Choosing WordPress Themes: Making Good Choices in Picking a Theme

How do you go about picking theme for your websites when there are thousands of them out there? We'll go over what constitutes a WordPress Theme (what it's parts are) and give a quick overview of Child Themes. We'll discuss the difference between Builders & Themes and give some pointers of what to beware of when shopping for themes and things you should look for before plopping down your hard-earned money on a premium theme.

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1. Choosing WordPress Themes Making Good Choices in Picking a Theme
 & Website Review WordPress St. Petersburg
2. Jim True Support Lead & Community Manager
 Pods Framework pods.io | @podsframework jimtrue.com | @jimtrue
3. WordPress St. Petersburg Downtown St. Pete @ TEC Garage
 1st & 3rd Thursdays / Monthly Meetup: https://meetup.com/WordPress-St-Petersburg
 Web: https://tampabaywp.org
 Slack Chat | Facebook Group | Meetups
 A Member of Tampa Bay WordPress Network
4. Upcoming Meetups & Events • WordCamp Jacksonville, April 7th & 8th
 jacksonville.wordcamp.org • WordCamp Atlanta, April 13th - 15th
 atlanta.wordcamp.org • Ask Us Anything: WordPress Crowdsourcing Workshop
 TEC Garage, Downtown St. Pete, April 19th, 6:30PM • Gutenberg: What is it going to mean to me?
 TEC Garage, Downtown St. Pete, May 3rd, 6:30PM
5. We are looking for SPEAKERS! • You actually learn more about something when you TEACH it • Getting over your fears of public speaking is much easier in a safe, non-judgmental space • It’s FUN! • https://tampabaywp.org/speakers/call/
6. Events @ TEC Garage • 4/10 Tech Talk Entrepeneur Program, Tampa • 4/19 Catalyst Series “From Innovator to Entrepreneur”
7. What is a Theme, anyway?
8. What is a Theme, anyway? index.php styles.css
9. Index.php Handles Content index.php styles.css Menu Header Content Sidebar Footer {
10. Styles.css Handles Display { Header Menu Content Sidebar Footer index.php styles.css
11. Theme Files Help Modularize Content Header Menu Content Sidebar Footer index.php styles.css header.php sidebar.php footer.php {
12. Call these files from Index.php Header Menu Content Sidebar Footer index.php header.php sidebar.php footer.php <?php get_header(); // The Loop goes here get_sidebar(); get_footer(); ?>
13. What is “The Loop”? Header Menu Content Sidebar Footer // The Loop! <?php if ( have_posts() ) : while ( have_posts() ) : the_post(); the_content(); endwhile; endif; ?>
14. Where do these parts come from? Header Menu Content Sidebar Footer Posts Pages Custom Post Types Taxonomies Search 404
15. Where do these parts come from? Header Menu Content Sidebar Footer Menus & Widgets
16. Where do these parts come from? Header Menu Content Sidebar Footer Also:
 Appearance, 
 Customize &
 Header
17. Themes can define: • Multiple MENU Areas (and Menus) • Multiple Widget Areas (and locations) • Different Page/Post Templates for Different Content • Multiple ways to Apply Content & Images to your site on a Site WIDE basis.
18. What about Styles.CSS? This is what makes a site go from THIS
19. What about Styles.CSS? To THIS
20. What about Styles.CSS? To THIS
21. What about Styles.CSS? Or THIS
22. What’s in Styles.CSS? // Defines the actual Theme Name & Details /* Theme Name: Twenty Seventeen Theme URI: https://wordpress.org/themes/twentyseventeen/ Author URI: https://wordpress.org Description: Twenty Seventeen brings your site… Version: 1.0 // More stuff here, not going into details on it. */
23. Also contains the actual CSS // 5.0 Typography body,button,input,select,textarea { color: #333; font-family: "Libre Franklin", arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-size: 0.9375rem; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.66; }
24. So What’s a Child Theme? A way to prevent THIS From blowing away all your changes and customizations in your theme.
25. So What’s a Child Theme? // Bare Minimum, Theme Name & Theme its based on /* Theme Name: Jim’s Theme Template: twentyseventeen */ https://developer.wordpress.org/themes/advanced-topics/child-themes/
26. Easier Method? https://wordpress.org/plugins/child-theme-configurator/
27. Themes vs. Plugins Design
 Layout
 Responsiveness
 Content Options
 Images & Fonts FRONT END Content Types
 Taxonomies
 Functionality
 Access & Control
 System Interaction BACK END vs.
28. Themes vs. Plugins FORM FUNCTION vs.
29. Picking a Theme (5 Point Checklist) • Does it have a free or trial version? • Is it on the WordPress.org Theme Repository? • If I change themes, is my website still functional? • Does it focus on front-end & layout? • Does it have good support?
30. Divi from elegant themes • Theme with Front-end Editing & Layout • Visual Drag & Drop Builder • Multiple possibilities in design and ‘modules’ • Most popular premium WP
 Theme (in the world!)
31. Divi: Does it have Free or Trial? Free / Trial? WP Repo? Functional? Front-end? Support?
32. Divi: On the WP Theme Repo? Free / Trial? WP Repo? Functional? Front-end? Support? NOPE!
33. Divi: Switch Themes, Functional? Free / Trial? WP Repo? Functional? Front-end? Support? NOPE!
34. Divi: Focus on Front End & Layout? Free / Trial? WP Repo? Functional? Front-end? Support?
35. Divi: Good Support? Free / Trial? WP Repo? Functional? Front-end? Support?
36. Genesis from StudioPress • Genesis Framework based on WordPress Standards • Child Theme Marketplace • Responsive Turnkey Designs • Large Developer Network
37. Genesis: Does it have Free or Trial? Free / Trial? WP Repo? Functional? Front-end? Support? NOPE!
38. Genesis: On the WP Theme Repo? Free / Trial? WP Repo? Functional? Front-end? Support? NOPE!
39. Genesis: Switch Themes, Functional? Free / Trial? WP Repo? Functional? Front-end? Support?
40. Genesis: Focus on Front End & Layout? Free / Trial? WP Repo? Functional? Front-end? Support? • Primarily ONLY Focuses on Front-end & Layout • Some Widgets & Shortcodes, Mostly Page Layouts • Rainmaker Platform is focused on SEO/Real Estate, etc.
41. Genesis: Good Support? Free / Trial? WP Repo? Functional? Front-end? Support? • Almost all REAL Support is hidden behind a Paywall • Support focuses on driving you towards hiring a Genesis Developer • Theme Customization is ALL Hooks & Action Filters (ie PHP Required) NOPE!
42. GeneratePress • VERY Customizable, Responsive & Flexible Theme • NEW Site Library of professionally designed themes (automatically loads plugins & builders as needed) • Works flawlessly with Beaver Builder & Elementor • FAST and Reliable
43. : Does it have Free or Trial? Free / Trial? WP Repo? Functional? Front-end? Support?
44. : On the WP Theme Repo? Free / Trial? WP Repo? Functional? Front-end? Support?
45. : Switch Themes, Functional? Free / Trial? WP Repo? Functional? Front-end? Support?
46. : Focus on Front End & Layout? Free / Trial? WP Repo? Functional? Front-end? Support? • Seamless Integration with Beaver Builder & Elementor • GP Premium provides complete flexibility for Headers, Mega Menus, Layout, Sidebars, Colors & More! • One Click Import/Export of Settings
47. : Good Support? Free / Trial? WP Repo? Functional? Front-end? Support? • Great Documentation & Support Forum. • Community Support, Facebook Group & Designers • Thom Osborne, Developer, friendly and very responsive WINNER!
48. Builders vs. Themes? • Provide Front-end Design with Drag & Drop and No code • Beaver Builder/Themer, Elementor, Divi Builder, Visual Composer, Site Composer (and others…) • Avoid SHORTCODE-Itis! • Does it provide a FREE or TRIAL version? • Support Saved Layouts and Work with Custom Post Types or NOPE! • Too much here to discuss in less than an hour – Dedicated Talk on Builders
49. What Themes Do YOU Love?
50. Questions?
51. Get the Slides & Video • tampabaywp.org/meetup/st-petersburg- downtown • Also on Facebook & on Meetup • Published by Friday • Thank you for attending!