Theme Selection: A process for choosing a WordPress Theme #WordCampMSP
51
What’s in a THEME? A Process for Selecting WordPress Themes Todd J. List The Geek Who Speaks People @TJList maxim650.com
-
Upload
tjlist -
Category
Technology
-
view
1.412 -
download
1
description
The Geek Who Speaks People presented a process for helping new bloggers and small businesses evaluate their needs and pick a theme that meets their needs.
Transcript of Theme Selection: A process for choosing a WordPress Theme #WordCampMSP
What’sin a
THEME?A Process
for Selecting
WordPress Themes
Todd J. List
The Geek Who Speaks People
@TJList
maxim650.com
My Background
(short version)
Confusion
Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/76172701@N00/2157057475/ Credit: Reuben Stanton( http://www.flickr.com/people/absent/ )
Simplify the
Path
Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/14016905@N02/2818573061/ Credit: Simon 'Kelp' Keeping( http://www.flickr.com/people/kelp1966/ )
How important IS a theme?
! .OR
“ We didn’t start to really grow
until we invested some money in
the design.”Loosely paraphrased from
Ben Bator’s Ignite Detroit
presentation 2/25/2010
http://twitter.com/benbator
http://www.textsfromlastnight.com/
“ No one ever asked Hemingway
which pencils he used to write
his books.” -Chris Broganhttp://www.chrisbrogan.com/hemingways-pencils/
Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/98894117@N00/2263156019/ Credit: nataliej( http://www.flickr.com/photos/nataliejohnson/ )
Is it what’s
underneath?
Influential Blogs
Influential Blog:
Seth Godin
Influential Blog:
Naomi Dunford/Ittybiz
Influential Blog:
Chris Brogan
Influential Blog:
Seth Godin
Influential Blog:
Naomi Dunford/Ittybiz
Influential Blog:
Chris Brogan
CONTENT
is
KING*
*but being cute helps
Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/74193050@N00/135927433/ Credit: Dave Malkoff( http://www.flickr.com/photos/malkoff/ )
The Process
Purpose
Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/12836528@N00/3983181467/ Credit: Kevin Dooley ( http://www.flickr.com/photos/pagedooley/ )
Competitive
Analysis
(Trailblazers)
Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/55046645@N00/314989744/ Credit: Practical Owl ( http://www.flickr.com/photos/practicalowl/ )
Foundation
Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/64959824@N00/3222349165/ Credit: Mary Portier ( http://www.flickr.com/photos/martyportier/ )
Foundation
Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/57621379@N00/2063743086/ Credit: Tinou Bao ( http://www.flickr.com/photos/tinou/ )
Site Plan1. Establish categories (guess at first)
2. Plan path from home page to details
3. Develop content
4. Iterate
Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/93278581@N00/3770015203/ Credit: Will Scullin ( http://www.flickr.com/photos/wscullin/ )
Starting Point
• Start where you are!
• Current theme
• Twenty-Ten
• Add Content
• Upgrade when (and if) it
makes sense
Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/42314813@N02/4073380843/ Credit: Jeremy Piehler ( http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeremympiehler/ )
SAT
12. Finish the analogy.
Furniture : House :: _______:_______
A. Google : Web Browser
B. Drill Bit : Byte
C. Fish : Bicycle
D. Content : Website
MyBlog.WordPress.com
Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/51035555243@N01/113278059/ Credit: Thomas Hawk( http://www.flickr.com/photos/thomashawk/ )
crappyblog.blogspot.com
Image credit: Todd J. List
Kubrick
Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/80297647@N00/2055175921/ Credit: Patrick Henson ( http://www.flickr.com/photos/pathenson/ )
Twenty-Ten
Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/69166981@N00/94800900/ Credit: Living in Monrovia ( http://www.flickr.com/photos/livinginmonrovia/ )
Premium
Themes
Image: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1311018 Credit: Marek Kowalik ( http://www.sxc.hu/profile/winblows )
When to Leap…
…to a Premium Theme?
1. At least 3 features or categories
2. Commitment to high-quality images
3. Time and ability to configure
4. Budget
Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/68134711@N00/3152875867/ Credit: Stuart Anthony ( http://www.flickr.com/photos/stuant63/ )
Basic Layouts
Theme TypesBlog Business
Magazine Gallery
C O L O R
Confounds
Imag
e: h
ttp://
ww
w.fl
ickr
.com
/pho
tos/
3991
2997
@N
00/4
9203
4335
/
Cre
dit:
Hea
ther
Phi
llips
( h
ttp://
ww
w.fl
ickr
.com
/pho
tos/
hphi
llips
/ )
Imag
e: h
ttp://
ww
w.fl
ickr
.com
/pho
tos/
8106
5540
@N
00/4
1433
8977
1/
Cre
dit:
gree
n ko
zi(
http
://w
ww
.flic
kr.c
om/p
hoto
s/th
emac
inat
or/ )
Imag
e: h
ttp://
ww
w.fl
ickr
.com
/pho
tos/
6099
164
6@N
00/3
8402
6982
9/
Cre
dit:
youn
gtho
usan
ds(
http
://w
ww
.flic
kr.c
om/p
hot
os/th
eyou
ngth
ousa
nds/
)
Imag
e: h
ttp://
ww
w.fl
ickr
.com
/pho
tos/
7448
1989
@N
00/4
6724
6224
0/
Cre
dit:
Den
nis
Mar
cini
ak(
http
://w
ww
.flic
kr.c
om/p
hoto
s/de
nmar
/ )
Application:
Layout Selection
Magazine Theme Comparison
Expose Serenity Bee Crafty
Themes by StudioPress
Expose Serenity Bee Crafty
Themes by StudioPress
Magazine Theme Comparison
SandboxFor development and
customization
Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/14853721@N00/5052502340/ Credit: Paul Gorbould ( http://www.flickr.com/photos/gorbould/ )
Theme SourcesFree (WordPress.org)
http://wordpress.org/extend/themes/
Free (Third party)
http://wordpressthemesbase.com/
http://www.freewpthemes.net/
http://www.ezwpthemes.com/Danger!
Beware of shady sites offering
free WordPress themes.
See http://tinyurl.com/yh4r8fq
Thanks to @wptavern for the tip.
Theme SourcesPremium (paid)
http://www.woothemes.com/
http://www.studiopress.com/
http://ithemes.com/
http://themeforest.net/
http://themes.bavotasan.com/
http://www.press75.com/
http://headwaythemes.com/
http://frugaltheme.com/
http://diythemes.com/thesis/
http://www.elegantthemes.com/
http://www.solostream.com/
Traps
• Hard-coded Menus
• No Sub-menus
• Constrained by graphics
Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/13791340@N05/4149554610/ Credit: Skip Cooper ( http://www.flickr.com/photos/photoskip/ )
Traps
• No WP 3.0 Menu Support
• Limited Layouts
• Cluttered
Traps
• Typography
• Poor contrast
• Small text
• Widgets don’t collapse gracefully
Traps
• Some Assembly Required
Case Study
Problems
1. Poor contrast
2. Menus hard-coded graphics
3. Too narrow for images
4. Hard to change
2.
1.
3.
4.
Theme Fail
Questions?
Review1. Start where you are
2. Site Map and Research
3. Select a home-page layout
4. Create content
5. Use a Sandbox to customize and configure
Thank You! Happy Blogging!
Todd J. List
The Geek Who Speaks People
Twitter: @TJList
http://maxim650.com
248-387-9650
