How to Make Website Templates to Sell

In today’s digital age, website templates are in high demand. Businesses, freelancers, and hobbyists all want quick, attractive website designs they can use without building a site from scratch. If you have design and coding skills, creating website templates to sell can be a lucrative side hustle or even a full-time business.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know to create and sell website templates — from conceptualizing your design to marketing your product.

Why Sell Website Templates?

Before diving into the “how,” it’s important to understand why website templates are a great product to create and sell:

• High Demand: With millions of websites launched every year, there is a constant demand for fresh, modern designs.
• Scalability: Once you create a template, you can sell it an unlimited number of times.
• Passive Income: You earn money repeatedly from one design without extra work after launching.
• Portfolio Building: Selling templates can help build your brand as a designer or developer.

Step 1: Research Your Market and Audience

Successful templates start with understanding your target audience and their needs.

• Identify niches: Are you creating templates for bloggers, e-commerce, portfolios, restaurants, or corporate websites?
• Study competitors: Look at top-selling templates on marketplaces like ThemeForest, TemplateMonster, or Creative Market. What features do they include? What styles are popular?
• Spot gaps: Is there a style or niche underserved? Can you add unique features like dark mode, animations, or accessibility options?

Taking time to research ensures your template meets actual market needs.

Step 2: Plan Your Template Structure

Before jumping into design or code, sketch out your template’s structure.

• Decide on the pages: Most templates include a homepage, about, services, blog, and contact page.
• Wireframe your layout: Use tools like Figma, Sketch, or Adobe XD to create wireframes. This helps visualize layout without getting bogged down in design details.
• Define components: Navigation menus, hero sections, galleries, footers, call-to-actions — decide on the reusable elements you’ll need.

Planning upfront saves time and leads to a more consistent, user-friendly template.

Step 3: Design Your Template

The design phase is where your creativity shines.

• Choose a style: Minimalist, bold, corporate, creative — pick a style that fits your niche.
• Color scheme and typography: Select colors and fonts that work well together and are readable.
• Focus on UX: Make sure your design is intuitive, easy to navigate, and mobile-friendly.
• Design responsiveness: Over 60% of web traffic comes from mobile devices, so make sure your template looks great on all screen sizes.
• Use design tools: Figma and Adobe XD are great for designing high-fidelity mockups. You can even create interactive prototypes.

Keep your design clean and adaptable so users can customize it easily.

Step 4: Code Your Template

Once your design is ready, it’s time to turn it into a functional template.

• Use semantic HTML5: Structure your content properly with semantic tags like
• CSS styling: Write clean, modular CSS. Use preprocessors like SASS or LESS if you prefer.
• Make it responsive: Use CSS Grid and Flexbox for flexible layouts.
• Add interactivity: Use vanilla JavaScript or lightweight libraries to add sliders, dropdowns, modals, or animations.
• Optimize performance: Compress images, minify CSS/JS, and keep file sizes low.
• Accessibility: Follow WCAG guidelines to make your template usable for everyone.
• Validate your code: Use W3C validators to ensure standards compliance.

If you’re creating templates for WordPress, Shopify, or other CMS platforms, follow their theme development standards.

Step 5: Package Your Template for Sale

How you deliver your template affects customer satisfaction.

• Organize files: Include HTML, CSS, JS, images, fonts, and any necessary assets in clear folder structures.
• Documentation: Write clear, concise instructions on how to install and customize the template.
• Demo: Create a live demo of your template so buyers can see it in action.
• Licensing: Decide on usage terms (e.g., personal, commercial) and include a license file.

Packaging well reduces support requests and increases customer trust.

Step 6: Set Up a Sales Platform

There are several options for selling website templates:

• Marketplaces: ThemeForest, TemplateMonster, Creative Market, Etsy. They have huge audiences but take commissions.
• Own website: Use platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, or Gumroad to sell directly. More control but you must drive your own traffic.
• Freelance sites: Offer your templates on Fiverr or Upwork as part of website packages.

Whichever route you choose, make sure to provide good product images, demo links, and clear descriptions.

Step 7: Price Your Template Competitively

Pricing depends on complexity, niche, and your reputation.

• Research competitors: What do similar templates cost?
• Consider features: More advanced features justify higher prices.
• Offer multiple licenses: Personal, developer, extended use licenses.
• Discounts and bundles: Consider launching with introductory discounts or bundling templates.

Aim for a price that reflects the value you provide but remains attractive to buyers.

Step 8: Market Your Templates

Marketing is crucial to generate sales.

• SEO: Optimize your product pages with keywords buyers search for.
• Social media: Share your templates on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and design communities.
• Content marketing: Write blog posts or tutorials showcasing your templates.
• Email marketing: Build a mailing list to announce new templates and offers.
• Collaborations: Partner with influencers or bloggers to review your templates.
• Paid ads: Use Facebook Ads or Google Ads for targeted traffic.

Consistent marketing builds your brand and drives long-term sales.

Step 9: Support and Update Your Templates

Good support can build customer loyalty.

• Respond promptly: Answer questions and troubleshoot issues quickly.
• Update regularly: Fix bugs, improve features, and keep templates compatible with the latest browsers and platforms.
• Gather feedback: Use customer input to improve your templates or create new ones.

Happy customers often become repeat buyers.