Needle in a Haystack

Andy Staple

staplewebdesign.com
@AndyStaple

About Me

Andy Staple

Where Are the Slides?

The WordPress Theme Ecosystem

Who Builds them, and Where do you get them?

Choice 1:

WordPress.org Theme Directory

Choice 1:

WordPress.org Theme Directory

• Code Standards scrutinized by the Theme Review Team
  
• Design is not reviewed or scrutinized
  
  
• They're Free, and very easy to Install (right from your Site's Admin Panel)
  
  
• Most are used and updated often
  
  
• Searching for Features is quite easy (we'll get into that a bit later)

Choice 2:

Commercial Themes

Choice 2:

Commercial/Paid/”Premium” Themes

• With the Purchase Price, you typically get
• Support*
• Documentation (you can ask for an example before buying)
  
  
• Often Tout Dozens of Custom Features* (not always a good thing)
  
  
• Cost is typically low, theme developers look to sell quantity to make money.*
  
  
• Consider:
• How long do you have Support Access after purchasing?
• Custom Features and long-term commitment

Choice 2: Commercial Themes

Built for Mass-Market Appeal, and have a Warranty (Support). Expect to see others around town that look a lot like you.

Choice 2.5:

Commercial Theme Marketplaces

Theme Forest, Mojo, Creative Market. You can think of them as a middle-man or reseller for theme developers.

• Large Directories of Themes
  
  
• Allows Theme Dev's to get more exposure, but typically take a cut of the cost of the theme.
  
  
• Consider
• Does the Marketplace review theme code?
• Watch for bloated themes. Is it trying to be everything for everyone?

Choice 3:

Custom-Built by a Professional

Everyone wants something unique and tailored to their needs. There are positives, but also negatives that stop many from going this route.

• Hiring a Professional Theme Developer costs money
  
  
• Trusting someone to build based on your vision is stressful but rewarding if done right
  
  
• Designed and built to solve your specific problems

Choice 3: Custom-Built

Built for your specific purpose. Does what you need well, but support is on a case-by-case basis and add-ons aren't as easy to find

Choice 3.5:

Build it Yourself!

Don't freak out, it isn’t as horrific as it sounds, even if you're new to Theme Development. There is tons of help out there!

• Requires Time and some HTML/CSS Knowledge
  
  
• There will be crying (both in joy and frustration)
  
  
• Will give you a deeper understanding of how the Web and WordPress work
  

Choice 3.5: Build it Yourself

Get your Hands Dirty. Intimate Knowledge of what you've put in, and what it is expected to give out.

Choice 3.5: Build it Yourself

Judging Themes

We need to filter out the noise of themes that don't match our needs

• Your CONTENT should dictate what you need in a Theme
  
• A theme built for microblogging isn't the best choice for a talkative blogger.
  
  
• Does the Theme’s Design Elements match your brand message?
  
  
• Theme Features, do you need them all? Don't be Homer.
  
  

Judging Themes (cont)

Judging Themes (cont)

Customizing your Theme

So you finally settle on a theme... but you’re likely not done yet.

• Every WordPress Theme is different. What I go over here is dependant on the Theme and how it is built.
  
  
• Many changes are very easy to make, without touching code.
  
  
• Can be hard to know where to look at times.

The Theme Customizer

Widgetized Areas

Often are Sidebars, but can be anywhere the Theme Dev's heart desires.

• Drag-n-Drop Functionality and Reordering
  

Theme Options Pages

Page Templates

Child Themes

Child Themes

Step 1:

Child Themes

Step 2:

/*
 Theme Name:   Twenty Twelve Child
 Theme URI:    http://example.com/you-can-do-it/
 Description:  Twenty Twelve Child Theme
 Author:       Your Name
 Author URI:   http://example.com
 Template:     twentytwelve
 Version:      1.0.0
 Tags:         light, dark, two-columns, right-sidebar, responsive-layout, accessibility-ready
 Text Domain:  twenty-fourteen-child
*/


@import url("../twentytwelve/style.css");

Live Demo Time