Starting a new MontanaWebmaster.com Site
In the summer of 2018, I finally made the move to switch web hosts from Modwest to SiteGround. Considering how many clients I have made this move for, I am very, very late in doing my own. Mostly my hesitation in making the move was the consideration of the loss of stored email.
Unfortunately, the old Modwest system did not have a way to export email that had been stored in folders in their webmail system. My practice is to move emails into subfolders after I had answered them and documented them. So I was in a difficult situation, knowing that I would potentially lose a significant part of my email archive.
But, with Modwest being sold, I had to bite the proverbial bullet and make the change. So, what steps would I take to set up my own WordPress website? First, I need to think through some bigger picture questions.
A WEBSITE IS FLUID, CHANGING OVER TIME
Question: What is the most important aspect of a website for me?
Answer: Providing information to both up-and-coming developers and website owners.
Question: What about branding?
Answer: Branding is very important. I can only work with a small number of clients so my branding should not be focusing on gaining new clients. The message of the website will to show my expertise.
Question: How does branding become specific web design?
Answer: Instead of focusing on me, I would like to use my web pages to answer questions from site owners and new developers. To make that process easy for the viewers, the home page design elements should be doorways into specific topics and the inside pages should be articles with leads to related information.
To achieve these goals, I do not want a mere list of topics on the home page, but excerpts with related images. Many of the newer theme style use this type of layout … a multitude of boxes that hide the fact that each box is navigation in the look of a photo gallery.
Which Theme Has the Best Layout to Meet the Goal?
I have been experimenting with the Kahuna theme on a few client site rebuilds. Many of my clients cannot afford to hire a graphic artist to do a custom design. Instead of doing a custom design, I will see how my ideas play out with Kahuna. Will I be able to overcome the shortcomings of the theme in a child theme?
Step 1: Switch from the default Twenty Seventeen to Kahuna
- Install the Kahuna theme
- In the dashboard, go to Appearance -> Themes.
- Click the Add New button (1) or click the Add New box in the theme list.
- This will take you to a page where you can choose the theme
- This is the install process. For looking at themes and choosing a theme, WordPress.org themes is more convenient.