WordPress sites are a dime a dozen these days, so standing out from the crowd can be a bit of a challenge. Thankfully, there are a few things that you can do in order to create to increase the aesthetic appeal of you site, something that can work wonders in setting you apart from your competition.
In this article, I will go over some of the basic principles and mechanics behind customizing your WordPress site’s design. Part 2 will cover more in-depth graphic design principles, the theory behind them, and how you can use them to your advantage.
Changing Your Theme
When you first install WordPress, you have the option to select from a staggering array of themes, all of which will greatly impact the colour palette and layout of your site. But after choosing a theme and adding your content, you may find that the theme you’ve chosen doesn’t fit well with the design that you had in mind. Thankfully, swapping WordPress themes is a very simple process.
Your WordPress Dashboard
Pictured above is your WordPress dashboard. To begin editing your site’s appearance, you are first going to need to select the “Appearance” tab on the left hand side.
Your “Appearance” Menu
Selecting the appearance tab takes you to the following menu. Here you select can browse your pre-installed themes or select “Add New” to be taken to the WordPress themes directory, where you can select from hundreds of different themes.
To activate one of your themes, simply roll your mouse over the theme that you want to install and select the “Activate” option and the theme will be integrated into your WordPress site.
Adding A Logo/Header Image
Logos and header images are both the same thing in regards to your WordPress theme. All they are is an image that is located on the top of the screen of your website where you display your brand or relay extra information. To edit your logo/header image, you’re first going to need to go to the “Appearance” tab of your website. After entering the “Appearance” tab, select “Customize”.
Selecting “Customize”, will take you to a screen where you can select and edit sections of your theme.
Your “Customize” Screen
To edit your logo/header image (it’s labelled as header image here, but it may be labelled as logo in different themes) first select the “Header image” drop-down menu on the left hand side of the screen.
Once you’re seeing the following, simply select the “Select Image” button and you will be prompted to choose an image from your computer to upload.
Changing Your Website Colours
By now you should know how to get to your “Customize” menu through your “Appearance” tab in your WordPress dashboard. Once there, select the “Colours” option from the menu on the left-hand side of the screen.
WordPress Theme Background Colour
Once you do that, simply select a colour and WordPress will automatically integrate the colour into the section of your site. Try to experiment, you might find something you like that you hadn’t thought of before!
Adding A Background Image
The term “background image” is pretty self-explanatory. A background image in regards to WordPress is simply an image that sits in the background behind the content of your website. Adding a background image to your site is a very simple process. Simply select the “Background Image” from your “Customize” tab and you will be prompted to select an image from your computer. After that, the picture will automatically be added onto the background of your site.
WordPress Theme Background Image
Conclusion
Congratulations! With the information that you’ve learned here you’re well on your way to designing an appealing and professional looking WordPress site! After making any changes, be sure to select “Save & Publish” so you don’t lose any of you changes.
This article is part of a series aimed at providing all the knowledge that a beginner needs in order to create a successful WordPress site of their very own, so if you would like to learn more about the ins-and-outs of WordPress feel free to read the other entries in the series! If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact us here. If you liked this article comment below and let us know!