With WordPress Plugins and WordPress themes, you can give your website an individual look and integrate a wide variety of functions. Assuming a little expertise and practice, you will quickly succeed in creating a distinctive website.
What is a WordPress plugin?
The range of functions that WordPress offers is initially very limited. Plugins offer the possibility to make the use of WordPress more flexible. The so-called extensions can be found free of charge in the WordPress plugin directory or can be purchased in various online shops. You can also have a special plugin developed. Choosing the right extensions for your own website can sometimes be very difficult due to the huge offer. Especially recommended are those that contribute to security. For example the plugin 'iThemes Security', which checks your security settings and makes suggestions for improvements. In addition, the plugin blocks conspicuous users and increases security for passwords and other sensitive data. With the help of 'BackWPUp' you can determine which content should be saved at what time and where. In this way you can prevent possible data loss. The 'W3 Total Cache' plugin prevents long loading times, which in turn has a negative effect on your traffic and search engine ranking. As WordPress does not automatically include an SEO plugin, it is advisable to install the 'Yoast SEO' plugin, which is particularly popular with over seven million downloads.
What is a WordPress Theme?
With a theme you can customize the look and style of your website determine. After the installation of WordPress you will find only a white page, which you have to give a look. Here you can let off steam at will and give free rein to your creativity. The also called template or simply template theme determines not only the appearance of the website. It also determines the functions. A large number of free themes are contrasted with premium themes that are subject to a fee, which usually have a much greater range of functions.
How do I find the right theme?
WordPress themes can be found both on WordPress.org and via the user interface after the software has been installed. The menu item 'Design' leads you to 'Themes', where with 'Twenty Eleven' and 'Twenty Twelve' two standard themes can be selected. By clicking on 'Add new theme' you will be forwarded to an overview where you can filter the existing themes according to various criteria. Once you have found a theme you like, you can preview it or install it directly.
How do I create my own WordPress theme?
Once you have a WordPress installation, you can import test data from WordPress Test and create various types of content. To do this, select 'Tools' in the WordPress backend, then 'Import' and finally the table item 'WordPress'. After you are asked to install the appropriate plug-in, the XML file in the ZIP archive can be imported. The additional installation of the plugin 'Theme Check' is useful to check the resulting theme for errors.
Enjoy free themes with caution
If you are interested in a free WordPress theme that is not offered by WordPress.org, you should be careful. It may contain malicious code, which can have serious consequences. For security reasons, it makes sense to purchase a premium theme that has proven itself. You can find one on the website Themeforest.net. Alternatively, you can search for offers from theme developers.
