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Yojaira Finkle
Yojaira Finkle

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Free Download Deep - Creative Agency & Portfolio WordPress Theme

Deep Theme Setup & Mastery for Developers

Creative teams need a site that loads fast, looks intentional, and ships without drama. This practical guide shows how to plan, install, configure, and optimize Deep – Creative Agency & Portfolio WordPress Theme for a developer workflow—combining a surgical, step-by-step setup with hands-on field notes that help you ship a refined portfolio or studio site quickly and keep iterating with confidence.

1) Pre-Flight for a Smooth Build

Environment

  • WordPress on PHP 8.x, HTTPS, memory limit ≥ 256M, upload size ≥ 64M.
  • Tools → Site Health: zero critical issues.
  • Pretty permalinks (/%postname%/).

Team Roles

  • Content owner (copy, assets, case data), implementer (build), reviewer (QA and accessibility).

Asset Prep

  • Logo (SVG), color tokens, two type families max.
  • Hero visuals, 12–18 curated project images (WebP/AVIF, 2000–2400px), 3–5 testimonials, 6–9 service blurbs.
  • Copy blocks: positioning headline, subhead, outcomes, CTAs, FAQs.

Workflow

  • Use a staging site for imports; deploy only after QA.
  • Version control theme edits in a child theme; keep a change log.

2) Clean Installation Without Conflicts

  1. Upload and activate the theme via Appearance → Themes → Add New → Upload.
  2. Install/activate prompted companion plugins.
  3. Re-save Settings → Permalinks (flush rules).
  4. Deactivate overlapping builders or legacy shortcodes to avoid layout collisions.
  5. Confirm PHP memory/time limits meet importer requirements.

3) Starter Import: Full vs. Lean

Full Import (fast baseline)

  • Import Demo/Starter: homepage, services, portfolio, blog structures.
  • Import demo media only if needed for layout scaffolding.

Lean Import (performance-first)

  • Import Customizer + widgets; skip demo media.
  • Compose sections from Deep’s block library using your assets to keep the media library clean and admin snappy.

Set a static homepage in Settings → Reading, and assign menus in Appearance → Menus.

4) Information Architecture That Converts

Core Pages

  • Home: positioning, proof, featured work, service highlights, CTA.
  • Work (Archive): filterable grid with consistent aspect ratios.
  • Case Study (Single): business context, process, system, outcomes, CTA.
  • Services: overview + one page per core service.
  • About: team, process, values.
  • Contact: short form + SLA.

Navigation

  • Header: Work, Services, About, Blog, Contact, CTA button (Start a project).
  • Footer: condensed sitemap, social, legal, newsletter.

5) Home Page Blueprint (Developer Edition)

Above the Fold

  • Headline = outcome + audience (“Strategic web design that ships on time”).
  • Subhead clarifies focus (“Brand systems, component libraries, and conversion-ready sites”).
  • Primary CTA (“Start a project”); Secondary (“See work”).
  • Visual: static hero for speed; ratio-consistent images to prevent CLS.

Proof Band

  • Logos row (monochrome) or metrics (“+47% signup rate,” “3× faster build”).
  • Keep the numbers defensible.

Work Grid

  • 6–9 cards; hover reveals a one-line outcome.
  • Uniform thumbnail ratios to avoid layout jumps.

Service Cards

  • 3–4 blocks: Branding, Web Design, Development, Growth Content.
  • Each links to a detail page with deliverables and a micro-FAQ.

Testimonials

  • Role + company + outcome; 25–40 words each.

Final CTA

  • One sentence + button; no fluff.

6) Case Study Template That Wins Briefs

  1. Overview: client, sector, challenge.
  2. Objectives & Constraints: business targets, timeline, compliance.
  3. Approach: discovery → strategy → design → build → launch.
  4. Design System: color, typography, spacing, motion, components.
  5. Outcomes: measurable changes (conversions, speed, engagement).
  6. Credits & Timeline: who, how long.
  7. Next Project CTA: keep viewers in the loop.

Curation Rules

  • 12–18 images per case; trim near-duplicates.
  • Include one diagram or annotated UI to explain a system decision.

7) Services Pages: Structure and Microcopy

  • Who it’s for: one line.
  • Deliverables: component library, CMS build, analytics, performance budget.
  • Process: 4–5 steps with outcomes.
  • Pricing cues: ranges or “from …” without turning into a calculator.
  • FAQs: timelines, revisions, handoff, maintenance.

8) Design Tokens: Make It Feel Cohesive

  • Type scale: H1 56–64, H2 32–40, H3 24–28, body 16–18, small 14.
  • Colors: primary (CTA), secondary (accents), neutrals (surface/border/text).
  • Spacing: 8-point grid; section paddings 80–120px desktop, 48–72px mobile.
  • Elevation: soft shadows for cards; hairline borders for clarity.

Centralize tokens so brand updates cascade site-wide.

9) Building with Deep Blocks (Two Styles to Mix)

Conversion-first

  • Outcome headline, proof snippet, single primary CTA.
  • Static visuals; minimal motion; immediate value communication.

Narrative-first

  • Craft-led headline, secondary CTA (“See selected work”).
  • Gentle micro-interactions that reinforce hierarchy; avoid gratuitous effects.

Alternate sections (light/dark) for scannability; use consistent container widths (1200–1320px desktop).

10) Performance Playbook (Lighthouse-Friendly)

  • Images: WebP/AVIF; define width/height; lazy-load below the fold.
  • Fonts: two families max; subset; font-display: swap.
  • Scripts: defer non-critical; conditionally load analytics after consent.
  • Cache: page caching, compression, immutable asset headers.
  • Video: poster images; short muted loops; keep hero video under ~2 MB.

Target LCP < 2.5s (mobile), CLS < 0.1. Re-test after major media/layout changes.

11) Accessibility as a Feature

  • Contrast ≥ AA; visible focus states; keyboard-navigable menus/modals.
  • Alt text describes intent; forms have labels and clear error states.
  • Respect prefers-reduced-motion; keep animation purposeful.

12) SEO Foundations Without Noise

  • One H1 per page; meaningful H2/H3 hierarchy.
  • Descriptive meta titles/descriptions; unique OG/Twitter images for key pages.
  • Schema: Organization, Breadcrumbs; Article for blog posts; FAQ where appropriate.
  • Internal links: Home → Services → Case → Contact; Blog → Services/Case.

13) Copy Patterns Developers Can Ship

Headlines

  • Outcome + audience: “Ecommerce design that lifts AOV.”
  • Avoid generic slogans; testable beats poetic.

Body

  • Front-load value; short sentences; verbs over adjectives.
  • Replace feature lists with jobs-to-be-done phrasing.

Proof

  • Role + number + timeframe. Concrete wins.

14) Editorial Rhythm for Compounding Trust

  • Case study every 6–8 weeks.
  • Process article quarterly (“How we build a performance budget”).
  • Homepage refresh semi-annually (hero, featured work, CTA test).

15) Global Elements You’ll Reuse

  • Header: sticky, subtle elevation, clean CTAs.
  • Footer: sitemap, social, legal, newsletter.
  • Blocks: logos wall, CTA callout, mini-FAQ, testimonial slider.

16) Forms That Respect Time

  • Fields: Name, Email, Budget Range (3 options), Message.
  • Anti-spam: honeypot + server-side validation.
  • Auto-reply sets expectations (“We reply within 1 business day”).

17) Internationalization & RTL

  • Language subfolders (/en/, /es/); translate slugs where useful.
  • Mirror layout for RTL; adjust directional icons and carousels.

18) Troubleshooting Quick Wins

  • White screen: temporarily rename /plugins/ to isolate conflicts.
  • Demo import stalls: increase memory/execution time; import Customizer first.
  • CLS spikes: define image sizes, standardize card heights, preload key fonts.
  • Slow admin: limit dashboard widgets; clean transients; prune oversized images.

19) Launch Checklist (Reusable)

  • ✅ Favicon/touch icons set
  • ✅ OG/Twitter cards validated
  • ✅ Forms deliver to the right inbox
  • ✅ 404/empty states styled
  • ✅ Lighthouse mobile pass on Home/Work/Services
  • ✅ Legal pages in footer
  • ✅ Consent + analytics firing

20) Post-Launch Cadence

  • Monthly: updates on staging, performance audit, backup test.
  • Quarterly: swap featured projects, refresh hero, update testimonials.
  • Always: prune weak images, tighten copy, keep the grid curated.

21) Where to Get the Theme and Explore

22) Final Word

Treat the site like a product: tokens, components, content patterns, and performance budgets that compound. With Deep, you standardize how you ship and save attention for what matters—curation, narrative, measurable outcomes. Keep the homepage honest, the grid consistent, the case studies proof-driven, and the contact path short. That’s how you turn visits into briefs.

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