Choosing the Right Theme (Hello Elementor, Astra, etc.)
Before you dive into building your website with Elementor, you’ll need to choose a WordPress theme.
This step can be confusing for beginners, because both themes and Elementor templates affect how your site looks — but they’re not the same thing. Let’s clear that up first.
Theme vs Template: What’s the Difference?
- Theme: The “foundation” of your WordPress site. It controls the overall structure, like page layout, header and footer areas, and sometimes colours and typography.
- Template (Elementor): Pre-designed page or section layouts you can import into Elementor. Templates sit on top of your theme.
Think of it like building a house:
- The theme is the frame and walls.
- The templates are the furniture and interior decoration.
Why the Right Theme Matters
Elementor works with almost any theme, but some themes are more lightweight, flexible, and optimised. The wrong theme can slow your site down or lock you into design choices you don’t want.
Recommended Theme: Hello Elementor
For most Elementor users, we recommend the Hello Elementor theme. Here’s why:
- Lightweight – no extra code or bloat to slow your site.
- Made by Elementor – guaranteed compatibility and updates.
- Blank canvas – lets you design freely without fighting the theme’s built-in styles.
- Fast and SEO-friendly – helps with page speed and rankings.
Alternatives to Consider
If you want a theme with a few more built-in features:
- Astra – Popular, lightweight, lots of free starter sites.
- GeneratePress – Fast, simple, and developer-friendly.
- OceanWP – Flexible and good for ecommerce.
These can be great if you prefer having some pre-set styles. But for maximum design freedom, Hello Elementor is still the best starting point.
How to Install Your Theme
- Log into your WordPress dashboard.
- Go to Appearance > Themes > Add New.
- Search for Hello Elementor.
- Click Install, then Activate.
That’s it — your theme is ready to go!
Next Step
Now that your foundation (theme) is in place, the next step is Installing Elementor and the Hello Elementor Theme. In the next tutorial, we’ll cover the Elementor editor and show you how to build your first page.