The number of free and premium themes for WordPress has EXPLODED over the past couple of years. As such, the range of quality and consistency from one theme to another can be enormous.
The theme-ing business has quietly become a multi-million dollar cottage industry where single designers (like myself) are making upwards of $200,000 a year just by releasing themes.
Much has been discussed across the net about design standards, coding best practices, and the ever changing theme environment – I’d like to take the conversation a step further by examining the entire theme-marketplace as a whole and suggesting a ”manifesto” for theme designers.
The main points will include:
- Context: An overview of the theme industry as it stands right now.
- The need for higher review standards across the market
- The vast array of deprecated themes that stick around (but should be put to rest!)
- The need for themes to move AWAY from heavy options panels that lock users down to one theme.
- Where the true future of WordPress themes lies…
