Introducing Zeen – A Next Generation Theme by Codetipi
- Lauren Sanderson
- December 10, 2018
- read
Codetipi.
“Zeen is the most ambitious and revolutionary theme Codetipi has ever made. It was coded and designed from scratch, with minimal third-party dependencies, allowing for cutting-edge WordPress and browser practices & technologies. It was also made to be future-proof, therefore, it’s not restricted by any legacy frameworks and dependencies that can create limitations.”
We recently interviewed Codetipi – a Power Elite Author on ThemeForest and creator of Zeen, a new magazine WordPress theme which has received over 600 sales since being released only a few months ago! Here we explore Zeen’s development, what contributed to its success, top tips for item sales and their plans for the future.
I’m Christian and I’m the founder of Codetipi. I have a background in Architecture and a relentless passion for Technology. I created and launched Codetipi’s first WordPress product almost six years ago, and since then the team structure has intentionally remained simple – I still design and develop all the products, but now have a team that help me provide outstanding support to Codetipi’s wonderful customers.
What is unique about your business and/or team? How do you problem solve for your customers?
Codetipi’s mission is to innovate, listen to users and give amazing customer support. To achieve all of this, there has always been a focus on identifying user pain points and any needs within the marketplace. I run websites myself and use Codetipi products on some of them too – this really helps me engage efficiently with customers.
The knowledge gained from this whole process is then applied to our products, giving them real substance and making them resonate with customers. This is what makes Codetipi unique and why we have become the number one rated Power Elite author on all of Themeforest.
Tell us all about Zeen. How did you develop this new ietm and why?
Zeen is the most ambitious and revolutionary theme Codetipi has ever made. It was coded and designed from scratch, with minimal third-party dependencies, allowing for cutting-edge WordPress and browser practices & technologies. It was also made to be future-proof, therefore, it’s not restricted by any legacy frameworks and dependencies that can create limitations.
Zeen is packed with innovative goodies that users will love. For instance, the theme includes the exclusive new Tipi Builder – a groundbreaking builder that gives users total control over layouts. It’s technophobe friendly and can produce beautiful results at lightning speed.
The theme options panel experience has also been taken to a whole new level by being completely frontend. Users see instant previews as they change and play around with the options. Providing complete freedom to calmly experiment, bring creative ideas to life and publish the changes only when 100% happy.
Zeen has reached strong sales in a short amount of time. What do you think contributed to its success?
Zeen’s initial sales have been hugely exciting. It reached 100 sales within the first 12 hours of going on sale, which I believe is a ThemeForest record for a new theme. A big thank you to all the buyers out there for making that happen, you guys are amazing!
The best tip I can give to authors is to truly embrace your customers. Don’t take them for granted or think of them as simple statistics. Instead invest some of your time to get to know them. Be inquisitive and engaging, find out what their needs are and ensure your future work keeps them in mind.
What are some of the biggest lessons that have impacted your work, overall?
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learnt is to try to not get overly attached to any idea, particularly in the early stages of a project. It can be very easy to do this and lose subjectivity, which in turn can negatively impact the project’s overall direction. There are often many solutions to a problem and a better one could be just around the corner.
Another thing I learnt was that some of the best work I have produced was done whilst listening to 80s playlists on Spotify – so if you’re ever struggling, maybe give that a go!
What has been the most challenging and rewarding thing about your work – did you have any challenges developing Zeen?
Zeen was under development for almost two whole years and now that it has launched, I am finally able to see customers use it and create stunning sites. This is by far the most rewarding part of the entire process. I’m constantly inspired by their creativity!
When I started working on Zeen, I mapped out the overall direction and goals for the theme. The biggest challenge I had was to make sure every new idea integrated seamlessly into the master plan and to ensure the foundations being created were strong enough to allow for future iterations and improvements.
What is your advice to other authors regarding how to create a successful portfolio?
It’s important to start by identifying your main areas of interest and what skills and experiences you already have – this should help highlight the type of product you should focus on and will shape your portfolio.
Working with your strengths and building on your interests will keep you motivated throughout the exciting journey of product creation and lead to your best work – in my eyes this is what makes a portfolio successful.
Where do you source your inspiration and trend insights on a regular basis?
It’s not uncommon to experience a design-block whilst creating. When this happens, I tend to refer to a couple of my favourite books on brochure and advertisement design. Analysing the substance of beautiful Graphic Design is a very inspiring exercise and gets me back in the zone. I recommend checking out the The Best Of Brochure Design book series, they are packed with amazing imagery.
What are some of the tools, platforms and apps that you and/or team uses?
I use all the usual suspects such as Sketch, Sublime Text and Spotify to name a few. However, I recently discovered an app called Qbserve which I couldn’t live without now! I think it’s only available on Mac, but it’s a true game changer if you want to monitor your productivity and quantify your working habits in real numbers.
What are the plans for the future? What are your plans for Zeen moving forward?
Zeen is one of the most flexible and powerful themes on the market, but there’s still many more innovative goodies to come. I think Zeen users are going to really enjoy the ride! In terms of the overall future, Codetipi will continue its mission to innovate and give customers amazing support.
