University of Wisconsin–Madison

Get Started

Before you begin with UW Theme 2.0, set clear goals and think about your audience. Use these tips to design with purpose and make the most of the theme.

Hosting your
UW Theme 2.0 site

Migrate to 2.0

If you’re moving from UW Theme Classic, visit the Migrate to 2.0 page for timelines, process details, and resources for WiscWeb and non-WiscWeb sites.

Choose your hosting option

If you’re building a site from scratch, decide where it will live. The right hosting depends on how much customization you need and the support you want.

Make sure WordPress is the right fit

WordPress works for many UW–Madison sites, but some projects may be better suited to other campus tools or hosting options.

All website publishing options

WiscWeb WordPress Service (recommended)

The Office of Strategic Communication recommends WiscWeb WordPress Service for most university websites.

  • Free for UW-Madison units.
  • Runs on UW Theme 2.0 by default.
  • Managed hosting with automatic theme, security, and WordPress updates.
  • UW branding and accessibility built-in.
  • Includes support, training, and how-to guidance.
See if you’re eligible for WiscWeb

DoIT Web Hosting

  • Cost varies depending on the hosting plan.
  • Install the UW Theme 2.0 on your own WordPress site outside WiscWeb.
  • Requires your own setup, updates, and support.
  • Flexible, but more work and responsibility.
Learn more about Web Hosting

Determine your domain name

Once you know where your site will be hosted, plan your domain name. All UW–Madison sites must follow campus website domain name procedures.

Creating content

Define your audience and goals

Start with purpose. Knowing who you’re talking to and what you want them to do will shape your content and design decisions.

  • Identify your audience and what actions you want them to take.
  • Think about your readers and the outcome you want from each page.
  • Create clear goals to guide your content and design decisions.
  • Know that design works best when it’s shaped by your audience and purpose.
  • Nielsen Norman Group offers a wealth of resources and research on building usable websites.

Resources

Focus on content first

Strong content makes your site useful. Organize around what people need, keep it clear, and cut what isn’t essential.

  • Organize your content around what users need to know and do.
  • Make your message easy to scan, understand, and act on.
  • Put your most important content first. Then cut what’s not needed.
  • Write with purpose, not decoration.
  • Follow plain language best practices.

Resources

Designing your site

Learn the theme and block editor

UW Theme 2.0 is built for the WordPress block editor (Gutenberg). Use this site to learn how blocks, patterns, and plugins work so you can design faster, stay on brand, and build accessible layouts.

  1. Review About UW Theme 2.0 for an overview of the theme and what it offers.
  2. Learn about UW Theme 2.0’s blocks, patterns, and plugins.
  3. See what Theme Settings options are available to you.
  4. Follow theme best practices and guidelines when creating your site.
  5. Watch UW Theme 2.0 intro training (recordings).
  6. Learn about WiscWeb’s support options, including Office Hours.
Try a live demo of the theme

Resources

Make accessible design choices

Websites at UW–Madison should work for everyone. Accessibility isn’t just a nice-to-have, it’s a core part of creating inclusive experiences that serve our whole community.

All UW–Madison websites must meet the university’s minimum web requirements. This includes following the Digital Accessibility policy, which ensures that content is usable, readable, and navigable by all.

Resources

Use official UW brand resources

UW Brand and Visual Identity includes tools and guidance for applying the brand online.

Stay connected and
get support

You don’t have to do this alone. There are resources and active UW communities of practice where you can learn, get support, share knowledge, and improve your UW Theme 2.0 site.

Join the WiscWeb and UW Theme mailing lists

These mailing lists provide important updates on UW Theme 2.0. Join the WiscWeb mailing list for important service updates, theme updates, and their monthly Lunch and Learn reminders. Open the Google Group and click Join Group in the top right to subscribe.

Support and feedback

Communities of practice

We strongly encourage joining the Campus WordPress Community to connect with other WordPress developers