WordPress and the Genesis framework combine as well as chocolates and roses on Valentine’s Day. While that statement should be enough to convince anyone of the power of this combination, I simply can’t stop gushing, so indulge me as put on my spectacles and delve into the nerdy aspects of my two favorite web design tools.
Working the WordPress Magic
WordPress has set the standards for blog management platforms since 2003 and remains the most popular open-source blogging software. Today, WordPress is the CMS (content management system) of choice for both bloggers and non-blogging webmasters.
Simplicity: Easy to use, anyone can add pages, images, blog posts and more quickly and easily. That means you don’t have to wait for your web designer to make small changes.
Accessibility: Since WordPress is an online tool, you can access your website from any computer, using your login details and any browser. You can also enable multiple users, to whom you can assign access levels based on their role in the company.
Inclusive: WordPress offers everything you need. You don’t need HTML editing software or FTP software, as it can all be done from within the interface. Even someone with limited software or online savvy can easily manage a WordPress site.
Customizable: With a child theme you site can be designed exactly the way you want it, because it is 100% customizable. That means that you can create a unique experience for your visitors, and allow your brand to shine through.
Scalable: Wordpress allows you to start small and grow with your business. As your business grows, you can add more pages and blog posts without compromising the performance or design of your site.
Plugins: Developers offer thousands of free WordPress Plugins within the database, which allow for added functionality and customization. Whether you’re looking to add social sharing buttons, a Facebook Fan Box, an online portfolio, video gallery, events calendar or call out boxes – it is all there. Best of all, many of the best plugins are free or very affordable.
Blog Function: Originally a blog platform, your WordPress site comes with a built-in blog function. Everything is right there to help you set up email or RSS subscriptions; display your recent posts on other pages of the site, and a function for your visitors to comment on your posts.
WordPress Magic – Powered by Genesis
StudioPress has gained a spotlight as a company since they introduced the Genesis framework for WordPress sites. Here at Unbound, we are Genesis fans, and with good reason. This combination enables us to create top-of-the-range, responsive designs that exceed our clients’ expectations.
If you’re looking for a framework that offers great support – Genesis is it. Since the framework is so well-maintained and constantly updated to incorporat the best coding practices, you can rest assured that it will always be compatible with the latest WordPress version.
What Makes Genesis so Powerful?
Here are some of the stand-out features that make Genesis the number one framework available on the market today:
Child Themes: Genesis uses child-themes, which allow you to make changes without losing customizations. Like skins, the child-themes allow you to make your site look different, but it is done without changing the framework. When it’s time to update your framework, you don’t have to panic about losing your precious customizations, because they are all stored in the child themes.
Endless Possibilities: You can design your site any which way you want to with Genesis. Everything you see can be changed, reconfigured, moved, adjusted, changed or deleted. You can change layouts for each page or post. You can create new sidebars, or insert widgets anywhere you like.
Feature Rich: In addition to the WordPress plugins, you also have access to tons of plugins dedicated to Genesis themes. From mobile responsive child themes to built-in SEO, HTML5, airtight security, easy updates, and much, much more.
Unbound uses WordPress and Genesis on our new web designs for our clients’ sites, because it offers a magical and powerful way to create functional, beautiful, and responsive sites. We want to create sites that our clients (and their visitors) can fall in love with time and again for the sheer functionality and beauty of it and these two tools give us all the flexibility we need to do just that.