Makena Overview
Step 1: How to install Makena theme
In your WordPress dashboard, go to Appearance > Themes > Add New > Upload Theme.
Click the Choose File button, locate the zip file on your computer and upload it.
Next click Install Now and wait for the theme to install. Activate the child theme.
Step 2: Homepage & Blog Page Setup
Home Page
In your WordPress dashboard, go to Pages > Add New
Next, create a new page titled Home
NOTE: Leave content area empty.
Go to Page Attributes and select Front Page Template
Click Publish
Blog Page
In your WordPress dashboard, go to Pages > Add New
Create another new page titled Blog
NOTE: Leave content area empty.
Click Publish
Static Home Page Setup
In your WordPress dashboard, go to Settings > Reading
On Your homepage displays select A static page (select below)
On Homepage, select Home
On Posts page, select Blog
Next, click Save Changes
About and Contact Page
In your WordPress dashboard, go to Pages > Add New
Create a new page titled About and add your content.
Go to Page Attributes and select About Page Template
Click Publish
Step 3: How to install recommended plugins
In your WordPress dashboard, go to Plugins > Add New > Search plugins
Recommended plugins for CGG Themes:
Contact Form 7, MailChimp for WordPress, Regenerate Thumbnails, WooCommerce, WordPress Importer
For instructions on how to set up each plugin, please go to the plugin’s documentation.
Step 4: How to create menus
In your WordPress dashboard, go to Appearance > Menus > Edit Menus
Go to create a new menu > Menu Name and give your menu a name (e.g. Primary Menu).
Next, go to Manage Locations and select the theme location for your menu.
On the left, select the Pages, Posts, Categories etc. you want to add to the menu and click Add to Menu button.
You can change the order of the menu items by drag and drop.
You can also create nested drop-down menus: Just drag the menu item slightly to the right below its parent item.
Lastly, click Save Menu.
How to create Custom Links
On the left, click on Custom Links
Insert the URL (e.g. https://chimenegaspar.com/) and Link Text (e.g. Home)
Click Add to Menu and Save Menu
If you wish to create an empty link:
Insert # in the URL field and Link Text
Click Add to Menu and Save Menu
Step 5: How to set up your sidebar
In your WordPress dashboard, go to Appearance > Widgets.
Drag widgets from the left into the Blog Sidebar, Main Sidebar or Page Sidebar to display them in your sidebar(s).
Sidebar Widgets included in the Makena Theme
User Portrait – to display your short biography in the sidebar.
User Contact Infos – to display your phone number and email.
User Follow Me – to display your social links.
Recent Posts – to display your recent posts with thumbnails.
Mag Layout Grid – display posts from chosen category or recent posts from your blog.
Blog Layout Grid – display posts from chosen category or recent to your blog page.
Step 6: Makena Theme Options
General Options
In your WordPress dashboard, go to Appearance > Customize to change general settings.
The Customizer link can also be found in the admin dashboard of your WordPress installation.
With the WordPress Customizer, you can change the appearance and functionality of your WordPress website with a few clicks.
Upload Logo
Got to Site Identity and upload your Logo, change your Site Title, Tagline or add a Site Icon.
Background Colors
Colors > change your background color.
Header Image
Header Image > upload a header image.
Background Image
Background Image > upload a background image.
Menus
Menus > View, add and change Menu Location, order your menu items etc.
Widgets
Widgets > View, add and change Widgets.
NOTE: To set up the Page Sidebar > navigate to a Page and proceed with your changes.
WooCommerce
WooCommerce > only if plugin is installed and activated.
Additional CSS
Additional CSS > make some changes via Theme Customizer.
Click Save and Publish to save your changes.
Theme Options
In your WordPress dashboard, go to Appearance > Customize > Makena Theme Options
Click on Homepage Options.
Disable or enable options and add section titles (applies to all sections on the front page).
How to set up Social Network Links
In your WordPress dashboard, go to Appearance > Customize > Makena Theme Options
Click on Social Network Links.
Add links to your social network sites with full url (e.g. https://chimenegaspar.com)
Header Options
In your WordPress dashboard, go to Appearance > Customize > Makena Theme Options
Click on Header Options.
Enable or disable header options.
Slider Options
In your WordPress dashboard, go to Appearance > Customize > Makena Theme Options
Click on Slider Options.
Upload your slide images, insert titles and links.
Banner Ads
In your WordPress dashboard, go to Appearance > Customize > Makena Theme Options
Click on Banner Ads.
Upload your banner images, insert titles and links. Recommended image size: 547×180 px
Blog Page Options
In your WordPress dashboard, go to Appearance > Customize > Makena Theme Options
Click on Blog Page Options.
Switch your Sidebar Position from right to left, from left to right
Change your Blog Layout:
Standard layout – right sidebar
Standard layout – left sidebar
List layout – right sidebar
List layout – left sidebar
Single Post Options
In your WordPress dashboard, go to Appearance > Customize > Makena Theme Options
Click on Single Post Options.
Enable or disable single post options and change Related Posts title.
How to change Theme Colors
In your WordPress dashboard, go to Appearance > Customize > Makena Theme Options
Click on Theme Colors.
You can change Background Color of wrappers and boxes, Button Color, Main Text and Title etc.
How to set up 404 Page
In your WordPress dashboard, go to Appearance > Customize > Makena Theme Options
Click on 404 Page.
Upload a background image, add title and text to your 404 Page.
How to set up Newsletter Section
In your WordPress dashboard, go to Appearance > Customize > Makena Theme Options
Click on Newsletter.
Install MailChimp Newsletter plugin, once activated, you can set up your newsletter section.
Step 7: Giveaway and Photo Credit Metaboxes
Giveaway Box
Add image, title and link to the Giveaway Box below the post.
Image Credits Metabox
Avoid copyright issues and always add image credits to your image. Insert photographer/agency name and image url.
Step 8: How to add Brands
In your WordPress dashboard, go to Brands > Add New
Step 9: How to add Testimonials
In your WordPress dashboard, go to Testimonials > Add New
Step 10: How to create a gallery
Create a gallery with the inbuilt WordPress gallery option and add it anywhere in your post or page.
In your WordPress dashboard, go to Pages or Post > Add New and create a new post or page titled “Gallery”, “Portfolio” or “Work” etc.
Click on “Add Media” button to upload images from your PC or select images from your media library.
You have two options: You can 1) upload images from your computer, or 2) use images you already have in your media library.
Edit Gallery
Step 11: How to update your Theme
Important:
Please download a backup copy of your current theme files (and/or database) before updating to the latest version.
Via WordPress Dashboard
-
- 1. Download the latest theme version from the purchase download link you once received.
- 2. In your WordPress dashboard, go to Appearance > Themes and switch to another theme.
Activate one of the WordPress default themes, e.g. Twenty Sixteen or Twenty Seventeen. - 3. Delete the current version of your theme (NOT the child theme, just the parent theme!)
- 4. In your WordPress dashboard, go to Appearance > Themes > Add New > Upload Theme
- 5. Click the Choose File button, locate your theme’s zip file on your computer and upload it.
- 6. Next, click Install Now and wait for the theme to install.
- 7. Clear site and browser cache to prevent errors
Manual Updates Via FTP/SFTP
- 1. Download the latest theme version from the purchase download link you once received.
- 2. Log into your server via FTP or SFTP and go to wp-content/themes/
- 3. Delete the current version of your theme (the parent theme, not the child theme) and override your parent theme folder files with the latest ones downloaded.
- 4. Clear site and browser cache to prevent errors