How to Create & Sell WordPress Themes

Creating and selling WordPress themes is a great way to leverage your design and development skills while generating income. WordPress powers over 40% of websites, and there’s a large market for premium themes that offer customization, ease of use, and enhanced features. Whether you want to sell themes on your own website or through marketplaces like ThemeForest or Mojo Marketplace, this guide will walk you through the process of creating and selling WordPress themes.

1. Understand the WordPress Theme Market

Before you start designing and coding, it’s important to understand the WordPress theme market. Research existing themes and identify gaps or areas where you can provide unique value. Consider the following:

• Popular Niche Themes: Business, eCommerce (WooCommerce), blogs, portfolios, photography, education, etc.
• Trends: Mobile-first design, minimalism, speed optimization, and integration with page builders (like Elementor or WPBakery).
• Target Audience: Do you want to target beginners who want simple themes, or more advanced users who need highly customizable themes?

Analyzing the competition and understanding the needs of your target audience will help you design a theme that stands out in the crowded WordPress theme marketplace.

2. Choose a Framework or Build from Scratch

When creating a WordPress theme, you have two main approaches: using a theme framework or building a custom theme from scratch.

• Theme Frameworks: A theme framework is a base theme that includes essential features like customization options, responsive design, and security best practices. Frameworks like Underscores or Genesis are popular choices. They provide a solid foundation for your theme development and save time.
• Custom Themes: If you have the required skills, you can build a theme entirely from scratch. This allows for greater flexibility, but it requires a deeper understanding of WordPress theme development, including PHP, CSS, JavaScript, and WordPress template hierarchy.

3. Design the Theme

A key aspect of creating a successful WordPress theme is design. It’s important to design a visually appealing, user-friendly theme that’s easy to customize and use.

• Use a Design Tool: Tools like Adobe XD, Sketch, Figma, or even Photoshop can be used to create mockups and wireframes for your theme design.
• Responsive Design: Make sure your theme is mobile-friendly and adjusts to different screen sizes. Use CSS media queries to implement responsive design.
• UI/UX Best Practices: Your theme should be easy to navigate. Focus on clean layouts, clear typography, and intuitive navigation. Avoid cluttered designs that may confuse the user.

4. Develop the Theme

The development process involves writing the code to bring your design to life. A WordPress theme includes several important files, including:

• style.css: This is the main stylesheet where you define the design and styles of the theme.
• index.php: The default template file for WordPress themes.
• functions.php: This file allows you to add custom features, like theme options, custom post types, or support for plugins.
• header.php, footer.php, sidebar.php: These files handle the structure of the header, footer, and sidebar sections of the theme.
• single.php, page.php: These templates define how individual posts and pages are displayed.
• archive.php: Controls how categories, tags, and date-based archives are displayed.
• customizer.php: If you want to provide theme customization options for users, you’ll use this file.

Make sure to follow the WordPress coding standards and best practices, which include:

• Clean, well-commented code.
• Efficient use of WordPress functions (avoid direct HTML or static code).
• Enqueuing styles and scripts properly (use wp_enqueue_style and wp_enqueue_script).
• Localization: Make your theme translatable by including support for language files (.po and .mo).

Additionally, it’s important to ensure that your theme is secure and optimized for performance. Avoid loading unnecessary resources, and ensure that it works well with popular plugins like Yoast SEO, WooCommerce, and contact form plugins.

5. Add Theme Features

To make your theme more attractive to buyers, include useful features that add value:

• Custom Widgets: Add custom widgets to allow users to display specific content (e.g., social media feeds, recent posts, etc.).
• Theme Customizer Support: Use the WordPress Customizer API to allow users to easily change colors, fonts, and other settings from the WordPress dashboard.
• Demo Content Import: Make it easy for users to import demo content to replicate the theme’s look and feel.
• Page Builder Compatibility: Ensure that your theme works well with popular page builders like Elementor, WPBakery, or Gutenberg.
• SEO Optimization: Optimize the theme for search engines, ensuring clean code, fast loading times, and proper HTML semantics.
• Translation & Multilingual Support: Make the theme ready for translation and support multilingual plugins like WPML.

6. Test the Theme

Once your theme is developed, you need to thoroughly test it to ensure that it works as expected:

• Browser Testing: Test your theme on different browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, etc.) to ensure compatibility.
• Device Testing: Check how your theme looks and functions on mobile, tablet, and desktop devices.
• Theme Check Plugin: Use the Theme Check plugin to validate your theme against WordPress theme standards.
• Debugging: Make sure your theme is free of PHP errors, JavaScript conflicts, and broken links.
• User Experience: Conduct usability tests to ensure the theme is easy to navigate and customize for non-technical users.

7. Prepare Documentation

Clear documentation is essential for users to understand how to install, customize, and use your theme. Include:

• Installation Instructions: Explain how users can install and activate the theme, either via the WordPress dashboard or through FTP.
• Customization Instructions: Detail how to change colors, fonts, and other settings through the WordPress Customizer.
• Demo Import Instructions: If applicable, provide a step-by-step guide for importing demo content.
• Common Issues & Troubleshooting: Offer solutions to common issues users may face.

8. Package and Submit the Theme

After testing and preparing documentation, it’s time to package your theme. Create a zip file that includes:

• All theme files (PHP, CSS, JavaScript, images).
• Documentation (README file).
• License information (most themes use the GNU General Public License, but be sure to include a license file).

Submitting to Marketplaces: If you want to sell your theme on marketplaces like ThemeForest or Mojo Marketplace, you’ll need to submit it for review. Each marketplace has its own review process, and your theme will need to meet their quality standards before it’s approved for sale.

Selling on Your Own Website: If you want to sell your theme independently, you can set up an eCommerce platform like WooCommerce on your WordPress website. Offer theme demos, documentation, and a secure payment gateway for purchasing.

9. Market Your Theme

Marketing is key to selling WordPress themes successfully. Consider the following strategies:

• SEO: Optimize your theme landing page to rank for relevant keywords like “premium WordPress theme,” “business WordPress theme,” or “responsive WordPress theme.”
• Social Media: Share updates and promotions on platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
• Affiliate Program: Offer an affiliate program to encourage others to promote your theme in exchange for a commission.
• Content Marketing: Write blog posts, tutorials, and case studies on your website to showcase the versatility and benefits of your theme.
• Email Marketing: Build an email list and send newsletters about updates, new features, and promotions.

10. Provide Support and Updates

Once your theme is available for sale, you’ll need to provide ongoing support and updates:

• Support: Respond to customer inquiries, solve issues, and offer assistance through a dedicated support page or forum.
• Regular Updates: Update your theme regularly to ensure compatibility with the latest WordPress version and security patches.