What’s Important in an Affiliate Theme for WordPress?
When I say Affiliate Theme for WordPress, you might think I’m referring to the new Unique Blog Designs theme that you can view here. Nope, I’m talking about affiliate themes and internet marketing WordPress themes in general.
I’m going to the drawing board for a completely new affiliate theme for WordPress. Having had some great input from hundreds of Flexibility, Flexibility 2 and FlexSqueeze users, I want to narrow the focus to what are the absolute necessary features in an affiliate theme.
My past themes have focused on maximum customization, with options as detailed as controlling the letter spacing in the sidebar titles. With my next project, I want to maximize the usability of the theme while at the same time minimizing the control options in order to facilitate faster deployment and improved user experience.
I’m thinking of using settings more like the Quick Change settings in Flexibility 2 and FlexSqueeze, but apply them to the typography and layout as well as the color scheme. So instead of having so many individual options such as font size, hover color, etc, you would be able to apply one of many Quick Change settings to create different blog-wide appearances. Some people like the fine-tunability (I think I just created a word) of my themes, but I would say the majority just use the default settings and make minor tweaks to the theme.
So here’s my question: What would be the MOST important features to build into a theme?
Is the ability to control blog width important? A fixed-width blog would lend itself to more creative visuals (rounded corners, etc) but still give the ability to change the sidebar width to accomodate different widgets and plugins.
What about built-in optin forms? Built-in subscribe via email form? Built-in Adsense or leave it up to plugins? Drop-down menus? More/less feature areas? More/less header graphic options? More squeeze page functionality? Multiple page templates so you can apply a full-width page with no sidebar to any page? Right/left sidebar configurations?
You use my themes, so give me some feedback on what YOU would like to see in my next theme. It will be built from the ground up with a whole new look and feel, so the more input I get, the better I can build a theme that will maximize the usability for affiliate and internet marketers.
Filed under: Affiliate Marketing • Themes
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I don’t know exactly what I would be looking for quite yet. But you’re still kick ass brother
Keep up the solid work.
Built-in Adsense or leave it up to plugins?
Plugins
Side bars on either side with options of 0, 1, 2 or 3 side bars or columns
Option of menus shown at top (header), bottom (footer) or on side bar and be able to determine what is shown or hidden and order it is shown.
Drop-down menus
Yes
More/less header graphic options
More
Multiple page templates so you can apply a full-width page with no sidebar to any page?
Yes
John
Great theme.
I agree with all of John’s comments above.
I would add — your Quick Change ideas sound great, but leave the fine-tunability also. (Excellent new word!)
Also — very big now — easy, full-featured review sites, with stars for rating products in reviews, and the ability for readers to add their own reviews ala Amazon.
Cheers,
Michael
Great suggestions john!
The big picture we’re looking for is a theme that caters to building a flexible IM blog that also happens to have squeeze page abilities. This is why we licensed FlexSqueeze. The idea is that you use the blog front-end for everything from sales support sites to silo based review sites, BUT you have the squeeze page ability for whatever creative purpose you desire. You might link to a squeeze page from the blog or you might have a squeeze page that leads to a membership site in the same blog etc…
Leon McKee
I would definitely say a full-featured review application would be absolutely awesome, you think you are going to add that in the near future?
I don’t think I’ll be including review capability, as there are some good review plugins available that would do the job just fine.
This is great stuff. My head is about to explode as this is much what I was thinking. I’ll have to implement some of my ideas before I can really make solid comments on what is already available.
As I see it, its great already for what I want to do thus far!
Carl
Opt-in options (e.g. drop-down) are key as this is important to long-term monetization for many affiliate products (i.e. building your own lists).
In a word, AWESOME! I came across the Flexibility 2 theme on Friday about 3 a.m. and pretty much haven’t slept since (it’s now Saturday 12 p.m.)… I have been too busy playing around with it. I love WordPress for the speed, ease of use, and SEO effects and Flexibility 2 just takes it to a whole new level. I’m now going to take a step back and come up with a plan to start moving my sites over. Thanks Ryan!
-Bob
The UBD Affiliate theme is a great product. However, for season affiliates, I think what a few useful feature will be greatly appreciated such as:
(1) Built-in optin forms with autoresponder integration capability with a click from management panel.
(2) Built-in subscribe via email form
(3) Easy one click change fropm full-width page with no sidebar.
Personally these are the ones I would like to see.
Thanks
In AN affiliate theme, not THE affiliate theme.. ha! But that’s good to know. Wait until you see the next version of Flexibility. It’s going to be the ultimate theme for IM’ers.
Ryan, don’t tease like that
Leon McKee