “control their own destiny,” as it were, without having to rely on developers.
So here we are, seven years later. I’m still using a premium theme. Plenty of sites like ThemeForest, where I’ve purchased most of the themes I’ve used over the years, still sell premium WordPress themes. In fact, developers are still building new themes.
Even the WordPress Theme Directory has new entries.
So what gives?
Why are developers still making new themes?
Back in October, Marko Segota, the co-founder of Anariel Design, asked a simple question: Are premium WordPress Themes still relevant?
For me, the answer is still a resounding yes.
Segota lays out how WordPress’ block editor can do a lot of what some premium themes offer. He first points out that the average cost of a premium theme might vary from $59 up to a couple of hundred dollars. In some cases, that’s a yearly fee while in others, it’s an annual subscription. He correctly points out that whether this is cheap or expensive is in the eye of the customer.
Every theme I’ve purchased for this site over the years has been a one-time fee and the most I’ve ever paid is $69. A yearly subscription at that price would, for me, be too expensive. Some might think paying an annual $69 fee to be more than reasonable.
Premium themes generally carry premium theme support, which lets bloggers like me let the designer worry about glitches. That’s an important point.
Remember the Mac vs. PC ads?
Years ago, Apple introduced an ad campaign with two human characters. One wore casual clothes — a t-shirt and jeans — said he was “a Mac.” The other wore a suit and said he was “a PC.” The “Mac” character ribbed the “PC” character about things Mac can do better.
You can debate how well and accurately the spots depicted the differences between the platforms. What was interesting to me about the campaign was the personality types it demonstrated.
I’m a Mac. I don’t care about how a computer is configured. Likewise, I don’t care all that much about coding the software the computer, when configured, runs.
I’m the same way when it comes to WordPress themes. I’m not a theme designer. Frankly, I have no desire whatsoever to be one.
I come to my site to craft a post. I hope it’s a post that will inform or entertain you — if not both. When I click all of the relative selections I need to click in order to make the post display, I expect it to display.
I have neither the time nor desire to troubleshoot computer code to find out why something might have gone wrong.
That, to me, is the main benefit of premium WordPress themes. I don’t have to worry through that stuff when I have theme support. Fortunately, the theme I use has a support forum that generally gets me an answer within 12 hours. If it’s something I can’t figure out and resolve on my own, they can.
That’s worth buying a theme to me.
