As a freelance web designer, I focused on the client projects three years ago, it was my primary income but it wasn’t stable. Because bad happens sometimes, for example, I can’t get good project or I had to stop all my works when I was sick, then there was no income during a period of time, that was terrible! So, I was started to think about how to build my passive income channels.
There are many passive income strategies for the freelance web designer, such like write blog and earn the money from Google Adsense or affiliate programs. Surely these are good ways to earn passive income if you are also good at copywriting, online marketing and SEO. However, in fact, the most of web designers are not familiar with marketing, just like me, the headache thing for me is that how to drive the web traffic, feels so hard! So I was thought that why not spend times on the things I’m capable of. Hmm, sell my design on my website and third-party marketplace? Sounds fine.
My Life Has Been Changed By Sell WordPress Themes
In 2012, I’ve started to design my first premium WordPress theme and submitted it to Themeforest, actually at first I had no great hopes for a good sales. Unexpectedly, I got 8 sales in the first day and keep more than 15 sales in the later months! That was an absolute godsend! Afterward, I continued to design more and more new WordPress themes, although the sales of new themes were not better than the first one, but they still earn passive income for me during these 3 years, even until now.
My life has been changed by sell WordPress themes, at least I don’t want to go back to a normal desk job again.
The Cruel Competition in Theme Business
In my impression, since 2015, theme business has become more difficult, because of more and more new web designers and WordPress developers has access to this field, especially teams. Yes, some awesome teams released their super multiple purpose themes that allow users to create almost all kind of common website, and they include 20–100+ demos and a powerful page builder in one theme package! What a big workload it is!
Nowadays, start theme business doesn’t mean that you just need to develop some simple web templates and sell them, it’s not enough. In my opinion, actually the most of premium themes looks like web application includes many utility features, options, and friendly user experience. The other side, you have to make an effective marketing strategy and provide prompt support service and so on.
Obviously, It is not realistic to do it alone as an individual, because the work progress is indeed too slow. Instead, go it alone has passed, the establishment of alliances between developers and designers has become trend. So, let’s work together, guys! We've still got a hell of a lot to play for, even if the competition is so cruel.
If you are a talent web designer or WordPress developer and looking for a partner, I’m very happy to hear from you via my twitter(@ThemeVan) direct message.
To Be Continued…
I will share my opinions about the business model in next time, please stay tuned.
