A quick guide to relaunching your WordPress website with a new theme. Contents include: - Establish your Requirements - Theme Selection - Theme Tryout - Prep for Going Live - Going Live - After Relaunch

1. Quick Guide www.patwalsh.co.uk email@patwalsh.co.uk
QUICK GUIDE TO:
RELAUNCHING YOUR WORDPRESS WEBSITE
WITH A NEW THEME
Contents
Introduction ....................................................................................................................1
Establish Your Requirements ................................................................................................2
Theme Selection ...............................................................................................................2
Theme Tryout ..................................................................................................................2
Prep For Going Live ...........................................................................................................3
Going Live .......................................................................................................................3
After Relaunch .................................................................................................................3
Freelance IT & Testing Specialist ...........................................................................................4
Introduction
Early in 2013, I relaunched my website at www.patwalsh.co.uk using a new WordPress theme – the
excellent Avada Theme so I thought I’d create a Quick Guide to doing this, to help out anyone else
planning this.
© Pat Walsh 2013 IT & Testing Specialist Pat Walsh IT Services

2. Quick Guide www.patwalsh.co.uk email@patwalsh.co.uk
Establish Your Requirements
 What do you want to achieve with the relaunched version of your website?
 What do you want your website to do in its new look?
 Do you have a budget for the relaunch? If so, how much? Will you do the changes yourself or get
someone else to do it for you?
 This would be an excellent time to draw up a rough idea of the website architecture / sitemap.
 Look at lots of other websites for ideas and inspiration.
 Consider an agile/iterative approach to the relaunch. The first phase could just include the main
functionality and content, then you can add further as you progress. This would require identifying
what is the main functionality, including this in cycle 1 and then adding further content in subsequent
cycles.
Theme Selection
 Check the various Theme websites (see below for a selection) to see what’s available and possible.
 Check live previews of themes to see if it does what you want.
 Check other sites which have used the theme – if none shown, then could be pointer to a problem.
 Check theme support / reviews etc.
 Check any comments on the theme – there could be widespread praise for the theme – or perhaps,
widespread criticism.
 Check the theme documentation – are you technically capable of using it? Do you have enough time to
spare to do this?
Theme websites
ThemeForest
WooThemes
StudioPress
ElegantThemes
Theme Tryout
 To fully ensure the theme you’ve selected will work in the way you want it to, I’d recommend trying
out the theme. This may require purchasing the theme at this point, or you may be able to get a demo
version, or something like a 30 day trial version.
 To tryout the theme, you can setup a WordPress test system. I’d recommend the excellent Instant
WordPress for this, which allows you to setup a WordPress test system on a Windows machine
 Read the theme documentation fully to understand the capabilities and technicalities.
 When you have established its definitely the theme you want to use, begin creating your content in
the test system. You could create a brand new install at this stage.
 Finalise your site architecture as much as possible. I recommend drawing it out in pencil, as there may
be many changes as you progress.
 The test/tryout system could be a basis for your new site, perhaps using copy and paste of the content
to transfer it. This is a manual method, but gives you control over the process.
 Make regular backups / exports during development, in case you make any large errors.
© Pat Walsh 2013 IT & Testing Specialist Pat Walsh IT Services

3. Quick Guide www.patwalsh.co.uk email@patwalsh.co.uk
Prep For Going Live
 Consider any SEO implications. If you use a totally new site layout, page names etc you may lose your
current SEO status/search page rankings.
 My idea to get around this potential issue was to 1) keep the same layout and structure 2) copy the
newly developed content over pages that already exist, thus keeping same page name and age etc.
 Its worth checking Google Webmaster Tools to see what tools there are to alert it to your site change
and to also keep your SEO ratings.
 I’d also highly recommend creating a checklist of what you need to do and tick it off as you go along –
this helped my relaunch process immensely.
Going Live
 Backup / Export your existing content – pages, posts, db, WordPress files etc.
 Announce that your website is down for maintenance and will be relaunched soon.
 Could use Twitter, Newsletter, email, Facebook post etc.
 Turn on Maintenance Mode.
 Make the required changes to your site. If you’ve used a test system for developing the changes, it
could just be a matter of copying and pasting page content from test system to your live site. Or you
could be copying and pasting content from Word or similar software.
 Test as you go along, using a couple of different browsers (can login to WP if use correct URL)
 Address any issues found in this testing, where possible.
 Keep track of any additional changes required or ideas for changes and new content which occur
whilst making your changes.
 At this point, if using an agile/iterative approach, you may need to review your planning for the
different phases and cycles, depending on how well this first phase goes.
After Relaunch
 Turn off Maintenance mode.
 Announce the site is up and running, again on the various platforms available – Twitter, email,
Newsletter, Facebook etc.
 Arrange more testing across the main browsers and platforms, to ensure the site is working properly.
At this point you could also hire a freelance website tester, such as myself, to gain an independent
view on your website and to uncover any issues that you may not have seen so far.
 If using an Agile/Iterative approach, this is also a good time to set timeframes for work on the next
cycles.
 Establish procedures for blogging, creating content etc if the new theme has different approach to the
old theme.
 Track any issues reported with the site – could either use an Issue Tracking System or something
simpler, such as a Google doc, an Excel xls or a Word doc
© Pat Walsh 2013 IT & Testing Specialist Pat Walsh IT Services

4. Quick Guide www.patwalsh.co.uk email@patwalsh.co.uk
Freelance IT & Testing Specialist
I’m based in the London area and can work with you on projects of
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© Pat Walsh 2013 IT & Testing Specialist Pat Walsh IT Services