WordPress Themes are Coming of Age.
After several months of using the Thrilling and Atahualpa themes on this and other blogs, I had become dissatisfied with the way the categories listing was starting to crawl down from the header section into the main posting space. It tended to make anything I say about marketing tips look unprofessional and discouraged me from buying into the paid version. I don’t mean to throw sticks at an otherwise excellent theme that I was using the free version of. It was a simple case of not finding (or making) enough time to dig out a solution to the problem.
WordPress as a vehicle, is amazing for anybody who wants to get online quickly and effectively, but more importantly now, it has matured into an incredibly sophisticated open source offering that is available freely to everyone. However, when it comes to the add ons, having a free offering with a clear fault like those above, isn’t how to make money in the online world. The wordpress platform has immense flexibility and my title comment about “coming of age” refers to the latest crop of themes that are being promoted.
I discovered the PlatformPro Theme by PageLines yesterday. It was linked to, in one of the many marketing emails I receive every day to learn from. The text of the mail made me inquisitive. I clicked the link and deleted the email (to help reduce inbox “clutter stress”) and was immediately transfixed by the theme’s simple clean look. I was on the point of buying there and then; as it seems to offer incredible flexibility, without the user needing to dive into the code editing pages that the older style of template needed. Anathema to many traditional word press users I’m sure, but to put it bluntly, coding doesn’t ring my bells. However common sense took over and I opted for the free version to give it a test run. As you will probably notice, at this time I am only part way through the configuration and optimisation process.
My first impressions after 2 quick dips into the settings page for this wordpress theme are very favourable. The menu system has been successfully designed to NOT give you a headache and the workflow of setting the various options actually appears quite logical. No doubt as I get involved with the deeper workings of this theme, I will discover its hidden glitches – it’s software so there will be glitches; but my first reactions are extremely positive. I will return with a further review when I have got the free theme setup properly.
If you want to check the PlatformPro Theme over yourself, it can be found on the PageLines Website.