3 posts tagged with "WordPress"

TL;DR​

Built a minimal WordPress Full Site Editing (FSE) theme for developers who want control over their codebase. Uses theme.json design system, 10 pre-built block patterns, 3 color variations, WooCommerce support, and AI editor integration. First production deployment—an industrial product showcase site—is live.

Background​

Business websites and lightweight e-commerce (product showcase focus) have clear requirements: clean code, easy customization, good performance. However, mainstream free themes tend to bundle excessive features with visual page builders and third-party dependencies, resulting in large codebases and high maintenance costs. For developers who prefer managing projects through code, these themes become a burden rather than a solution.

Solution​

Adopted WordPress Full Site Editing architecture with theme.json as the single source of design tokens. Templates use pure HTML block markup—no PHP template logic—allowing content management through WP-CLI and version control.

Defined strict code constraints: functions.php serves only as an entry point loading modules; styles go to theme.json first with CSS only for edge cases; JS loads on demand with no default interactions. These constraints ensure clean structure and controlled footprint.

Pre-built 10 common block patterns (Hero, Feature, CTA, Pricing, Team, Testimonial, Contact, etc.) and 3 color schemes, enabling developers to quickly scaffold business sites. WooCommerce compatibility follows a lightweight approach—no template overrides, only CSS fixes for layout issues.

Integrated AI editor assistant using backend proxy mode: API keys stored server-side, frontend authenticates via WordPress nonce and calls REST API proxy, preventing key exposure. Supports AI-assisted generation for paragraphs, headlines, lists, CTAs, and FAQs.

Deliverables​

Theme is open-sourced on GitHub, current version v1.1.1, compatible with WordPress 6.7. First production deployment—an industrial product showcase site—is live, validating real-world usability.

Technical highlights include: complete Design Token system (10-step neutral scale, responsive spacing, transition variables), SEO output (Open Graph + JSON-LD Schema), WCAG accessibility (Skip to Content link), 4 block style variations (Outline Button, Card Group, etc.).

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Delivered an overseas market entry strategy for an industrial manufacturer with an established domestic business, covering channel selection analysis and website platform recommendations for a zero-to-one international expansion.

Background​

The client is a Chinese industrial product manufacturer with a proven domestic operation. Competitors were still spending heavily to figure out overseas channels. B2B overseas customers represent significantly higher order values than domestic ones. The timing was right — the client needed a low-dependency, controllable, long-term viable overseas acquisition strategy.

Challenges​

• Mainstream overseas channels (Alibaba International, Made-in-China) carry high annual fees, strong platform dependency, and uncontrollable bidding costs
• No prior overseas digital marketing experience; budget constrained; required a testable approach that could be stopped if data underperformed
• B2B inquiry quality varies widely — needed a channel that attracts active, high-intent buyers rather than passive browsing traffic

Strategy​

Channel Selection​

Systematic evaluation of three primary channels:

Channel	Cost Structure	Inquiry Quality	Controllability	Risk
Alibaba International	High annual fee, recurring	Low–Medium	Poor	Bidding uncontrollable, ROI depends on platform
Made-in-China	Medium annual fee, recurring	Medium	Good	Low ceiling, limited conversion
Independent Site + Google Ads	One-time build + performance-based ad spend	High (active search)	High	Can stop anytime if data underperforms

Conclusion: Independent site + Google Ads is the only option that simultaneously achieves low platform dependency, high inquiry quality, and controllable budget.

Extended Channel Scoring​

Channel	Score /25	Recommendation
Independent Site + Google Ads	18	Primary focus
Trade shows (electronics)	17	Selective participation
Made-in-China	16	Worth supplementing
Alibaba International	14	Low-investment maintenance
Amazon Business	14	Test for standardized products
YouTube	14	Long-term content investment
LinkedIn / Facebook / TikTok	≤12	Defer or skip

Scoring scale 1–5; platform cost is reverse-scored (lower cost = higher score)

Website Platform Selection​

Criteria	Alibaba Cloud (Singapore)	Shopify Basic	WordPress + WooCommerce
Transaction fee	None	2% (third-party payment)	None
Self-ownership	High	Low	High
B2B support	✅	Limited	✅
Server location	Singapore — covers SEA + Western markets	Shopify-hosted, uncontrollable	Flexible

Recommended: Alibaba Cloud Singapore — zero transaction fees, full ownership, B2B inquiry support, server location aligned with target markets.

Execution Path​

1. Launch independent site (deployed on Alibaba Cloud Singapore)
2. Start Google Ads with small test budget
3. Identify high-performing regions based on inquiry data
4. Concentrate budget on validated channels

Deliverables​

• Three-channel comparison analysis
• Website platform selection recommendation
• 7-channel scoring matrix
• Google Ads phased budget framework

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