Taking Your WordPress Website to the Next Level in Two Steps
I have went on and on about the benefits of WordPress.
I think people are crazy to choose another web publishing platform.
The ease of use of updating it trumps everything else out there.
For the average internet user, it shouldn't be too hard to pick up WordPress and get a basic site running.
What about taking your WordPress site to the next level though? What are some handy skills that will allow you to differentiate yourself from the pack? 1.
CSS Knowledge - Note I said knowledge and not mastery.
CSS is a style sheet language that controls the look and format of your website.
Your CSS style sheet usually controls things like colors, background images, width of columns, fonts and much more.
I am certainly no CSS master but after years of working with WordPress I have gained a solid understanding of it.
I may not be able to create a CSS style sheet from scratch but I am more than capable of editing one to change aspects of my layout.
Most WordPress themes will have a CSS style sheet, if you have learned enough you can edit that style sheet.
This will ensure your site is different from all the other sites using that theme.
If you can learn enough CSS to do that, then picking a theme for your site will only be step one.
You will be able to edit and tweak that theme so that it is completely unique and your own.
The best way to learn about CSS is to start messing around with it.
Check out your style sheet and look at it in depth.
They are usually laid out so they make sense, and your elements will be labeled.
For example it will be no problem changing the color of hyperlinks once you take a look at a properly tagged style sheet.
If you don't feel comfortable doing that, you can also find a ton of information and education online.
You can learn everything about CSS from a Google search.
2.
Design Skills - Another way to really spruce up your WordPress site and make it unique is to have some sort of design skills.
I personally have become quite adept with Adobe Fireworks.
You don't have to use Fireworks.
You might prefer Illustrator, Photoshop or other design programs that aren't Adobe related.
Whatever program you choose, learning how to manipulate and create sharp looking images for your website will ensure your site is unique, This is something you can outsource as well, but if you are on a tight budget it is great to be able to do things yourself.
If you have some design skills and can use image editing software you can do a lot.
You can create your own website header, backgrounds, sidebar ads and more.
Nothing makes a site more personal and unique than custom graphics.
Once again, using Google is your best bet to learn about design basics and these image editing programs in specific.
I learned everything I know about Fireworks by completing a number of online tutorials.
WordPress offers a great platform for web development.
The use of themes means you can style your entire site in mere seconds.
What you do after you activate is a theme is up to you.
With just a little bit of CSS and design knowledge, you can make any theme original and unique.
I think people are crazy to choose another web publishing platform.
The ease of use of updating it trumps everything else out there.
For the average internet user, it shouldn't be too hard to pick up WordPress and get a basic site running.
What about taking your WordPress site to the next level though? What are some handy skills that will allow you to differentiate yourself from the pack? 1.
CSS Knowledge - Note I said knowledge and not mastery.
CSS is a style sheet language that controls the look and format of your website.
Your CSS style sheet usually controls things like colors, background images, width of columns, fonts and much more.
I am certainly no CSS master but after years of working with WordPress I have gained a solid understanding of it.
I may not be able to create a CSS style sheet from scratch but I am more than capable of editing one to change aspects of my layout.
Most WordPress themes will have a CSS style sheet, if you have learned enough you can edit that style sheet.
This will ensure your site is different from all the other sites using that theme.
If you can learn enough CSS to do that, then picking a theme for your site will only be step one.
You will be able to edit and tweak that theme so that it is completely unique and your own.
The best way to learn about CSS is to start messing around with it.
Check out your style sheet and look at it in depth.
They are usually laid out so they make sense, and your elements will be labeled.
For example it will be no problem changing the color of hyperlinks once you take a look at a properly tagged style sheet.
If you don't feel comfortable doing that, you can also find a ton of information and education online.
You can learn everything about CSS from a Google search.
2.
Design Skills - Another way to really spruce up your WordPress site and make it unique is to have some sort of design skills.
I personally have become quite adept with Adobe Fireworks.
You don't have to use Fireworks.
You might prefer Illustrator, Photoshop or other design programs that aren't Adobe related.
Whatever program you choose, learning how to manipulate and create sharp looking images for your website will ensure your site is unique, This is something you can outsource as well, but if you are on a tight budget it is great to be able to do things yourself.
If you have some design skills and can use image editing software you can do a lot.
You can create your own website header, backgrounds, sidebar ads and more.
Nothing makes a site more personal and unique than custom graphics.
Once again, using Google is your best bet to learn about design basics and these image editing programs in specific.
I learned everything I know about Fireworks by completing a number of online tutorials.
WordPress offers a great platform for web development.
The use of themes means you can style your entire site in mere seconds.
What you do after you activate is a theme is up to you.
With just a little bit of CSS and design knowledge, you can make any theme original and unique.
Source...