You can design and build beautiful WordPress websites using templates, if you follow a few simple steps and keep these things in mind. Originally presented at WordCamp Phoenix 2016

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WORDCAMP PHOENIX 2016
John Gough @john_gough | Skyhook Interactive
YOU CAN MAKE
TEMPLATES LOOK
GOOD

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Let’s build a more
beautiful, useful, &
connected Internet.
img: @NASA

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“That
looks like a
template.”
img: @mcdonalds img: @shoot_the_route
Some things
are supposed
to be identical.
Not websites.

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There are
a lot of
them out
there.
50,000
websites
launch
every day
822 themes
downloaded daily
just from
wordpress.org
https://codeinwp.com/blog/wordpress-statistics/

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If you think they are, you’re going to build
websites that look like templates.
TEMPLATES ARE NOT
WEBSITES

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Not this.
This.
img: @sharkdesignstudio
Use templates
as tools!

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Plan your content.
Know your limits.
Apply appropriate styles.

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Plan your
content.
Don’t pour
your content
into someone
else’s designs.

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Plan your
content.
Audience
Who’s going to be looking?
Site map
Where will they find it?
Content plan
How will I explain it?

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Plan your
content.
A content plan
identifies
components
of a page.

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Know
your
limits.
A template
is a tool.
Use the
right one.
img via Buzzfeed

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Know
your
limits.
Look for demo
features that
make sense.

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Apply
appropriate
styles.
Colors
Primary, secondary, tertiary, & greys
Typography
Pair two legible Google fonts
Elements that fit
Make custom assets
Better than average photos
10 minutes in Photoshop

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Whitespace
Font size
Color
ramotion.com

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Whitespace
Font size
Photography
advancedplasticsurgery.com

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Whitespace
Font size
Photography
advancedplasticsurgery.com

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Custom assets
Photography
Colors
Dribbble: Creative Mints

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Custom assets
Photography
Colors
Dribbble: Creative Mints

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Whitespace
Fonts
Custom assets &
colors
famous.co

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Plan your content.
Know your limits.
Apply appropriate styles.
Make it fit; Audience, Site map, Content plan
Pick the right tool, and features that make sense
Colors, typography, custom assets, photography

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THANK YOU!
John Gough @john_gough | Skyhook Interactive
NOW GO MAKE THE
INTERNET LOOK
GOOD.