The Web is loaded with reviews of pretty much anything you can think of and buy.

Google includes the use of local business reviews on it’s wildly popular (and potentially lucrative) Google Places service and listings by enabling consumers to review businesses.

WordPress themes have not escaped the “review” paradigm on the web. Many websites offer wordPress theme reviews.

The question is: are WordPress theme reviews helpful?

It depends on a few elements of the reviews.

1. Has the reviewer used the theme being reviewed?

First, has the reviewer used the theme being reviewed? Not all theme reviews are based on actual use. Although not a useless review, reviews are generally better if a reviewer has experience with the theme being discussed.

You can tell if a reviewer has used a particular WordPress theme if there are backend screenshots or video footage of the backend of a theme. This is good proof the reviewer actually used the theme or theme framework.

2. What is the reviewer’s expertise and experience?

Second, is the reviewer qualified to give reviews? This is a good question. You can generally get a sense of whether a reviewer knows enough about WordPress themes by reading other articles on the site to get a sense of whether the reviewer knows what they are talking about.

A quality review website offers more than just reviews. Look for quality articles that establish a reviewer’s knowledge on the subject.

3. A review of the framework is sufficient

In my view a reviewer need not review every individual theme produced by a particular theme framework. It’s detailed knowledge of a theme framework that matters. Once you’ve used a framework, it’s pretty easy to assess an individual theme. Therefore look for both individual theme reviews as well as reviews of the theme framework generally.

4. Some theme review sites focus on a few frameworks

This makes sense because there are so many WordPress theme frameworks and vendors that it’s nearly impossible to stay up-to-date on all of them. If you see a review site that offers in-depth reviews of a few or several frameworks, chances are that reviewer focuses on and uses those frameworks extensively.

5. Do the reviews offer helpful information?

This is the key litmus test. If the WordPress theme reviews help you with your buying decision, then the review is good. Reviews you like may not be liked by other people.

Reviews need not be long in order to helpful; although detailed information is generally preferred.

6. Are the reviews well-written?

Poor grammar, spelling mistakes, and in some cases gibberish (from spun content) serve no purpose.

Before relying on a theme review, scrutinize the site to determine if the publisher/author/reviewer knows what they are talking about. If you have additional questions, why not contact the reviewer? In fact, look for a contact option to see if there’s a person behind the scenes who can help.

Next, check out quality WordPress theme ratings and then buy WordPress themes after getting informed about your options.