What’s in a

THEME?A Process

for SelectingWordPress ThemesTodd J. List

The Geek Who Speaks People

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

PathImage: 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/ )

SAT12. Finish the analogy.

Furniture : House :: _______:_______

A. Google : Web Browser

B. Drill Bit : Byte

C. Fish : Bicycle

D. Content : Website

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/ )

Layouts

C O L O R

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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/

Addendum: 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/

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. ListThe Geek Who Speaks People

Twitter: @TJListhttp://maxim650.com

TJ@maxim650.com248-387-9650