According to Collins dictionary, a demo version of an object or service is “a demonstration in which someone shows you how to do something or how it works”.
Business Dictionary presents a broader definition of demo version in the specifics of the IT field. According to it, a demo version is “Preview or trial version of a software which is freely distributed, either without some of the critical functions (such as the ability to save or print data) or is programmed to work only for a few (usually 7, 14 or 30) days after the first run.”
In the contexts of WordPress, a product demo site is a temporary WordPress site, where the user or the potential customer can see how the WordPress theme looks like but cannot make any changes to the site’s settings or make tweaks. The user can only access the public side of the site and without seeing all the theme options and features. Some theme authors have added widgets so it’s possible to tweak only certain theme options but that’s limited too.
The reason that designers give access to the public side only is that the demo site is just one copy shown to many users therefore if one user makes a change everybody will see that change. Users when trying things will enter random text to see if the software will break.
The aim of the WordPress theme demo sites is to show all the functionalities of a site and present the site in its best light. The user can easily browse various developed features of the theme, see all the different elements it provides, typography, get detailed information for each of these elements and see how they will look.
Theme designers who have a demo site will have fewer support tickets, refunds & win the trust of their potential customers because they’ve offered a live demo.
If you set up your theme demo site with wpdemo.net, your users can try both the public and the admin area and fully experience how the theme works and all its features. Also demo sites are private for each user. The potential clients cannot install any additional plugins or themes and can’t take your theme’s source code.
WordPress demo sites are a powerful marketing tool too.
WordPress theme demo or WordPress product site is becoming a more and more preferred way to showcase how your WordPress theme looks like. Users want to see something more dynamic and not just images. By offering a demo site your potential users can figure out if the theme they are checking would work with their site.