Since picking out a theme is so important, you will be glad to know that it is a pretty simple process. Today, I will demonstrate how to install and manage your Open Source Social Network themes.

Why Change Your Theme?

By default, every OSSN install comes equipped with the same theme, and while you might be a fan of the look, let me assure you, you are not the only one. It does look very nice after all. While you can certainly change the appearance of a theme to make it unique, if you have the coding knowledge, having the same default theme as everyone else who installs OSSN is not a good idea.

You need to stand out from other websites, especially the ones that will have identical features available to them.

Appearances Matter

The appearance of your website is the first thing a visitor sees when they stumble upon your website. And if it does not impress them or looks shady, you can probably bet they will not return.

Thus, you need to make sure your website looks good and matches the content tone.

In OSSN’s case, you should be making a social network. On these types of sites, visitors will create accounts, leave personal information, and build connections.

Now let me ask you a question…if your social media website of choice looked shady or untrustworthy, how likely would you be to leave your personal information on it?

If you are like most people, you probably wouldn’t. Picking the right theme can fix this and enhance the experience your website provides, so make sure to do so.

Installing OSSN Themes

Picking out a theme is one of the first things you need to do after installing OSSN. In fact, I recommend it as the first thing because the theme you choose may influence how you approach certain design decisions. Luckily, this is a really straightforward process that only takes a few steps.

All OSSN themes can be found on the theme directory, thus, the first step is to visit the theme directory.

Once there, you can select one of the themes available. Now if you are used to using other CMS like WordPress, you may notice that there are not many themes available. The theme directory only provides 7 themes at the time of writing this tutorial.

However, it is worth noting that these are simply the free themes available. There are plenty of premium ones, and it is possible to create your own theme as well.

Select a theme from the list that you wish to install.

Click on the Download button at the top of the page.

Note: It is recommended that the theme be compatible with the latest version of OSSN, but it may work fine even if this message is not visible. The choice is up to you, but always make sure to thoroughly test themes that are not stated as compatible.

A zip file of the theme should now be added to your download. If you are unsure about which theme you want to use, feel free to download more than one. You can see how each one looks on your website later on.

Return to your OSSN site’s administrator page. Click on Themes and select the Installer option.

Click on the “Choose File” button and select the zip file you downloaded in the previous step. And finally, click on the “Upload” button.

You should see a green message that states that the theme has been successfully installed. Repeat these steps if you wish to install multiple themes for testing purposes.

Managing OSSN Themes

The theme you just uploaded will now be usable on your website. Managing OSSN theme’s is pretty simple. You can install, enable, or delete them. Learning how to do this is a critical skill if you are serious about using OSSN.

Click on Themes and select the Themes option.

You will now see all of the themes you have installed on OSSN. If you only added one, you should see the default OSSN theme, GoBlue, and the one you installed.

You can tell which one is currently activated on your website by the green checkmark next to it. Themes that are not currently activated have a red X instead. Click on the theme you just installed and click on the “Enable” button.

You should receive two green messages. The first being that the theme was successfully enabled, which means it is now on your live website. While the second is informing you the cache was flushed. This happens every time you enable a new theme.

Visit your website to see your new theme in action.

If you do not like it, simply swap themes using the previous steps. If you want to delete a theme, simply select the theme and click on the “Delete” button.

Note: OSSN does not currently support automatic theme updates. This means you will need to check the source of the theme regularly to get the latest version. You are essentially just installing the theme over again when there is a new version.

Congratulations on learning how to manage your OSSN themes.

Should You Consider Using a Custom Theme?

Creating your own custom OSSN theme is a lot of work, but completely viable. This gives your website a unique look that any other OSSN website cannot use. Unless they take the time to recreate your theme themselves, which is unlikely.

Alternatively, if you do not have the technical skill to make your own, you can hire someone to do it for you. This will definitely cost you some money since programmers do not work for free. However, it will certainly be worth the expense in the long run.

If you are just starting out for the first time, using a pre-built theme is the way to go. I would only recommend going the custom route if you have the knowledge to do it yourself or if your website is bringing in a lot of traffic.

Otherwise, you could spend a lot of time and money to see a very small reward.

Stand Out From the Crowd

If you are starting a social network, it is very important to differentiate yourself from the competition. You need to have something that separates your website from everyone else, and selecting a theme or creating your own is a great way to do just that.

Platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and just about every other major social media site are built on top of a unique platform. While OSSN is a great starting point, it isn’t going to compete with these feature-rich sites. However, you can make your site look better, and that can go a long way.

Which theme do you use on your OSSN website and why did you select it? What is the most important factor to you when selecting a theme for your OSSN site?

The post How to Install and Manage OSSN Themes appeared first on GreenGeeks.

Today, I will demonstrate how to use Softaculous to install Open Source Social Network to begin creating your very own self-hosted social network.

What Is Open Source Social Network?

OSSN is a social networking software written in PHP that allows users to create their very own social network. And since it is open-source, it is completely free to use.

As you would expect, this CMS will let you create an environment that allows visitors to easily share posts, photos, videos and just about everything else you would expect on a social media platform.

Visitors can create a profile, add friends, and create groups. It is equipped with a chat option that allows for both private and group conversations. And visitors will be able to comment on each other’s posts, tag each other, and even leave a rating on a post.

If your goal is to build your own social network, this is the CMS to do it.

Installing Open Source Social Network

Softaculous is accessible through your web hosting account. Without one, you will not be able to log into cPanel, where the Softaculous installer is located. If you are not sure about your login credentials, contact customer support.

Step 1: Log into Your Account and Access cPanel

Visit the GreenGeeks login page and sign in to your web hosting account.

Click on the “cPanel” button.

Step 2: Open Softaculous

Scroll down to the Software section of your cPanel and click on the Softaculous Apps Installer.

Search for Open Source Social Network in the available search box.

Step 3: Install OSSN

Click on the “Install Now” button.

You will now need to go through the various settings, but there are only a few. The first option is to select the domain or subdomain the install will occur on. Make sure there are no other installs on the choice you make.

The data directory and site name are up to you but can be left at the default entries. In the admin account settings, you will need to create a user name, select a password (make sure it is strong), enter your date of birth(DD-MM-YYYY format) and enter an email.

You should also see the Advanced Options section. Here you can name your database (again the default is fine), choose where your backups are stored (default is fine), and turn on automatic backups (daily, weekly, monthly, or custom).

Once all of this information is entered, click on the “Install” button.

You should now see a congratulations page letting you know the installation was successful.

Now Comes the Fun Part

With the installation complete, it’s time to start customizing and setting up your website for use. The good news is that the Open Source Social Network platform is like Facebook. It is very intuitive for both developers and users alike and has similar features, although far less in comparison.

Competing with other social media platforms today is no easy task, but if you can find a unique way to make your website stand out, it can be done. Just keep in mind, that it will take time to properly set up your website.

Stay tuned for the more OSSN tutorial in the future!

The post How to Install Open Source Social Network with Softaculous appeared first on GreenGeeks.