How to Export a WordPress Theme for Hubspot-Style Site Moves

Moving a site or redesigning it to match a Hubspot-style experience often starts with exporting your existing WordPress theme. Whether you are handing off work to a developer, cloning a design for another project, or preparing assets for migration, knowing how to properly export your theme helps you avoid downtime, broken layouts, and security risks.

This step-by-step guide walks you through plugin-based and manual methods to export a WordPress theme safely, so you can use it in new environments or alongside marketing tools that work similarly to Hubspot.

Before You Export: Understand What a Theme Includes

A WordPress theme is more than just colors and fonts. Before you export anything for reuse or for a Hubspot-inspired redesign, make sure you know what is actually inside the theme folder.

Typical theme contents include:

• Template files such as index.php, single.php, page.php, and archive layouts.
• Stylesheets including style.css and additional CSS files.
• JavaScript files for interactive components.
• Theme images like logos, icons, and layout graphics.
• Functions inside functions.php that register menus, sidebars, and theme features.

Notice that content such as posts, pages, and forms is not part of the theme. If you are emulating a Hubspot landing page strategy, remember that you will still need to migrate content separately via export tools or backups.

Method 1: Export a WordPress Theme Using a Plugin

For most users, the easiest method is to package your existing theme as an installable ZIP file using a dedicated plugin. This works well when you want to reuse a layout across multiple projects or set up a workflow similar to a Hubspot template library.

Step 1: Install a Theme Export Plugin

In your WordPress dashboard:

1. Go to Plugins > Add New.
2. Search for a theme export or theme packaging plugin (for example, All-in-One WP Migration or another tool that includes theme export options).
3. Click Install Now, then Activate.

Always choose a plugin with strong reviews and recent updates. This helps you avoid security issues that could affect your marketing stack, including any Hubspot-connected tools.

Step 2: Create an Export Package

Once your plugin is active:

1. Open the plugin’s menu in the dashboard (often under Tools or its own label).
2. Select the feature that lets you export or package your current theme.
3. Review any available options, such as:

• Include or exclude uploads media files.
• Include or exclude specific folders.
• Compress files for faster download.

Click Export or Create Package. When the process finishes, download the generated ZIP file to your computer.

Step 3: Verify the Exported Theme

Before using the theme in a new project or for a Hubspot-like landing page rollout, verify that the package is complete:

• Locate the ZIP on your machine.
• Open or unzip it locally.
• Confirm that all theme files and subfolders are present.

If anything is missing, adjust the plugin settings and export again.

Method 2: Manually Export a WordPress Theme via File Manager

If you prefer not to use a plugin, you can manually export your theme with your hosting provider’s file manager. This is a direct method that gives you full control over the exact files you move, which is helpful if you are aligning the structure with a Hubspot-inspired theme system.

Step 1: Access Your Hosting File Manager

Depending on your host, you may see cPanel, Plesk, or a custom dashboard. In general, you will:

1. Log in to your hosting control panel.
2. Open File Manager or a similar tool.
3. Navigate to your WordPress root directory (often public_html).

Step 2: Locate the Theme Folder

Your active theme files are typically located here:

• wp-content/themes/your-theme-name

Confirm you have the correct theme by matching the folder name with the active theme shown in Appearance > Themes in your WordPress dashboard.

Step 3: Compress the Theme into a ZIP File

To create a portable package:

1. Right-click the specific theme folder in File Manager.
2. Choose Compress or Archive.
3. Select ZIP as the format.
4. Run the compression process and wait for it to complete.

You should now see a .zip file in the same directory.

Step 4: Download the Theme ZIP

Lastly:

1. Right-click the newly created ZIP.
2. Select Download.
3. Save it to a secure location on your computer or a shared folder for your team.

This ZIP file is now ready to be uploaded to another WordPress installation or stored as part of your design system, just like you would organize templates in a Hubspot environment.

Method 3: Export a WordPress Theme with FTP

FTP is useful if you are comfortable with file transfer clients and want precise control. It is also a good choice for large themes or complex environments where you manage multiple sites similar to multi-brand setups inside Hubspot.

Step 1: Connect via FTP

Use an FTP client like FileZilla or Cyberduck:

• Enter your FTP host, username, password, and port.
• Connect to the server.
• Browse to your WordPress root directory.

Step 2: Download the Theme Folder

Next:

1. Open the wp-content/themes directory.
2. Find the folder for the theme you want to export.
3. Drag the entire theme folder from the server to a local folder on your machine.

Once downloaded, you can compress the folder into a ZIP on your computer using built-in OS tools.

How to Reuse an Exported Theme

After exporting, you can install the theme on another WordPress site or keep it as a reference while building out a new site that will be tightly integrated with automation or CRM tools similar to Hubspot.

Install the Theme on a New Site

1. Log in to the new WordPress dashboard.
2. Go to Appearance > Themes.
3. Click Add New > Upload Theme.
4. Select your theme ZIP and click Install Now.
5. Activate the theme when the installation ends.

Always test on a staging site before rolling it out to production, especially if you plan to connect analytics, forms, or CRM integrations comparable to those found in Hubspot.

Check for Dependencies and Widgets

Some themes depend on specific plugins and widgets. After activation:

• Install any required companion plugins.
• Recreate menus and widget areas.
• Verify that page templates display correctly.

This ensures that the exported theme looks and behaves as expected, even when you add marketing tools or tracking scripts in a manner similar to Hubspot workflows.

Best Practices and Security Tips

Whenever you work with theme exports, keep security, performance, and maintainability in mind.

• Create full backups before major changes.
• Remove unused themes from servers to reduce attack surface.
• Update regularly and test after each update.
• Use staging when making layout or template adjustments.

These practices help maintain site health as you grow your marketing stack, from simple contact forms to complex automation similar to what Hubspot offers.

Learn More and Next Steps

If you want to review the original tutorial that inspired this guide, you can visit the source article on exporting themes on the HubSpot Blog at this page about exporting a WordPress theme.

For help planning migrations, SEO, and site structure around your exported theme and CRM-driven marketing flows, you can also consult specialists at Consultevo.

By following the methods above and treating your theme as a reusable asset, you can streamline redesigns, keep branding consistent across projects, and prepare your WordPress sites for deeper integrations with tools that resemble Hubspot in flexibility and reporting.

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