About 4 years ago I set up a couple of WordPress blogs for clients. In both cases these blogs were add-ons to a static HTML site. Even back then the power of WordPress was pretty impressive – especially to me, a non-programmer. And I was able to edit the CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) to at least approximate the look and design of the parent sites. I was happy.
Then 3 years ago I got a job re-designing a local arts foundation website with the stipulation that they be able to update themselves – without knowing at HTML. Hmmm – there was Adobe Contribute, but, of course, the arts foundation was all volunteers so they didn’t have the $200 to spend on Contribute.
So I took another look at WordPress. Premium themes were coming into their own and I eventually settled one that seemed the most customizable.
A lot has changed since early in 2009. Creating premium is now a big – and competitive – business largely because of people like me: non-programming designers who appreciate the underlying functionality of WordPress but don’t want to be locked into a particular design or look.
WordPress does a great job in separating data from functionality from presentation in a way that makes sense and is largely intuitive. But it’s the developer community behind WordPress that is so impressive to me. Sure, many are now making a living through WordPress, either developing premium themes or plugins, designing websites, or teaching others to do the first two, but the underlying passion always seems to be how to make this wonderful content management system even better.
That’s why I’ll continue to custom design my sites in WordPress.
I like WordPress too. I am new in blogging and I find it very user friendly.
Thanks for your note. I will be adding WordPress videos & how-to articles in the near future. Hope to make this site a valuable for WP business sites.
Tom
My partner and I absolutely love your blog and find almost all of your post’s to be exactly what I’m looking for. can you offer guest writers to write content in your case? I wouldn’t mind producing a post or elaborating on some of the subjects you write concerning here. Again, awesome site!
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Thanks for your kind words. The site is still evolving with much work to be done (and not a lot of time in which to do it…). I’ll get back to you when I’m ready for guest bloggers.
Tom
Is the Vipassana Metta Foundation website that you created a WordPress site? I am just starting with WordPress and don’t want my page to look like a blog. – Thanks marc
Yes, the Vipassana Metta website is built with WordPress. Given the right theme – or designer – there’s no reason your site should look like a blog.
Thanks Tom for such a speedy reply. I am a real novice with WordPress, but seeing the Vipassana Metta website gives me great hope. It is beautifully done!
Thank you. Good luck.
WordPress works like nothing else and it is really easy to create interactive website or blog with wordpress.
You say you are none techie
can i ask what themes you use to customise. I do a bit of web design myself so was just wondering
Regards
Dave
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For this site – and many many others – I use Catalyst which is the most customizable theme I’ve ever worked with. The options are almost endless. With so much flexibility, it does take a while to really learn but the effort is well worth it. It’s also constantly being developed and improved – a terrific company and a terrific WordPress theme. High recommended.
I also use Studiopress themes. Their Genesis framework is rock solid and, again, highly recommended.
There are, of course, many many other quality premium themes out there but these are the two companies I seem to return to time and again so that obviously means something.
Personally I use builder from ithemes on most of my projects, it’s a bit bulky but rock solid and has a customizable layout editor thing that makes it really easy to use.
Regards
Dave
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Builder is excellent as are the plugins by iThemes.
I hope you don’t mind me joining in the conversation.
I love to use Builder themes for a lot of my websites, but I have started to look into thesis themes are they seem to be perfectly optimized for a lot of SEO techniques.
I have heard of the genesis framework but not actually experienced it myself, I have had a play with the Kahuna Framework which I found very intuitive.
Many thanks,
Karl
All good choices – the quality of WordPress themes these days is amazing.
I totally agree, it is crazy that just two years ago the quality of websites was dire. I can’t wait to see how they turn out in the next few years.
I use blogger / blogspot which is connected to my google apps
Below are some examples of blogs/websites using blogspot
http://novakovichorchards.net
http://bestdarntamale.com
http://starofthesea-alviso.blogspot.com
http://catholicscoop.blogspot.com
http://gabrielandangie.blogspot.com
Thanks, Darlene. Anything that engages visitors and is easily updated is certainly worthwhile. I much prefer tools that allow you to use your own domain name – http://www.MyDomain.com – rather than a subdomain of either WordPress.com or blogspot.com – MyDomain.wordpress.com.
http://www.MyDoamin.com is much more professional.