WordPress Tutorial Videos - Advice on Choosing a WordPress Theme
Choose Your Layout
If you sit down to construct a WordPress website or blog you've got a very big decision to make immediately, and that's choosing a theme. This is probably first thing you will do as soon as you install the software, and it is major because your theme, or layout, will be the first thing your readers will see. Your theme represents you, along with your goal is to ensure it is as appealing as you can.
WordPress themes
People will make an immediate judgement as to the quality and value of your website every time they land on your home page. Your header image should relay the material and purpose of your internet site. Your navigation bar should be user intuitive, as well as the color scheme should be soft and warm so you don't scare people off.
Doing this is made easy if you have chosen the best possible theme for "your" product or service. Lets learn a little about themes then take a look at some tips on choosing your best possible WordPress theme.
Appear and feel
Keep in mind that themes are simply just the "look", and to some degree, "feel" of your website. Your theme is much like the outside of your house; exactly who see first. It may have nice window dressing, pretty colors, fancy decorative brick and an overall pleasant appeal. If people like what you see they will enter, or (click) around and grow for a visit. This is what you want-to keep your tourists in the house. And, all this starts by having the correct theme.
So begin with an appealing theme and combine it with appropriate templates so you can give your readers the best possible experience when they go to your website. People often interchange the terms themes and templates; falsely associating them as one, but this is not so.
Remember, themes would be the outward look or (skin), of your respective website, whereas templates would be the file system under the surface which add certain functionality to your internet site. All themes have a default template however you can add, or define, additional templates for any theme; they're just files. An illustration of this such a template (file) generally is a single page template which won't display headers, footers or sidebars. So begin by picking the right theme and then extend its look with some other templates.
History of WordPress Themes
WordPress can be a free and open source content management system and because of this it carries what is called a GNU General Public License (GPL). This opened the doorway for web developers to generate applications and themes for your software. In the earlier days of WordPress developers would attach sponsored links of their themes which would be forwarded to the end users who downloaded them.
The official WordPress theme directory would host these themes for download, but this practice was later halted because some considered these "sponsored" themes spam. You'll probably still download themes from your official WordPress free themes directory only after the theme has been properly vetted by WordPress, and approved for end users.
The Default Option
You'll find over fifteen hundred free themes on the market today from the official WordPress directory, so taking a theme shouldn't be that tough. Deciding which theme to use, however, can sometimes be a daunting task. WordPress gives you a perfectly functional theme outside the box once you install the file system. And, based on your installation method you may be presented with the Twenty Ten or Twenty Eleven theme.
If you are using the Fantastico install method through Hostgator you will have the Twenty Ten theme. Now you must to decide if you want to keep it or switch to another.
Important Tip:
Regardless of whether you decide to keep and make use of the default theme, or download and rehearse some other theme-never, ever, delete your default theme install. Your default theme contains important base files which are extremely important. If you make changes to your base theme those changes will be lost as soon as you "upgrade" the theme. so, don't delete your initial theme. Rather, produce a copy of it or simply create and child theme instead.
Take a look at theme
Before you go off half cocked, loading up a variety of themes, do your homework first. Should you be brand new and this is the initial time working with WordPress I suggest you stick with the default theme before you learn how things work. The default theme is really all you need to start.
However if you decide you want a different "look" then by all means go for it, but spend a while narrowing down your choice. In order to emulate the look of a few other website then take note of "that" websites look and feel. Will be the layout user friendly? Is it a one column or two column layout? Will be the header animated or static? Think about the colors?
Once you find something like, go to the official theme directory and continue to find it. Better yet, simply right click on the page and view the page "source" when getting the name of the theme. Obviously not every websites use WordPress, though if you visit "WordPress related" websites you'll happily discover that nearly all of them are utilizing a WordPress theme. You will also discover themes which you can't find in the official theme directory-premium themes.
Premium Themes
Premium and paid themes are not officially sanctioned by WordPress, they're typically created and promoted by individuals and groups. Premium WordPress themes are promoted around the allure of offering you the "perfect" all around theme. Those who promote them suggest internet building efforts is going to be made easier if you use their theme. How's that for not always the case.
Many paid themes are loaded down with so many options it will make your head spin. There is a learning curve with any theme-this is why its imperative you first of all "understand" how to use WordPress before jumping in and purchasing a premium theme.
Yes, premium themes provide your greater flexibility and functionality because many of the popular options are included in the theme. However, if you're new, you will possess your hands full right away and adding another confusing element to the mix will only ensure you get frustrated.
I have used premium themes and there are some good ones on the market, but there are also some lousy ones too. A fantastic paid theme costs around ~$80.00 and usually has a great following and support system. A poor one can usually be located for under thirty bucks. Bottom line-avoid paid themes a high level beginner and only head out once you've gotten some experience building your first five or ten WordPress websites.
These are generally some general guidelines you should ponder when considering your WordPress theme of choice. It's not something to fret over either, because even though you may everything right, chances are you will switch themes in mid stride because you just aren't happy with the look of your internet site as you're developing it.
This really is common because a specific item is not always what you get. Whenever you find a theme which has the "look" you want you must keep in mind that this "appearance" can be a completed project; it does not take end result. Your theme will become out with a simplistic look and only be complete once your template options are set. Keep all of this in mind as you examine the thousands of themes out there.