June 21, 2016 – WordPress Themes and Settings

Once you’ve decided to use WordPress to run your new website, and once you’ve gone through the “5 Minute Install”, what comes next? When you first login to your new WordPress admin area, you enter the default bare-bones set up, with the (this years) default theme. Is this going to work for you, or do you need to search for, install and configure a new theme that has the extra functionality and features you need? But first, what do you need? Have you established an outline for your site’s structure and requirements? Some questions need to be answered before the right theme can be decided upon.

There are thousands of free and commercial themes available, choosing the right one is critical if you don’t want to waste hours setting up a theme that turns out to be a bad fit. There are time-consuming hazards when switching from one theme to another.

Set up a check list of requirements for your website, and use that to guide you through the bewildering and seductive choices out there.

To help determine theme requirements:

• Is the site mainly a blogging site? (Simple theme)
• Is it a business site? (Might need additional features if a lot of info has to be displayed)
• Is it an e-commerce site with online buying capabilities? (Theme compatible with cart system)
• Does the theme need a WYSIWYG “Builder” interface? (If so, consequences when turned off)
• Framework driven pros/cons (Harder to customize advanced functions)
• Custom sidebar / widgets for selective posts/categories/tags (In theme or plugin?)
• Type of slider if any (Independent slider software, or theme-specific)
• Home page configuration and widget areas
• Built-in short-codes (for columns and other layout features)
• SEO built-in, or disabled and using plugin (Plugin is better?)
• Load time (the more complex the theme, the slower it “could” be?)
• Custom CSS option within theme, or is a Child theme needed for any style customization?

Themes:

• 2016: wordpress.org (default theme)
• Bones: http://themble.com/bones/
• Divi:  http://www.elegantthemes.com/
• Kadence:  https://www.kadencethemes.com/
• Genesis Framework: http://www.studiopress.com/
• MH Themes: http://www.mhthemes.com/

See differences between the theme options in the admin area v/s in the visual customer

Demo:

• Divi: http://www.design.annagraphics.com/sigpress/
• Genesis: DACS
• ThemeGrill: http://www.lundgren2staterep.com
• Test site: http://www.annagraphics.com/wp-test2013/

Test site speed on https://developers.google.com/speed/pagespeed/insights/

www.kadencethemes.com/using-page-builder-virtue-premium/