I gave this presentation at WordCamp Detroit 2010. I explain a process to reduce the headaches while you select a theme for your website or blog.

1. What’s in a
THEME? A Process
for Selecting
Todd J. List
The Geek Who Speaks People
WordPress Themes

2. My Background
( version)
short

3. Confusion
Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/76172701@N00/2157057475/ Credit: Reuben Stanton( http://www.flickr.com/people/absent/ )

4. Simplify the
Path
Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/14016905@N02/2818573061/ Credit: Simon 'Kelp' Keeping( http://www.flickr.com/people/kelp1966/ )

5. How important IS a theme?
OR
! .

6. “ 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/

7. “ No one ever asked Hemingway
which pencils he used to write
his books.” -Chris Brogan
http://www.chrisbrogan.com/hemingways-pencils/
Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/98894117@N00/2263156019/ Credit: nataliej( http://www.flickr.com/photos/nataliejohnson/ )

8. Is it what’s
underneath?

9. Influential Blogs

10. Influential Blog:
Seth Godin

11. Influential Blog:
Naomi Dunford/Ittybiz

12. Influential Blog:
Chris Brogan

13. Influential Blog:
Seth Godin

14. Influential Blog:
Naomi Dunford/Ittybiz

15. Influential Blog:
Chris Brogan

16. 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/ )

17. The Process

18. Purpose
Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/12836528@N00/3983181467/ Credit: Kevin Dooley ( http://www.flickr.com/photos/pagedooley/ )

19. Competitive
Analysis
(Trailblazers)
Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/55046645@N00/314989744/ Credit: Practical Owl ( http://www.flickr.com/photos/practicalowl/ )

20. Foundation
Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/64959824@N00/3222349165/ Credit: Mary Portier ( http://www.flickr.com/photos/martyportier/ )

21. Foundation
Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/57621379@N00/2063743086/ Credit: Tinou Bao ( http://www.flickr.com/photos/tinou/ )

22. Site Plan
1. 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/ )

23. 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/ )

24. SAT
12. Finish the analogy.
Furniture : House :: _______:_______
A. Google : Web Browser
B. Drill Bit : Byte
C. Fish : Bicycle
D. Content : Website

25. Kubrick
Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/80297647@N00/2055175921/ Credit: Patrick Henson ( http://www.flickr.com/photos/pathenson/ )

26. Twenty-Ten
Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/69166981@N00/94800900/ Credit: Living in Monrovia ( http://www.flickr.com/photos/livinginmonrovia/ )

27. Premium
Themes
Image: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1311018 Credit: Marek Kowalik ( http://www.sxc.hu/profile/winblows )

28. 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/ )

29. Layouts

30. COLOR
Confounds

31. Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/39912997@N00/492034335/ Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/81065540@N00/4143389771/
Credit: Heather Phillips ( http://www.flickr.com/photos/hphillips/ ) Credit: green kozi ( http://www.flickr.com/photos/themacinator/ )
Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/74481989@N00/4672462240/ Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/60991646@N00/3840269829/
Credit: Dennis Marciniak ( http://www.flickr.com/photos/denmar/ ) Credit: youngthousands ( http://www.flickr.com/photos/theyoungthousands/ )

33. Application:
Layout Selection

34. Magazine Theme Comparison
Expose Serenity Bee Crafty
Themes by StudioPress

35. Magazine Theme Comparison
Expose Serenity Bee Crafty
Themes by StudioPress

36. Sandbox
For development and
customization
Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/14853721@N00/5052502340/ Credit: Paul Gorbould ( http://www.flickr.com/photos/gorbould/ )

37. Theme Sources
Free (WordPress.org)
http://wordpress.org/extend/themes/
Free (Third party)
http://wordpressthemesbase.com/ Addendum: Danger!
http://www.freewpthemes.net/ Beware of shady sites offering
Free WordPress themes.
http://www.ezwpthemes.com/ See http://tinyurl.com/yh4r8fq
Thanks to @wptavern for the tip.

38. Theme Sources
Premium (paid)
http://www.woothemes.com/ http://www.press75.com/
http://www.studiopress.com/ http://headwaythemes.com/
http://ithemes.com/ http://frugaltheme.com/
http://themeforest.net/ http://diythemes.com/thesis/
http://themes.bavotasan.com/ http://www.elegantthemes.com/

39. 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/ )

40. Traps
• No WP 3.0 Menu Support
• Limited Layouts
• Cluttered

41. Traps
• Typography
• Poor contrast
• Small text
• Widgets don’t collapse gracefully

42. Traps
• Some Assembly Required

43. Case Study

44. 1.
2.
4.
Problems
1. Poor contrast
2. Menus hard-coded graphics
3. Too narrow for images
4. Hard to change
3.

45. Theme Fail

46. Questions?

47. Review
1. 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

48. Thank You! Happy Blogging!
Todd J. List
The Geek Who Speaks People
Twitter: @TJList
http://maxim650.com
TJ@maxim650.com
248-387-9650