Customizing My Website Theme

Here we get into the really boring stuff.

Or at least, the stuff that sounds boring until you realize how much control you actually have over your website.

This week, I worked on making Fright Attendant look and function more like an actual horror website instead of a collection of random assignments. But because of the nature of this class, that’s still kinda what it is!

Widgets: The Little Things That Do Stuff

Astra supports several useful widgets and WordPress blocks, including:

• Search: Helps visitors find specific articles.
• Categories: Organizes content into easily accessible subjects.
• Latest Posts: Displays recently published articles.
• Archives: Lets readers browse older posts by month.
• Tag Cloud: Highlights recurring topics throughout the website.

I added Search, Categories, and Latest Posts because finding content shouldn’t feel like wandering through a haunted house without a flashlight.

Customizing Fright Attendant

I added About and Contact pages, organized the navigation menu, and included links to featured posts and outside horror resources.

I also added a site icon, experimented with background imagery, and adjusted the colors to create a darker atmosphere with crimson accents. The changes give the website a more recognizable identity without sacrificing readability.

I tested desktop, tablet, and mobile previews, experimented with CSS, and configured the AMP plugin for posts and pages.

Why Schedule Design Changes?

Scheduling changes makes sense for three reasons. First, updating during quieter hours minimizes disruptions. Second, coordinating changes with new articles or seasonal events gives visitors something fresh to experience. Finally, planning ahead leaves time to test everything and correct mistakes before they reach an audience.

Basically, making a website look good takes work. Making sure it stays functional while you’re messing with everything takes a liiiiittle more.