A WordPress dating theme is more or less a community or social network theme that’s optimized for a dating site. It allows members to build user profiles to showcase their best traits, converse with one another via private messaging and live chat, look for matches with advanced search features, and more. We’re going to go over the features you’d typically see in a WordPress dating theme before we segway into a collection of professional dating themes you can use to build a dating website.
What features make up a WordPress dating theme?
WordPress dating themes need to have a specific set of features in order for them to be used to build proper dating sites. These include but are not limited to the following features:
- User profiles
- Messaging systems
- Live statuses
- Powerful search features
- Mobile friendly
- Forum support
- Quizzes
- Easy logins
- Membership fees
All of these features and options are optional, of course, but you should at least consider them if you want to build a professional dating website. Let’s talk about them in depth.
User profiles
Users need to be able to connect with one another, which is why user profiles are a must for a WordPress dating theme. Some developers build a community system into their themes while others simply use and optimize BuddyPress, the most popular social network plugin for WordPress.
These user profiles may include features that allow users to view their best matches based on certain criteria. A few basic features your user profiles should include are the ability to edit and customize them in full, the ability to upload photos, the ability to add favorites, and more.
Messaging systems
This is another important feature the WordPress dating theme you choose must have, or it should allow you to add your own at the very least. Users will want to engage in conversations with one another in a couple different ways, as stated before.
This is why you should consider choosing a WordPress theme that has a powerful messaging system. This system will allow users to converse with another through private messaging in case their match is offline and live chat in cases where they’re both online.
Live statuses
This is a great feature to include on a dating site, and it’s a great feature to look for in a WordPress dating theme. Live statuses allow users to connect with one another more efficiently, especially if they’re interested in chatting with matches instantaneously. Live statuses provide visual cues they can use to determine whether or not their matches are on or offline.
Powerful search features
This is another must-have feature to look for in a WordPress dating theme. It can have a dramatic effect on how user friendly your dating website is. This is because a powerful search function gives your users the ability to find matches most compatible with themselves. If they find it difficult to find matches that pique their interests, they may leave the site.
Mobile friendly
This is another important feature, especially when you take into account how popular mobile devices and finding local dates through dating apps have become. You may not be willing to develop an app for your dating service quite yet, but you can at least make sure the WordPress dating theme you use is mobile friendly. A mobile friendly WordPress theme is a must nowadays.
Forum support
This is a bit of an optional feature, but it can keep users more engaged with one another, which means they’ll visit your site for much longer. A forum allows singles to connect with one another and share tips about dating, life and even how to use your site. Most developers offer support for bbPress, one of the most popular forum plugins for WordPress, to include this feature in their themes. There are other WordPress plugins for online forums available as well.
Quizzes
This feature isn’t required, but it can increase engagement on your site and make it easier for users to get to know themselves and their matches a little better. Quizzes on dating sites are typically fun and simple personality tests users can take to reveal something about themselves. You can even go a few steps further and allow users to showcase their results on their profiles.
Easy logins
This is another optional feature, but it can make your site more user friendly. Easy logins include allowing users to create accounts and log in via social media. Creating new accounts can be a hassle, and some users may only be interested in giving your site a quick browse. Thankfully, there are plugins out there that integrate with BuddyPress, allowing users to connect social media accounts with their dating profiles. These plugins may even fill in personal data automatically.
Membership fees
This is another optional feature, but it can help you monetize your dating website. This feature allows you to charge for certain services by turning your dating website into a membership site where certain sections are blocked off and only accessible by paying members. For example, you may want to only allow paying members to have access to the live chat or forum features of your site.
If the WordPress dating theme you’re interested in doesn’t have this feature by default, look for one that states it’s compatible with membership plugins. If you can’t find that either, research membership plugins, pick out your favorite ones, and message the developers of the themes you’re interested in to see if the two are matches.
We’ve compiled a list of the best WordPress dating themes which are suitable to create dating websites with WordPress. Some of these themes are optimized for dating websites while others are simply community-based themes you can customize and turn into dating websites. Let’s take a look.
Best Dating Themes for WordPress
LoveStory
Dating WordPress Theme
Sweet Date
WordPress Dating Theme
Mingle
Unique Community Theme
KLEO
Flexible Community Theme
Salutation
Clean BuddyPress Theme
BuddyApp
Modern WordPress Theme
Cinematix
Flexible BuddyPress Theme
OneCommunity
Social WordPress Theme
Pet Club
Powerful Community Theme
Love Romance
Modern Dating Theme
Online Romance
Dating Agency Theme
Socialize
Cool BuddyPress Theme
Dating
Cool WordPress Theme
Conclusion: WordPress is great for online communities and dating websites
There are a few things to consider if you want to build a professional dating website with WordPress. In this article you’ve learned about the most important features to look out for and you’ve been able to choose from a selection of the best WordPress dating themes. What’s your favorite WordPress dating theme? Do you have any questions? Please let us know in the comments below. If you haven’t found a suitable WordPress template yet, you could also have a look here:
- WordPress themes directory for premium templates
- Best BuddyPress templates for WordPress
- Online community templates for WordPress
- Professional business WordPress themes
- WooCommerce themes for ecommerce websites
image sources
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