Wait... Is Admin Theming a New, Growing Marketplace?

Wait… Is Admin Theming a New, Growing Marketplace?

Published

May 30, 2013

38 Comments

Wait a second, really?

Is customizing the WordPress admin going to become the next big marketplace for premium plugins and such? I know that a lot of people are hot and heavy about the admin UI, especially with stuff like the MP6 plugin but the general feel that the WordPress dashboard look and feel symptomatic of a burgeoning marketplace for admin plugins?

Now sure, I know there have been a few that have been around for a while but I’ve seen more traffic into our inboxes as of late with new plugins, new looks, new concept work than ever before. In fact, even entirely new businesses that are focused on building a product line around them.

Take a look:

WP Quick Admin Themes? Really?

One of their first products is called Lime Green and has been submitted to the repository (you can download it here if you want to try it out). Check out these screenshots:

I’m sorry to say this but it looks terrible to me and isn’t something I would even consider installing on any site that I managed or owned.

This isn’t to discourage you from going and making one more awesome – by all means, rock my world, but I think a combination of a new look needs to be more than just a coat of puke-lime-green paint. Make the user-experience better for me if you’re going to put in some effort, right?

I’m sure someone will come along (or already has) and do something of significance and even build a growing marketplace for admin themes – I’m just not seeing it quite yet.

There are 38 comments

May 30, 2013 #

Azim

What’s the point in theming admin area anyway? It makes some sense for MU-sites if you want to let your users play with customization of admin area a little… but what is it all for if run a single user WP?
May 30, 2013 #

George Stephanis

MP6. Done.
May 30, 2013 #

Brandon

I agree. If there is going to be a new movement towards admin theming then it needs to be something that will make the admin panel better. Changing the admin panel colors and tab elements to me is unnecessary unless requested by the client. I work for a small business and develop WordPress themes and many of my company’s clients love things like this. I try to direct my clients away from unnecessary WordPress elements such as custom admin panels and custom option panels. I guess it all depends on the on the client and what their knowledge of WordPress is. Meaning it will all depends on what they want and what they have seen on other WordPress themes. Themeforest WordPress themes showcase elements like this and is one of the top sources for newbies who want to get into WordPress theming. So I can see the custom admin theming growing in the WordPress market.
May 30, 2013 #

Justin Westbrooks

Haha – this is very interesting. It’s almost like customizing your personal workspace to better fit your needs, but I agree with you. It can’t just be a color overlay with minimum changes to make UI better. Thanks for sharing 🙂
May 30, 2013 #

Jess

Before dismissing it as just changing a few colors please actually read ALL the features that come with the advanced plugin.

General

Select Admin Theme Color

Select Font Type

Remove Update Notiications

Remove Help Tab

Remove Screen Options

Remove Page Icons

Remove Page Titles

Remove Post Formats (In 3.6+)

Logo

Upload Admin Logo

Place Logo Above Admin Content

Place Logo In Admin Menu

Avatar

Upload Custom Default Avatar (Change Mystery Man)

Login

Enable Custom Logo

Remove Login logo

Change Logo URL to Website URL

Title To Blogname

*We recommend Theme My Login*

Dashboard

Remove Welcome Panel

Remove Welcome Panel Background

Customize Welcome Panel

Remove Default Widgets

Create Custom Widgets

Remove Custom Widgets (Even by other plugins)

Disable Drag and Drop of Metaboxes

Profile

Remove Personal Options (‘Visual Editor’,’Admin Color Scheme’,’Keyboard Shortcuts’ and ‘Toolbar’)

Replace YIM, AIM, and Jabber with Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Pinterest and Google+

Remove social links under ‘Contact Info’

Admin Bar

Admin Bar Removal (Frontend/Backend)

Fixed (No Floating) Admin Bar

Admin Bar To The Bottom

Custom Admin Bar (Fixed! 3.5+)

Admin Menu

Admin Menu Editor (Integrated)

WP Admin Menu (Horizontal Menu – Fixed! 3.5+)

Hide WP Admin Menu

Remove Menu Icons

Remove Collapse Menu

Remove Admin Menu

Footer

Fixed (Floating) Footer

Remove Footer

Text Change

Admin Expert Mode (Integrated)

Networkwide Text Change (Fixed! 3.5+)

Import/ Export

Import Options (Restore Settings)

Export Options (Back-up Settings)

Custom Code

Custom CSS

Custom Javascript
May 30, 2013 #

Jess

I made the site because people wanted to change the dashboard to fit customers. If you by App Themes, Use BuddyPress or any site that requires users to see the back-end you want to have that plugin to theme it out.

Some customers of mine pay thousands and at least I can do is make it unique as possible.
May 30, 2013 #

Chris Hartpence

Okay…I “get” that the author doesn’t like the green, and that’s cool, but…what about the actual FEATURES of the plugin?

I don’t see ’em mentioned (at all), anywhere in the article.

Seems like a curious way to do a “review.”

IMO, of course.

-=Vel=-
May 30, 2013 #

Chris Hartpence

Not sure what happened to my first post, so I shall try again. I come to sites like these to get unbiased reviews about new plugins I might wanna use for my site.

I “get” that the author doesn’t like the color green (or at least that shade), but as a plugin, it’s got…you know…actual features and stuff, right?

Not the first mention of any of them in the piece.

That’s fine as far as it goes…it is an opinion piece, and everybody’s certainly entitled to their opinion.

So what we can draw from the above is….the author definitely doesn’t like green.

Ohhhhhhkay. 🙂
- May 30, 2013 #
  
  John Saddington
  
  sorry chris, your first comments got caught in spam, and thus, the second one too.
May 30, 2013 #

Travis

I’d argue this is a symptom of the awful state of the WordPress Admin Dashboard.
May 30, 2013 #

Jess

It is evident this is a tear down of a simple plugin and a bad review:

1. You hate its lime green color? Really?

2. You don’t even dare mention why its so awful or ways to improve the plugin.

3. You mention another plugin that just changes colors no functionality enhancements while the one I have has over 50 options.

4. Your only showing bad comments 🙂

I asked my customers to give their two cents and none of them are shown.

Hmmm, bias article.
- May 30, 2013 #
  
  John Saddington
  
  yes, total bias. it’s my opinion. the end. but more importantly, the piece is more about the growing interest in the admin panel. hence the title of the post.
  
  but let us not forget… YOU emailed US asking us to get FREE press on YOUR plugin. if you wanted to guarantee a pure 100% positive review then you can go somewhere else as this isn’t the place. sorry we gave your plugin some fresh eyeballs today…
  - May 30, 2013 #
    
    Jess
    
    Well why is it so horrible outside you don’t like the color green? Please if you can give details on why you feel the UI is bad?
    
    Why at the beginning you removed my customers comments then put them back? I respect you not liking the UI but you don’t have to stoop to doing those shenanigans with the comments that’s all. Remember its messing with your reputation too when people can clearly see a malicious review.
    - May 30, 2013 #
      
      John Saddington
      
      couldn’t be farther from the truth. you and your friends are visiting this blog for the first time and as a result got caught in moderation queue… which further shows that you’re not a part of this explicit community – you just found us and wanted us to write about you, which we did. you’re a consumer. appreciate that. don’t let the door hit you on the way out.
      
      yikes.
      - May 30, 2013 #
        
        Jess
        
        Hilarious well keep this up to show people how rude you are, peace.
May 30, 2013 #

Jess

Also as a “professional” look up constructive criticism.
May 30, 2013 #

Jess

Please get rid of the “submit news” button if you don’t want people to forgot that note, thanks.
- May 30, 2013 #
  
  John Saddington
  
  Actually, the Submit News is pretty well used by community members and people who aren’t afraid to see someone’s real opinion about their product and/or service. If this is your first “project” or “business” then you’re in for a rude awakening. Welcome to the internet.
  - May 31, 2013 #
    
    Alex Patin
    
    Oh snap.
May 30, 2013 #

Jess

Ok well then you should expect it back, mean what you say and not be afraid of someone questioning your ignorance and emotional article aimed at promoting a similar plugin. It’s clear what you are doing.
May 30, 2013 #

Jess

I will send you my next theme your going to love it promise 😉
- May 30, 2013 #
  
  John Saddington
  
  Ok Jessica Kapor from Dallas, Fort Worth. I can’t wait. Shall I call you via your direct line when it’s ready?
  
  Google shows your tactic of spamming via comments about your new product. I’m pretty close to nuking this post and calling it a day, especially since you didn’t let me know about your awesome discount code.
  - May 30, 2013 #
    
    Jess
    
    Just trying to get out there like everybody else, man. You don’t like it so what? Call me.
    
    If you actually did research about it you would know about the code, again thanks for the promotion.
    - May 30, 2013 #
      
      John Saddington
      
      Sure thing. Get a gravatar.
      - May 30, 2013 #
        
        Jess
        
        I will get one when you start doing thorough research first.
May 30, 2013 #

Jess

I saved screenshots for everyone one so if it gets deleted its cool 😉 I will promote it back, thanks.
May 30, 2013 #

Jess

spamming lol, telling people about what they are looking for okay.
May 30, 2013 #

Jess

Please list 1 comment that is spam?
May 31, 2013 #

David Decker

@John Saddington:

You are writing an article about a plugin you didn’t install. Not good. And judging only by screenshots is misleading. I just installed the bespoken “Lime Green” plugin and it looks not so bad one could think from the screenshots alone. It could use some polishing but looks better than a few other plugin admin themes out there. Most admin themers get the contrast wrong and other details. Also MP6 has its issues — for that long time of development already it’s not as good as it actually could be.

My wish is that you calm down here at WPDaily.co and not make any tiny information snippet to confusing or unhelpful posts.

It’s not that I didn’t get your message in this post here, I’d rather have only one article here per day and not 10 posts that are quite useless.
- May 31, 2013 #
  
  Nathaniel
  
  Oh, but David. Page views are all the rage nowadays
- August 27, 2013 #
  
  ChristopherAnderton
  
  Just for clarification. MP6 is for development. It’s not for use on a live site.
June 1, 2013 #

Boba

I agree that it looks like they gave the plugin just a quick look and based their thoughts on that, but this wasn’t a plugin review, just a little article about the growing popularity of admin theming with a little example.

This is a place with news from the WP world, not a place with in-depth articles on WordPress, so calm down people.

Jess, a couple things; 1) You can’t always get positive feedback. 2) Positive feedback is worthless, negative makes you improve. 3) There’s no such thing as bad publicity 4) Reputation will follow you, be polite, don’t do what you did here in the comments, it makes you look immature.

John, there was no need for those defend and counter-attack replies, it was like looking at 2 kids fighting over a candy (you were defending the article he was defending the plugin). If there’s really a need to reply think it through and if after half an hour you still think what you wrote is good, publish.

That’s just my thoughts…
- June 1, 2013 #
  
  John Saddington
  
  and i appreciate them. it got out of hand. caught me at a bad time and i just kept it going. i already apologized privately to jess… although she threatened a defamation lawsuit.
  
  moving on!
- June 1, 2013 #
  
  Jess
  
  I begged him to delete it after seeing how childish it looked, thanks.
June 1, 2013 #

Jess

I wasn’t wanting just positive feedback but reasons why outside the color green. Anyone would defend their product or service they believe in.
- August 28, 2013 #
  
  ChristopherAnderton
  
  Actually no. Most people tend to see it as highly unprofessional. If i where you i would do one single comment like:
  
  ”Hello! Thank you for the review of our plugin!
  
  Regarding the colors used, it may not be for everyone, however, we and the users love it.
  
  The colors are also easliy changed in the CSS, and we got plenty of other features like: (list of unique features).
  
  If you or anyone have questions, please get in toch with me at: (some mail) and i try to answer your questions.”
  
  Something like that. That would create respect for you and your company, and will be considred as professional amongst the readers.
July 3, 2013 #

Alex

This admin plugin is ATROCIOUS! Gawd! Plus, go check out his site to see what he’s trying to sell this jalopy for.
August 28, 2013 #

ChristopherAnderton

I actually released one myself many years ago, bundled with a theme http://cl.ly/R3Ip (just a link to screenshot att CloudApp). Remember. This was back in 2009. Don’t look so pretty.

There IS a market for admin themes. But there are some problems with most admin themes I’ve tested. Firstly, you notice that they have not been properly tested, as they have many visual glitches depending on what enviroment used, and they spit out lots of error messages in the log (depracted functions and so on).

I have not tested all of course, but it is interesting to read the comments to the admin themes listed on CodeCanyon. Many of them is about the admin theme in question breaks other plugins. So, the developer is forced to catch up, proving that he/she has been using the wrong methods in the development from the start.

When charging for the plug-in, users will expect high quality. And honestly, I can not see that the quality of the code in most cases to be particularly high, and then I’m not even a programmer.

How do you stay on top of your WordPress game?