Website Design Is Dead

[Crabcake Johnny]

If someone wants a theme from Elegant I just send 'em on over there and they buy their own. I don't develop themes - just set them up. I haven't found any "junk" with Elegant - am very happy with several of their themes.

I'm trying to learn to develop my own - quite a ways away from that. A lot more studying. In the mean time I've partnered up with private developer (not a major theme studio) to handle any customizations.

And true about the Forest - there are some very sharp themes in there - my niece bought one as have most of my recent clients and some of incredible functionality. It's simply doing a bit of research on the author.

 

[ksigmtsu]

I like WooThemes too, but StudioPress with the Genesis framework is quite impressive. Offers a bit more customization.

I'm also partial to Elegant Themes. Hard to miss when all of their themes are $39. You're not gonna go wrong with any of the major theme studios.

People can always wander off into the Theme Jungle (forest) but now you're into "buyer beware" territory and really need to research the author.

I HATE genesis.

Simply put, a problem genesis creates is that the way they do their meta keywords, descriptions, and title tags, if you in the future decide to change to a NON genesis framework template, you either need a programmer to fix the problem it's going to create or you have to rewrite all the metas by hand.

Neither option is good.

Modular plugins for metas/SEO is almost always better, so that when you make a switch in look it doesn't break all the metas.

If you're looking for SEO framework, Thesis seems better overall compared to genesis as well, but either way you're looking at the same issue if you try to move the site to a different framework ever in the future.

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

Completely correct - I was discussing Geneis as easy available layout options for the layperson. But yes, if they decide to "move" their child theme to a non-genesis framework - won't work. That said, someone would need a reason why they'd want their theme moved from the Genesis framework.

It's also one drawback of Studio Press in that people who don't have Genesis have to pay for the framework on top of the child theme.

 

[ksigmtsu]

If you've ever had the fun time of trying to map a mysql db to fix the genesis framework meta problem, then realising it will be faster to redo all the metas... lol

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

Studiopress seems to recognize the SEO issue of changing themes:

SEO Data Transporter - A Plugin For WordPress

 

[ksigmtsu]

Ooo.. thats a nice little tool. That would have saved me some time had I known it existed.

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

If there's anything I need or any issue that needs to be solved relating to WP, chances are a plugin exists to handle it.

I have the Genesis and Thesis framework since I'm trying to learn. so far, I like Genesis over Thesis - more support and "cool sh*t."

WordPress Plugins Developed by StudioPress

Much easier for a layman like me to learn.

Someone told me about this the other day: WordPress › Atahualpa « Free WordPress Themes - upload it as a theme, very nice and again - a tool for me to learn. Although this one isn't as much "teaching" as it is for someone to easily configure a theme.

The learning curve here is pretty intense - sites like this really helping out: http://www.lynda.com/

 

[YouGotMyMoney]

You like woothemes I take it?

yea, I think Genesis has the most visually appealing themes, for Insurance lead gen pages, I'm not going to learn about hooks...etc. Much easier for me to work with WooThemes, and do my thing, get a site up and work on copying chumps content.

 

[CHUMPS FROM OXFORD]

Hey...Like I said...you do it better than I do!

 

[tlmarketing]

templatemonster.com has been easy to work with for WP themes...easy to use and up and running in 1-2 days.