Content Aware WordPress Theming

Ryan Kanner

@CodeProKid

+ +

Who am I?

Content Aware What?

Templates that can

automatically make adjustments

based on the content being

displayed.

{ }

We aren’t launching this service until next year, can we remove it?

Can we add a newsletter signup here?

We don’t have anything to put here...

The Problem

● Rigid grid systems

● WordPress gives non technical people

total control of their content.

● Content changes, as it should.

● Clients needs change over time.

Current Solutions...

Issue with this solution

● Limitless layout possibilities to account

for

● Fragmented User Experience

● Overwhelming amount of options

● Too much control for clients

● Good luck moving that content ever.

My Solution

● Decisions, not options.

● Identify layout modules that can be

broken by content.

● Fallbacks for empty content.

● A little bit of math + grid system = a

whole lot of awesome.

What to look out for

Changing Content

● More

● Less

● Longer

● Shorter

● NULL

Trouble Spots● Filtered Content

● Sidebars

● Widgets

● Content Buckets

● Inline lists

Examples

woo, code.

What happens when this is empty?

“No Posts Found...”

Empty Queries

Yes No

Is this content the main focus of this page?

Display Similar content, or another

way to find what they are looking for

Display an alternate set of content instead

Don’t display anything

Establish what you were looking for in the first place

State there was nothing found

Offer a way to find something else

Empty Sidebars

Content Conditional

Sidebar Conditional

Let’s Count

Flexible Widgets

Widgets

● Horizontal widgets are a nightmare

● Fixed classes on widgets goes against

the entire concept of widgets

● My solution

https://github.com/CodeProKid/Flexible-

Widget-Widths

But why?

● Saves you time in the end

● Eliminates jobs you don’t want

● Establishes trust between you and your

clients

● Provides a better user experience

Thanks!