Finding, Choosing and Installing WordPress Themes
WordPress is one of the biggest blogging platforms in the entire world, with one of the most active communities of users and developers. Many of the people who have a stake in WordPress have developed different themes for people to use on their websites, varying from commercial titles to those that are available free of charge. A theme is simply a template that can change the look and feel of a WordPress website, and any WordPress user can utilise the power of themes without having to know any HTML, CSS or PHP whatsoever. There are literally thousands of different themes available for WordPress users to download, in a large variety of different designs, styles, and configurations. Before deciding on a theme for your WordPress website, it is a good idea to know a little bit about how to find and install a theme, as well as the reasons to choose specific themes that will work well with your audience.
Finding WordPress Themes
WordPress themes are very easy to find, in fact they are so easy to find that choosing between them is often the most difficult part. Sometimes it is important to stop yourself from downloading and installing the first cool theme that you find, as there are likely to be even more suitable themes out there for you to use. It is a good idea to compare and contrast a few different themes before you decide on one to use, and even then, some users find it necessary to install three or four before they find the perfect theme for them. Knowing where to look for appropriate themes is always a good starting point, and the search engines are not the only tool you should rely upon. There are three options available for people who are looking for a WordPress theme: downloading a free theme, purchasing a commercial theme, and designing your own theme from scratch.
While the default WordPress install comes with a couple of themes that are ready to use, most users decide to look elsewhere for a bit more variation. WordPress also distribute some alternate themes from their main website, some of which look really nice and have great easy to use interfaces. For people who want their website to be a little more unique however, third party WordPress forums and websites are often the best place to start searching. There are some fantastic online tools for people who are looking for a new WordPress theme, including dedicated theme search engines and a number of regularly updated lists. Some of the most useful theme lists and browsing tools are listed below.
WordPress Codex List
This is the main WordPress theme database, available in an editable Wiki format. This list can be found at the main WordPress site, and allows users to choose themes based on a number of selected criteria.
WRC Theme Browser
This theme browser can also be found at the main WordPress site, and it too is able to list themes based on a number of selected criteria. You can view up to 16 different themes in a single window, making it easy to compare and contrast different themes before you download them.
Alexking Browser
Another fantastic WordPress theme browser, where you can instantly check the look of any theme in full glorious size using a drop-down box. This website also has regular competitions for theme developers, making it easy for users to check out the winning themes from different categories.
Emily Robbins’s List
Another comprehensive list of WordPress themes, this list concentrates on listing free themes. This list also gives users the ability to select themes based on different criteria, making it easy to find the perfect theme for your requirements.
BloggingPro List
One of the best and most popular websites for any serious blogger, BloggingPro is one of the best places to go to find the very latest themes, and is likely to be one of the most up-to-date lists on the web at any time.
Choosing Themes
There are no hard and fast rules on how to choose the best theme for your specific audience, although by keeping a few simple things in mind while you are making your decision, you can be sure that your theme is doing more good than harm. The theme that you use has a huge effect on the overall presence of your website, making it vital to find a theme that fits well with both your content and the expectations of your audience. Some content matter works well with simple and transparent themes, whereas other subjects may require a busier and more complex interface. It all depends on what your website is about, what you are trying to achieve, and what kind of experience you are trying to provide to your audience.
Along with any audience expectations relating to the content of your site, the style of your website is another very important consideration to make. Three of the most important stylistic factors in website development are design configuration, colour selection, and font selection, and all of these factors need to be addressed when choosing a theme for your website. The design configuration of individual themes is hard to quantify, although when you see a design you like, you will definitely know it. Design in this context mostly refers to the geometric layout of your page, and how different web page elements are aligned and intertwined. There are WordPress themes available in a number of different configurations, although two and three column designs are definitely the most popular. Theme design is more of an art than a science, so it is important to remember the expectations of your audience and prioritise them above your personal aesthetic preferences.
There are many other stylistic factors to consider when choosing a WordPress theme, but colour and font style are two of the most important and easy to quantify. While colour choice is subjective to an extent, numerous studies have shown that people have an inbuilt like and dislike for certain colour combinations. While you may not want to get into the nuts and bolts of colour psychology, having a simple colour combination chart by your side can certainly make your job a lot easier. Font styles are another important factor in website design, and most themes come with inbuilt fonts that are designed to work with particular types of website content. While it is great if you can find a theme that uses colours and fonts that work well for your subject matter, it is certainly no big deal to change them, and is probably the easiest bit of website editing you will ever do.
Along with the rather vague notion of audience expectations and the various subjective matters of style, there are also some important practical considerations to think about when deciding on a WordPress theme. Themes can vary a lot in terms of the availability of their feature set, and some basic features are not even included on many WordPress themes. Before you download and install a theme, it is always a good idea to make sure that it includes all of the features that you need, or you should be ready to do a little editing if it does not. Some of the most important things to keep in mind when choosing a theme are listed below.
Columns – Themes are generally designed with either two or three columns, although some themes do exist that have only one or as many as four columns. This is a very basic way to distinguish themes, as some people are only interested in themes that already have a certain layout. The number of columns can have a big effect on the experience of your audience, so it is a very good idea to think about this aspect a lot before you make a decision.
‘Search’ Field – Many people want their website to have its own ‘search’ function, so it is important to remember that not all WordPress themes come with one as standard. While it is possible to add your own search field to any theme, it requires either adding a separate WordPress extension or coding one yourself.
Static Pages – Not all themes allow content to be published in a static format, which allows some content to stay the same over time and not be continually updated like standard blogs normally are. A static page is vital for anyone who wants to have a dedicated homepage on their website, and only some themes have this capability inbuilt.
Menus – Lots of themes come with default menu systems, which can either be useful features or annoying distractions depending on your point of view. If you don’t want a menu on your blog, and don’t have the coding knowledge to get rid of it yourself, make sure that the theme you choose either comes without a menu or at least has the option of turning it off.
Installing WordPress Themes
WordPress themes are distributed as compressed archives, most of which will come in either zip or rar file format. WordPress has made the installation of themes extremely easy, making it a simple process to try out multiple themes before you decide on one to use. Themes have their own dedicated folder inside the WordPress directory, and all you need to do is place them inside this folder via an FTP client and test them out in your WordPress administration panel. The installation procedure for themes is very easy, as WordPress has made life incredibly simple for its users once again.
1. Find the perfect theme, or at least a few likely contenders, via the websites listed above.
2. Download the theme archive, most likely in a zip file format.
3. Extract the zip file using WinZip or another type of zip file extractor.
4. Upload the extracted files to your hosted website using FTP software, and place them inside your wp-content/themes folder.
5. Log on to your WordPress administration panel and look at all of the themes you have uploaded via the theme tab in the presentation folder.
6. Sit back and try to see your new theme through the eyes of your target audience, and decide if you want to keep the theme or keep looking.
Themes play a big part in the look and feel of your WordPress website, and have a big effect on the impression that you leave with your audience. As time goes on you may wish to design your own theme, or at least modify already existing themes, but most WordPress users are initially content to use one of the thousands of great themes already out there. Finding a WordPress theme is an art in itself, as there are so many to choose from, and practically unlimited design configurations. However, with the best online tools by your side, and the knowledge to make the right choices for the future of your website, WordPress and the themes developed for it can play a big role in your online success.
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Category: Web Design
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