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Philip Gledhill

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StudioPress Tutorials – The Genesis Newbie

StudioPress Tutorials – The Genesis Newbie

“StudioPress Tutorials
for friends of the Genesis Framework”

Phil the Genesis newbieWhen I started using The Genesis Framework and StudioPress themes, there were a few things I didn’t understand. I made a note of them and documented what I learned. I made these Genesis Framework and StudioPress tutorials to help you get your site set up with an even shorter learning curve than I had.

The Genesis Newbie is my contribution to the Genesis Community.

Setting up a StudioPress theme

Depending on your theme, you might find these two StudioPress video tutorials useful.

Executive Pro Set up
Set up The Genesis Responsive Slider Plugin
Outreach Pro set up
Set up The Genesis Featured Posts Widget

“My site doesn’t look like the StudioPress demo!”

When you’re first setting up your StudioPress site, or a site based on the Genesis Framework you might notice that the front page looks different to the demo site at StudioPress.com.

Some Genesis based themes need less setting up than others.
Some StudioPress themes use a standard blog style listing for the front page. Some themes use the Genesis Grid Loop which shows your most recent posts in a grid style layout. This type of theme needs less setting up.

But there some themes that use widget areas on the front page, and these need to be set up, my StudioPress tutorials will help you.

Not sure how to set up your front page?

You might need to install and configure the Genesis Responsive Slider Plugin. You might also need to set up some Genesis Featured Post Widgets.

I’ve made some StudioPress video tutorials showing you how to set these features up.

Parallax Pro theme doesn’t use a slider or featured post widgets. But it’s still one of the most popular studioPress themes
Most of the front page of Parallax Pro is made up of text widgets.

Parallax Pro Theme
Parallax Pro one of the most popular StudioPress themes

Themes like Balance use widget areas to display your email sign-up box, or important text, at the top of the page.
Balance uses the Genesis Grid Loop to automatically display your most recent blog posts on your site’s home page. When you write a new post, the Grid Loop PHP code finds the post and displays it in a prominent position on the home page. So you get a good looking home page with less setting up. However, you can make changes to the grid loop code if you wish.

Balance theme by StudioPress

StudioPress plugins, what every Genesis Newbie should know

Plugins are small programs that add extra features and functionality to your WordPress based website.

There are may thousands of plugins made for WordPress. And there’s a small number of plugins provided by the StudioPress team, StudioPress plugins only work if you’re using the Genesis Framework. This is a brief overview of what the StudioPress plugins are and what they do.

Find the official StudioPress plugins here…

  • http://www.studiopress.com/plugins

The Genesis Slider plugin and the Genesis Responsive Slider plugin.

There are two Genesis slider plugins. These make images slide across your web page. You often see this effect on website home pages. If your theme has a built in slider you’ll want to install one of them.

  • If your theme is mobile responsive use the Genesis Responsive Slider plugin.
  • If your theme is not mobile responsive, use the Genesis Slider.

Images used in the responsive slider resize depending on what type of device is used to view the site. So if you view the site using a mobile phone or a tablet computer the images will be smaller so they still fit on the screen. I made a StudioPress tutorial showing you how to set up the Genesis responsive slider. The Genesis Slider plugin is very similar but the images are not responsive and don’t resize on mobile devices.

Three more of the most popular plugins for the Genesis framework are…

Genesis Simple Edits

“This plugin lets you edit the three most commonly modified areas in any Genesis theme: the post-info (byline), the post-meta, and the footer area.”

Genesis Simple Social Icons

“This plugin allows you to insert social icons in any widget area.” There are several Genesis plugins that let you easily link to your Facebook, twitter and Linkedin profiles. Simple Social Icons is modern looking and very popular.

Genesis Simple Hooks

The Genesis Framework was designed to make building websites a faster, more modular process. Genesis has been compared to a web designers Leggo set. But because Genesis works in a different way to most other WordPress themes, the StudioPress team came up with a plugin called Simple Hooks. I found Simple Hooks to be a good way to gain a basic understanding of how Genesis theme development works. Simple Hooks is a series of text entry boxes. Each text box corresponds to a position in your theme or design. When you add code or content in one of these boxes, the code or content will appear on your web page in the corresponding place. Above the sidebar or below the main content etc. I made a StudioPress tutorial showing how simple hooks works.

A quote from the StudioPress site…

“This plugin creates a new Genesis settings page that allows you to insert code (HTML, Shortcodes, and PHP), and attach it to any of the 50+ action hooks.”

Simple hooks is a good plugin for people who know HTML and CSS but are new to PHP.

Buying StudioPress themes and The Genesis Framework

Still not decided which StudioPress theme to use? There are over forty StudioPress themes. And there are some free themes that run on the Genesis Framework. But, even if you use a free theme, you have to buy the Genesis framework unless your developer provides it for you.

StudioPress are the only people who sell the Genesis Framework but many web designers sell themes that run on the Genesis Framework. If you want more choice than you can find on the StudioPress site, there are many more themes available some are recommended by the StudioPress team. These recommended themes are referred to as community themes. StudioPress refer to community themes as “Quality Themes from the StudioPress Design Community”. StudioPress also give this assurance, “we assure you that the design and coding of the themes are top-notch”.

The interactive theme chooser.

This handy little gadget helps you pick the right theme for your particular needs, why not give it a try? (The link above includes themes in the Genesis Pro pack as well as community themes which are sold separately.)

As you can see, StudioPress offer an awful lot of high quality coding and design at a very reasonable price.

How does the pricing work?

Some options you could choose…

  • Buy the Genesis Framework and use a free theme.
  • Buy the Genesis Framework and a StudioPress theme as a bundle.
  • Buy the Genesis Pro All-Theme Package. Ideal for web developers.

You can buy the Genesis Framework and a single theme, but if you’re a designer, why not get the whole package? Its a good deal.

This is what the StudioPress.com site says about the Genesis Pro Package… (correct in June 2020)

Build better sites faster with powerful site building tools for WordPress—just $360/year.

With the purchase of Genesis Pro, you get access to and support for Genesis & all the StudioPress-made themes and 1 year of free hosting at WP Engine.

You don’t have to host on WP Engine to use Genesis Pro.

I’ve used Genesis for many years, and I’m still delighted with it.

Sidebar

StudioPress and Genesis Tutorials
  • StudioPress and Genesis Tutorials
StudioPress themes Free with this hosting.

My StudioPress and Genesis Tutorials

  • StudioPress Sites Review
  • Genesis Responsive Slider Tutorial
  • Genesis Featured Post Widget Tutorial
  • StudioPress Core Skills
  • Simple Hooks Tutorial
  • Genesis Simple Edits Tutorial
  • Genesis Dambuster plugin basic settings
  • Beaver Builder Tutorial – The Basics
  • Elementor Tutorial: a Quick Start Guide
  • Changing the color scheme of Altitude, Magazine Parallax Pro themes
  • Basic StudioPress Theme Customization (Old Post)
  • Genesis Framework Widget Areas Tutorial
  • Genesis Grid Loop Tutorial
  • Simple URLs (plugin) Tutorial
  • Simple Sidebars Tutorial
  • Simple Social Icons Plugin
  • Customizing the WordPress Query
  • Category and Tag Archive Listing Pages
  • Adding an author box below posts
  • Choosing the right StudioPress theme (a review)
  • Genesis eNews Extended and Mailchimp
  • StudioPress Pricing Table
  • StudioPress Flexible Layouts
  • Genesis CSS learn how to tweak and customize your site
  • Icons used in StudioPress themes
  • Images in homepage text widgets
  • Using Genesis Column Classes To Build Layout Grids
  • Sticky Header or Menu in Genesis
  • Plugins used in StudioPress themes
  • Genesis Simple FAQ plugin
  • Strong Testimonials Plugin – The Basics
  • Cornerstone Content: a simple how to guide
  • Genesis Portfolio Pro
  • Setup Generate Pro theme
  • Setup Hello Pro
  • Set up Altitude Pro theme
  • Setup – Executive Pro Theme
  • Parallax Pro Theme Review
  • Setup Parallax Pro Theme
  • Changing Google Fonts in a Genesis child theme (Parallax Pro)
  • Setup Daily Dish Pro theme
  • Setup Metro Pro theme
  • Foodie Pro Overview
  • Smart Passive Income Pro Theme: set up guide
  • Academy Pro theme Setup Guide
  • Authority Pro Theme: setup guide
Install the Genesis Framework
  • Are you ready to take your first steps? Watch as I install WordPress and Genesis.

Rainmaker Platform – a Review

  • Discover if you need the Rainmaker Platform
FoodieProTutorials
Build your own Genesis child themes with Dynamik Website Builder

Genesis Design Palette Pro

  • Customize your theme with Genesis Design Palette Pro

DIY Webdesign with Dynamik Website Builder AND Genesis Extender plugin

  • Genesis Child Theme Tutorial with Dynamik Website Builder
  • StudioPress theme customisation with the Genesis Extender plugin
  • Dynamik Fixed Background Image

StudioPress Accelerator

  • StudioPress Accelerator, the budget-friendly way to get a seriously fast website.

Are you getting stuck setting up a StudioPress site?Please let me know if you get stuck.

Disclosure: I receive compensation from some of the companies whose products I review.

How my affiliate links work…

  • I only get paid if someone buys a product. Not because someone clicks a link.
  • You pay the same price using my links or the StudioPress site.
  • If I earn some commission I can spend some more time making more tutorials.
  • P.S. Thanks to all those folks who have bought through my links.
  • It's much appreciated :-)

Philip Gledhill web design

Philip Gledhill is a Bradford web designer and WordPress assistant.

Genesis Extender

Customise your Genesis child theme the easy way.

The Genesis Extender Plugin

Get The Genesis Framework

WordPress Hosting

WordPress Hosting, Which Deal is Best For You?

Genesis – StudioPress resources

There are many good websites where you can find information about the Genesis Framework.

I use the sites listed below on a weekly or even daily basis to find answers, solutions and basic information.

I hope you find them as useful as I have.

Bill Erickson
WordPress Consultant

  • Tutorials
  • Code

Designs by Nick the Geek
Genesis based WordPress development and tutorials for everyone

  • Genesis Explained a good introduction to the code that makes Genesis work

Greg Rickaby
Front-End Developer @WebDevStudios

  • Code Snippets

Christopher Cochran
web/tech/design/music

  • The Visual Hook Guide

Carrie Dils

Genesis Developer and Web Designer

  • Genesis Tutorials and Information

Carrie Dils course on Lynda.com

  • There are two Genesis courses on Lynda.com. Up and Running with Genesis and Customizing Themes. Both are well worth a look. And if you're new to Lynda.com you can usually get a 7 day free trial.

Sridhar Katakam

  • Loads of WordPress and Genesis tutorials. Well worth a look.

Genesis For Beginners

  • pdf book

StudioPress.tv

  • Some basic videos from StudioPress

Brian Gardner

  • Code snippets and info from the man behind StudioPress

Sure Fire Web Services Inc
Web Design Tips, WordPress Development Help,and Genesis Framework Tutorials

  • Useful Genesis links page

WP Smith

  • Genesis code snippets

Looking for a StudioPress theme or hosting?

Check out the two links below…

Get Genesis Framework & StudioPress Themes free.

When you sign up for a WP Engine plan, you receive the Genesis Framework and 36 StudioPress Themes free. That’s over $2,000 in value.

Free themes with hosting
Get Premium WordPress Themes

Buy a StudioPress theme outright and use it on all of your sites. There are three ways to get all of the StudioPress themes AND save.

Choose Your Theme

Web Hosting

If you’re in the market for premium web hosting from a team you trust why not checkout WP Engine. It’s designed to be Fast, Secure & Worry Free!

Site Map

Site Map: if you can’t see what you’re looking for read through my sitemap, it may well be there :-)

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This website is independently owned by an affiliate marketer of StudioPress. It is not sponsored by StudioPress, WP Engine, Copyblogger Media LLC, WordPress, or Automattic Inc. WordPress, Genesis, StudioPress and WP Engine, are registered trademarks of their respective owners.

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