A Handful of Thesis Wordpress Theme Video Tutorials for Beginners

by Matt Langford on August 23, 2009 · Comments

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The Thesis Theme for Wordpress is by far the most powerful and most flexible available. It has a very large and helpful support community that most Thesis Users have taken advantage of at least once or twice.

Despite that, there are a few things that I get asked all the time that are rather simple. This is not to say that those asking are unintelligent. Quite the opposite, actually. In most cases, they are simply trying to optimize their use of the powerful theme. That shows intelligence right there!

I’ve put together a few short video tutorials for those just getting started with Thesis. Instead of creating a new post for each video, I’ve decided to list them here. If requested, I will add new videos — so be sure to bookmark this page (On Delicious, perhaps).

  1. How to Use Newspaper Style Blockquotes
  2. How to Use Magazine Style Drop Caps
  3. Image Placement and Justification
  4. Inserting a Frame Around an Image
  5. Inserting Code into a Post
  6. Using Teasers on the Front Page (Added 8/26/09)
  7. Using Different Paragraph Styles (Added 8/29/09)

If you feel you’re ready to dive into some more advanced activites with Thesis, I recommend starting with my 100 Thesis Resources list. Or maybe, 10 Ways to Customize Thesis. And who could forget 3 Easy Way to Customize Thesis. You could always insert an Animated Tabbed Widget too! Ok, that’s the end of my self-promotion segment of this post.

If you’d like additional help or would like to request another video tutorial, please let me know in the comments below. I promise to respond!

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  • Great Post, Matt! As a coding beginner, I appreciate these simple tutorials. Thanks!
  • Thanks man! Let me know if there's anything specific you'd like to see one made about!
  • One topic that I am interested in is the htaccess file. Perhaps a "How To" Speed up a WP Blog with htaccess hacks? If that is too advanced, maybe a tutorial on "How To" use the WP Super Cache for maximum page-loading. Just a few thoughts. :)
  • That's getting into some pretty advanced things... Generally, it will only make a difference on a blog if you have major traffic. I use SuperCache here from time to time, but that's more out of paranoia than necessity.

    The easiest way to optimize for speed is to use Firebug and run a Speed Test.
  • Interesting tutorials. I will mark them for a visit over the weekend. And sure to let you know if I need more of them :)
  • Ashwin, don't hesitate to ask if you need anything! You know how things are done around here! =)
  • Sure dude! Will do =)
  • Emo
    Thanks for sharing this tutorial I really want to learn how to create a wordpress theme. I have start to study php code as a start my next goal is to have my first wordpress theme.

    - Emo -
  • Cyndi
    This is probably so basic that it is staring me in the face, but if you would be so kind as to answer it, I would be so happy:

    How do you get your posts to be next to each other with thumbnails?

    On your homepage, under your comment about the tutorial, you have posts that are lined up, two by two, with thumbnails, "!0 Awesome Things", "10 Surefire Things". How do you get them to be side-by-side and not one underneath the other?

    Also I am very impressed that when I used the back button to go and look at your home page, this comment box remembered my text. I copied it thinking I would have to paste it in again, but I didn't have to... very nifty!

    I hope this falls under, "There are no stupid questions..." Everyone seems to know the answer to this but me.

    Is it some box that I need to check and I haven't found it yet? I'm new to this and look forward to your answer.

    Thanks in advance,
    Cyndi
  • No question is not worth asking! It's actually very simple, and I created a short video tutorial to show you how it's done. I added it to the list above, but here's a direct link.

    Hope that helps!
  • Cyndi25
    Thank you so much Matt! I can't believe you did a tutorial just for me! It answered my question and I really, really appreciate it.

    When I get further down the road with my blog, I will send you a link.

    Again, thanks.

    Cyndi
  • I'll help anyone out! And I'd love to see the your final draft!
  • Cyndi25
    This is the test draft: http://www.cfink.com/

    I use this site to test my knowledge for my friend's site. These are my dogs.

    How do you get the {0 comments} to go away from the feature article and say something like, "Read this article", the way that you have it on your site?

    And where do I send the check, to whom do I make out and what is your address? Seriously, how do we "talk?" I have two professional blogs that need help. Do you hire out?

    How do I get in touch with you?

    Cyndi

    *Edited to place link
  • First question: I actually used some tricky css to hide the {brackets} then I floated the text to the right. So, I didn't actually remove that stuff, I just moved it to the right.

    If you're interested in blog consulting, customization, etc -- Use this contact form to get me your info and I'll respond via email.
  • Rock on Matt! I just shared your post about Screenr.com - really groovy. (I'm over 40 so I can say groovy) Love ur stuff - keep it comin, my clients love you!

    Donna
    @thewebcoach
  • Glad to here it! And even though I don't know who your clients are, I'm sure I love them too! =)
  • Excellent VideoCast, keep them coming nice !!!
  • I think its a very useful list for thesis beginners.
  • Thanks for sharing this tutorial, it is very useful for me
  • Cool post, thank you for the info - I dont really ever post on these thingy’s but enjoyed the info. Awesome stuff!, I bookmarked your blog! thai seo
  • Could you please do a tutorial about how to put in blocks of content on a page? I'd like to have a Services page, for example, with two columns of content, each column containing maybe three blocks of information about different services I offer. The effect would be like blog teasers (a headline, a thumbnail, some copy) but these would be on static pages.
  • Walter
    Hi Matt,

    just got Thesis and as a beginner am struggling. I´d like to use a static page with 3 columns as homepage and have single other pages with only 2 columns. What would the code be for the hooks to get those 2 columns on chosen pages.
    Walter, Germany.
  • If I'm understanding you right, your best bet would be to using the custom templates option when creating a new post/page.
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