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When you buy a WordPress theme, it can be pretty disconcerting to realize that it doesn't always look awesome out of the box. In my talk at WordCamp Atlanta 2013, I explained a few ways to get the fabulous website you thought you were getting, along with some basics of web design and security for business users.
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Get Outta My Head!!
(and Onto the Screen)
Dr. Lisa Richardson
Flow! Web Strategy & Design
Why We’re Here
• DIY shouldn’t mean “amateur” – your
business still needs to make a high
quality impression online
• Tips and Tricks for making your site look
polished and professionally done
• When to hire a pro
Security First!
• The first line of defense in protecting
your data is YOU. That means strong
passwords, a healthy skepticism of every
airline offer on Facebook and…
• Make sure you check out the details and
reviews of all themes and plugins that
you select to install on your site.
Dr. Lisa Recommends…
• Better WP Security
– Many features, very well designed, but not
exactly new-user-friendly
– Free
• WordFence
– Also great features, adds additional
functionality like remote scans
– Free and paid options
I also recommend…
• Spam Free WordPress
– Exactly what the name implies
– Free
• WP Control Copy
– Protect your text from copy/paste theives
– Free
• No Right Click Images
– Theft protection for your images
– Free
Why Doesn’t My Site Look Like
the Demo?!
• The demo is customized to show you
what you can do with the theme, and
ultimately to get you to buy it
• Your job:
– Learn what goes where
– Identify widget areas
– Find image sizes, quality, file types
– Color coding for your brand
Dealing with Too Many Choices
1. Develop a plan (offline, preferably)
2. Choose your color scheme
3. Decide on the overall style of your site
4. Get to work
The Right Stuff: Themes
• Choose based on:
– Customer needs
– Industry
– Style and brand
– Needed functionality
• Stalk your competition
– View source
– Make a wish list
• Sketch a rough draft (literally)
The Right Stuff: Plugins
• Decide what you need your website to
do:
– Sell products?
– Convert mailing list signups?
– Become a respected information resource?
• Choosing the right theme limits the # of
plugins you’ll need
Style That Sells
• Try to keep all elements on your site
uniform or closely related to truly promote a
professional look
• Avoid the standard PayPal “Buy Now” button
at all costs
• Newer themes come with customizable,
color-coded buttons
• Shopping cart plugins like WooCommerce
automatically adapt to the style of your site
What about graphics?
• Make sure stock photos actually enhance the message of your site
• Go for quality over quantity
• In a pinch, there are some great items to be had at Fiverr.com – be careful and read the reviews
• If your budget permits, a pro is more likely to give you exactly what you want with the least hassle
Is there a plugin for…
What do you need?
Bring me your challenge!
Contact Me…
Dr. Lisa Richardson
Tweet: @DrLisaWP
Facebook.com/YouCanFlow
Gplus.to/YouCanFlow
678-278-8421
YouCanFlow.com
