Blog Templates Reviews

Learn How To Create A WordPress Theme

Costa — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:55:14 +0000

Everything I know about creating and modding WordPress Themes are self taught. I have zero formal training in anything that has to do with html, css or php. It was just pure interest, passion and hundreds of trial and errors that enabled me to come up with reasonably good looking mods. Along the way, I just sort of picked up the knowledge needed and kept to that without going in depth to understand further than that. . Whenever I am stuck, there is always good old Google to turn to.

There are many sites where generous people will teach you about creating WordPress Themes for free. Some even take you by the hand in a step by step fashion. All you need is the patience to go through everything and that is something I sorely lacked. I wanted a fast track method, so I skipped most parts and read only the portion that teaches what I wanted to do at that particular time. Eventually, I turn into a mutant. Half noob and half geek, not knowing what to call myself. I am geek enough to mod an entire theme into something totally different, but when it comes to really creating a Theme from scratch, I am a big big noob.

I think it’s time to put all the bits and pieces of knowledge that I have gathered in order. A very good place to start learning how to create a WordPress Theme from scratch presently will be the tutorials from Themeshaper.com, How To Create A WordPress Theme. Highly recommended for people who are interested.

Applying SEO When Designing Your Web Sites

Costa — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 01:56:44 +0000

Everyone knows the importance of SEO or Search Engine Optimization. Webmasters spends thousands of dollars getting their web sites properly optimized so they can have an easier time getting their sites seen by Search robots. Even though many agree that off site SEO is an important criteria when it comes to Search Engine Optimization, it should be known that the very first step to good optimization starts from home and home is where your web site is. Thus, applying good SEO techniques when designing your web sites is of utmost importance.

Most amateurs like me who dabbles in Web Theme Designing, pays more attention to the looks of the site rather than the SEO aspects. This is mainly because looks are external and looks sells, but as the saying goes, looks are only skin deep, and what we see is not what we will be getting.

A good example of blandness that chokes with top notch SEO coding is the Thesis Theme in it’s default form. An newbie with no inklings of what SEO is all about will be wondering why this theme is selling so well. It is so well received by people with first hand knowledge of Search Engine Optimization that even Google’s Search Engineer, Matt Cutts uses the Thesis Theme. All this has to do with what we can’t see at the surface. It’s the way the Theme has been coded at the back end.

Applying good SEO practice when designing a web site is not any body’s plate of meat. Apart from knowing intensively on coding a web site so that it is industry compliant, the designer should also be adept and well versed on the latest and ever changing search algorithms. These knowledge then can be effectively applied when designing their sites. A good designer with these skills are very highly priced and much sought after indeed.

For a hobbyist like me and you, learning all those things will will totally mind boggling and it takes away all the fun. Even if we are to learn everything about SEO and applying it to our designs , the sense of satisfaction and accomplishment will not be so great as looking at a site that is eye pleasing. However, knowing and using some basic SEO techniques when doing our designs does no harm.

Justin, the SEO Expert From Nashville wrote a good piece of information where he reveals 9 SEO Tips for Attractive Search Engine Friendly Web Design that will be plenty useful for the layman designer. The 9 tips can be easily applied for those with intermediate knowledge of web site designing, though the learning curve is still there for total beginners.

The most desirable scenario is of course the ability to design a site that is attractive to the eyes and yet fully compliant with latest SEO techniques. At the end of the day, beauty is only to the eyes of the beholder. It is the substance that will see us through thick and thin. Like wise, if our end products are only attractive on the outside but is lacking on the inside, it will have no lasting power. So the next time I work on a Blog Theme or a Mini Site, whether purely for my own pleasure or for business, applying SEO will no longer be an option.

Where To Learn Web Site Designing For Free

Costa — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 08:04:56 +0000

The first video on creating your own mini site is almost ready. As I am not very good at using Camtasia, I have a lot of editing to do before it is presentable. In the mean time, here is a great article by Mary Ward, providing some great links to various resources where you can polish up your web site designing skills. ~ Costa

Keeping your skills sharp is a must for web designers. Using that down time between freelance jobs to learn new programs or update your skills on programs you already use is a great way to stay current on all the programs you need to create great websites. Keeping abreast of all the latest programs doesn’t have to be expensive, either, since there are plenty of free open courseware links.

Following are ten open courseware links you must read to stay up to date with your web design skills.

10 Open Courseware Links You Should Know

Flash – Everybody needs Flash, and this set of two classes is a great free way to learn or upgrade your skills. At the end of the course you will have created a fully functional flash project.

Beginning Web Design – This is a fairly basic course, but for newbies it’s great. At the end of the course, you’ll have all the basics for creating your own sites. The course takes six weeks, and best of all, it’s free through About.com. Each week’s lesson is sent to your email box.

Adobe Photoshop Basics – Another email course from About. Com, this class gives you the basics of Photoshop in 8 weekly email lessons.

HTML Basics – Another great course for beginners, this class is provided by the University of Washington. The course covers all the basics of HTML programming, including the basic structure of an HTML document and what HTML tags look like.

Introduction to Web Design – Offered by Indiana University, this class offers lectures covering all the basics of web design, including binary, internet addressing, and Linux.

Animation – Animation has become one of the most sought after skills in web design. For the designer who is ready to add these skills to their portfolio, this is a great class.

Web Page Authoring – This is another great course in HTML, offered by Sofia for free.

Web Programming, Development and Data Integration – This course is offered by Purdue University, and covers a variety of web design technologies.

Advanced Topics in Learning Object Design and Reuse – Offered by Utah State University, this course can be downloaded. It teaches advanced topics of object design and reuse.

Blogs, Wikis, New Media for Learning – Another downloadable course from Utah State University, this class helps web designers understand and use web 2.0 technologies.

This is just a small sampling of the learning tools and downloadable classes you’ll find on the web. Many of the classes are free, and nearly all of them can be completed at your own pace. There’s no better way to learn web design at a beginning or intermediate level or to increase your skills as new technologies emerge than using these simple and inexpensive web classes.

Even after you’ve completed classes on these new technologies, you’ll find the coursework to be a helpful reference as you use the programs in your daily work life. You’ll be amazed at all the web design education that’s free for the taking on the web.

Mary Ward is a freelance author and writes about design job topics, such as how to choose a web design school, artist career tips, and more.

24 Free Elegant Looking WordPress 2.8 Compatible Themes

Costa — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 02:03:44 +0000

WordPress 2.8 did not actually bring a lot of compatibility issues as far as WordPress Themes are concerned. Amatuer WordPress Theme designers who offers their Theme for free will not normally update their Themes once they have released it, but premium developers who charges for their Themes will always keep their Themes updated accordingly with every WordPress upgrade. Likewise, Themes from Elegant Themes, free for their members only, have all been made compatible with WordPress 2.8.

Becoming a member of Elegant Themes takes only $20 a year. Once you sign up as a member, you have free access to 24 high quality premium themes that can be downloaded for free anytime you like. New themes are are added quite regularly and existing Themes are upgraded in accordance with the upgrades of WordPress. On top of that, you get free support and a very active forum where you can ask questions about theme customization, modifications or any issues pertaining to the Themes you have downloaded. The Theme you are seeing now is one of them, with my personal customizations of course.

Some samples here for your perusal. Click on images to see more.

Creating Your Own Minisite Template

Costa — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 05:46:51 +0000

A mini site as the name suggest is a web site that is mini in size. It will normally consist of a single page static site and good examples of mini sites are the sales sites that you see ever so often, selling ebooks, software and other downloadable e-products. These sites are simple to create. Even for those who are not proficient in html but can use basic Word Processor will be able to create a simple mini site within a few hours.

It must be noted that mini sites are not meant to be created for blogging. It’s most commonly used by Internet Marketers to promote specified products which needs only a single page of content. It is also useful for product review sites where you need only a single page for reviewing a single product.

The advantage of a mini site is it is light weight and it is extremely targeted. Your visitors will be only be presented by a single page of content where they can absorb totally what you have written without distractions. Blogs will normally have links and Ads which can result in your visitors clicking away and never returning to finish what they have read halfway.

The disadvantage of course, is the ability to rank as well as a blog due to it’s limited contents. There are however many ways and methods which Internet marketers use to propel their mini site rankings, but that is something that I am not very qualified to write about.

There are many places where you can buy professionally designed mini site templates. These will cost as low as $47 for low end mass produced ones and prices can go as high as thousands if you employ the services of professionals to do a unique one.

Over the next few weeks, I will be doing a Video Series on Creating Your Own Minisite. The series will include:

Mini sites are perfect for those who is into Internet and email marketing or planning to foray into this area. In fact, it is almost compulsory that you learn how to create one if you want to make money online this way. In order that you don’t miss any updates, as I can’t promise regular ones, now is a good time to be subscribing to this blog if you have not already done so.

Blog Templates Reviews

Learn How To Create A WordPress Theme

Related Topics

Applying SEO When Designing Your Web Sites

Related Topics

Where To Learn Web Site Designing For Free

Related Topics

24 Free Elegant Looking WordPress 2.8 Compatible Themes

Related Topics

Creating Your Own Minisite Template

Related Topics