I’ve decided to create a WordPress template because I find that most themes emphasize posts. I guess this is to be expected since WordPress was created as a blogging tool. However, the sites I work on emphasize pages. Most small businesses don’t have the time or inclination to write blog posts on a daily or even weekly basis. Even after explaining that regular posts create interest in their site and their products, they just don’t have the time. Yup, even after explaining that posting regularly will increase their ranking in search engines they say they don’t have time. The customer is always right!
My theme will emphasize pages so it should be good for business sites. Some people would call it WordPress as CMS but that’s really not accurate. WordPress is a CMS whether used as a blog or a page-based site. Emphasizing pages doesn’t make it a CMS. Anyway, I’d like to incorporate several page designs so users can select a style, add their code and add a page quickly.
Here’s a general outline of the steps I’ll need to follow:
- Find a good site that steps through the code development
- Find a good site that steps through the graphic design phase
- Generate the code for my theme
- Create the graphics in Photoshop
- Slice and dice the graphics
- Incorporate the graphics into the theme
- Create the CSS for the theme
- Get some icons & incorporate them into the theme
- Test the theme – hmmmmm… who will be my testers?
- License it as free software (GNU?)
- Make the theme available for download
- Set up a support mechanism/site/forum
Well, there you have it. My general plan. My commitment to create a WordPress theme. I’ll post content- both written and video – as I go. It should be interesting to see the result.
Stay tuned!
