GenbuTheme.com (no longer available, new site: Genbu Media ) is just a simple theme club, one time payment for lifetime. I try to make it as simple as possible. I use eShop plugin to handle payment and user registration, bbPress for support forum, Wysija plugin for member Newsletter, Dowload Manager to handle members download, i also write several Custom Post Type plugin for Child Theme and Plugin section.
The site is not all done yet, i may need to modify it a little bit more, after optimization, i get 95+ Page Speed in all pages. One of the main feature of Genbu Theme is SEO, so page speed is very important.
WordPress Theme and Site Design
Genbu theme business model is simple, just like Studio Press, i only have one theme, Genbu. other theme is child theme of Genbu theme. all member can download all theme and plugins.
for this site i create a child theme of Genbu, i name it “gt” the design is simple, i didn’t think about it much, i just want it to be green. It only took couple hour after i finish the wireframe but took several days for finishing the detail.
Design Wireframe
I mostly wireframe in my notebook/sketchbook, sometimes i use pencil wireframe project or photoshop, but for my own site and project using pen and paper is a lot faster.
i sketch several pages like forum pages, theme pages, documentation pages, and other pages too.
Site Structure
site structure is simple. it’s just small site afterall. Most of the site design is inspired by Theme Hybrid. I login there daily, to learn new stuff from Justin Tadlock, and other member. the best $29 i ever spent. Awesome community, i feel like home there.
1. Front Page
for front page i modify Widgetize Page Template, with full width post layout option. it’s just simple page template with 4 widget areas (sidebars). i only use 2, left and right, left (widgetize 2 sidebar) for feature list, a query of “feature post type”. and right sidebar (widgetize 3 sidebar).
when i create the wireframe, i actually want to use slider instead of images for page header, i want to showcase “Nivo Slider” bundled in Genbu Theme, but in the end, i decide to use image. it’s a lot simpler, no modification needed. cause genbu already have singular thumbnail template, i just select it (right thumbnail position) from meta-box in edit screen, upload the image, and that’s it. and i hate slider 🙂 they just go round and round… so confusing.
2. Theme Pages and Plugin Pages
Theme page is similar to Theme Hybrid theme pages and WordPress.org theme pages. Plugin page is just the same design but without thumbnail.
3. Documentation Pages
For ducumentation section i create a new page template, just simple page template with one widget area (widgetize 1/top), i don’t use it in front page template, no need o register new sidebar.
the design is similar to Theme Hybrid Docs, the difference is i display link to all doc pages based on docs taxonomy.
4. Support Forum
Support forum is very basic, i create several template for bbPress to make it look the way i need it, i don’t display user avatar in topic list, because i think it could slow down the site.
Thank You So Much