This document discusses best practices for creating themes for clients in WordPress, including planning site structure with sitemaps and custom post types, simplifying the backend by removing unused items, using customizer/theme options based on client needs, and thoroughly documenting everything for both the client and future developers. It emphasizes keeping things simple, organized, and providing documentation through tutorials, manuals, readme files, and recommended documentation tools.

1. Creating Themes
for Clients

2. Your clients should know how to
add, edit and delete any content on
their website without the need to
reach out to a developer.
What Are You Talking About?
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3. Planning
Site Structure
➔Sitemap
➔Custom Post Types
➔Custom Fields
➔Sliders/Carousels
➔Content Structure
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4. Simplify Backend
Keep It Simple
Straight to the point
Remove Dashboard Widgets
Remove unused menu items
○ Tools & Editor
Add Custom Posts and Custom
Fields if it is necessary
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5. Customizer /
Theme Options
Less is More
Based on the client's need
Well Organized
Goes back to planning (slide 3)
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6. “If it isn’t documented, it
doesn’t exist.”
~ Jeff Atwood
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7. Documentation
Document Everything
Reference
Inline documentation and comments
Glossary
Tutorial
Manual
Readme
WordPress help menu
FAQ
User guide
Screencast
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8. Document Tools?
WP Help by Mark Jaquith:
https://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-
help/
Video User Manual:
http://www.videousermanuals.com/
Easy WP Guide:
https://easywpguide.com/
Simple Documentation by Mathieu Hays:
https://wordpress.org/plugins/client-
documentation/
WP101:
https://www.wp101.com/
Smashing Magazine:
https://www.smashingmagazine.com/
2012/07/writing-effective-wordpress-
documentation/
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9. “Going above & beyond involves
making customers feel special and
helping them out even when it may
not make sense”
~ Neil Patel, KISSmetrics
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10. Thanks!
Questions?
Full Blog Post at:
http://jfe.li/1U99ANP
Jean ‘Jeazy’ Felisme
➔ Freelance Web Developer & Designer at BizDots Media
➔ Worked with WordPress since version 2.6 (2008)
➔ Co-founder of Rate My Barber
➔ Family Guy
jean@bizdotsmedia.com
www.JeanFelisme.com
@jfeliweb