It is very essential to customise WordPress website template appearance, since it gives your website a complete look. There are a lot of things you can do, in order to improve website appearance and we will understand each things quickly, so that you can directly apply these and customise your website.
Working with Themes
- Overview:
- Themes control the overall design and layout of your WordPress site.
- Choose themes based on your site’s purpose, audience, and functionality requirements.
Theme Customisation Options
- Theme Customizer:
- Access via Appearance > Customize.
- Real-time preview of changes.
- Common options include:
- Site Identity: Logo, site title, tagline.
- Colors: Theme colors, background colors.
- Header Image: Add or change the header image.
- Background Image: Add or change the background image.
- Menus: Manage navigation menus.
- Widgets: Add and manage widgets in available widget areas.
- Homepage Settings: Choose between a static homepage or latest posts.
- Additional CSS: Add custom CSS for further customization.
- Theme Settings:
- Some themes have additional settings panels under Appearance.
- Options vary by theme but may include typography, layout, and advanced settings.
Installing and Activating Themes
- Installing Themes:
- Go to Appearance > Themes > Add New.
- Browse or search for themes in the WordPress theme repository.
- Click Install on the desired theme.
- Alternatively, upload a theme by clicking Upload Theme and choosing the .zip file.
- Activating Themes:
- After installation, click Activate to make the theme live on your site.
- Preview themes before activating by clicking Live Preview.
Restricted Themes and Performance Impact
- Restricted Themes:
- Avoid themes with excessive or outdated code.
- Check reviews and ratings for potential issues.
- Prefer themes from reputable sources or the WordPress repository.
- Performance Impact:
- Choose lightweight themes optimized for speed.
- Avoid themes with unnecessary features or excessive use of scripts.
- Use performance testing tools (e.g., GTmetrix, PageSpeed Insights) to assess theme impact.
Customizing Menus
- Accessing Menu Editor:
- Go to Appearance > Menus.
- Create a new menu or select an existing one.
- Adding Menu Items:
- Add pages, posts, custom links, and categories.
- Drag and drop items to reorder them.
- Create submenus by nesting items.
- Menu Locations:
- Assign menus to theme-specific locations (e.g., primary, footer).
- Manage menu locations via Manage Locations tab.
Customising Widgets
- Accessing Widget Area:
- Go to Appearance > Widgets.
- Adding Widgets:
- Drag and drop widgets from the available widgets area to widget areas (sidebars, footers).
- Common widgets include text, recent posts, categories, and search.
- Configuring Widgets:
- Click on the widget to configure its settings.
- Customise the title, content, and other options specific to each widget.
- Custom Widget Areas:
- Some themes and plugins offer additional widget areas.
- Use these for more flexible layouts and designs.