making wordpress templates look good

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WORDCAMP PHOENIX 2016John Gough @john_gough | Skyhook Interactive

YOU CAN MAKE TEMPLATES LOOK

GOOD

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Let’s build a more beautiful, useful, & connected Internet.

img: @NASA

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“That looks like a template.”

img: @mcdonalds img: @shoot_the_route

Some things are supposed to be identical. Not websites.

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There are a lot of them out there.

50,000 websites

launch every day

822 themes downloaded daily

just from wordpress.org

https://codeinwp.com/blog/wordpress-statistics/

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If you think they are, you’re going to build websites that look like templates.

TEMPLATES ARE NOT

WEBSITES

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Not this.

This.

img: @sharkdesignstudio

Use templates as tools!

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Plan your content.

Know your limits.

Apply appropriate styles.

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Plan your content.

Don’t pour your content into someone else’s designs.

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Plan your content.

AudienceWho’s going to be looking?

Site mapWhere will they find it?

Content planHow will I explain it?

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Plan your content.

A content plan identifies components of a page.

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Know your limits.

A template is a tool. Use the right one.

img via Buzzfeed

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Know your limits.

Look for demo features that make sense.

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Apply appropriate styles.

ColorsPrimary, secondary, tertiary, & greys

TypographyPair two legible Google fonts

Elements that fitMake custom assets

Better than average photos10 minutes in Photoshop

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Whitespace

Font size

Color

ramotion.com

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Whitespace

Font size

Photography

advancedplasticsurgery.com

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Whitespace

Font size

Photography

advancedplasticsurgery.com

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Custom assets

Photography

Colors

Dribbble: Creative Mints

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Custom assets

Photography

Colors

Dribbble: Creative Mints

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Whitespace

Fonts

Custom assets & colors

famous.co

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Plan your content.

Know your limits.

Apply appropriate styles.

Make it fit; Audience, Site map, Content plan

Pick the right tool, and features that make sense

Colors, typography, custom assets, photography

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THANK YOU!John Gough @john_gough | Skyhook Interactive

NOW GO MAKE THE INTERNET LOOK

GOOD.