How to Create a Classified Ads Website with WordPress
WordPress is a free and open-source platform that allows users to publish content quickly and easily.
With the right plugins and themes, you can turn your WordPress blog into a functional classifieds website in no time! In this tutorial, we’ll show you how to create a basic classifieds website using WordPress.
Get the Right plugins
WordPress comes with dozens of premium plugins which can significantly increase the functionality of your site. When building a classifieds website, some of the essentials you’ll need are a classifieds-specific plugin (such as WP All-in-One Classifieds) and a feed-reader plugin (such as Feedly).
The use of plugins can be a little bit overwhelming at first, so make sure you take the time to read the documentation before you start implementing them on your site. This way, you’ll know exactly what each one does and how to use it properly.
Create your blog’s home page
The home page of your blog will be the first thing visitors see when they visit your site. Therefore, it’s important to make it as attractive as possible. You don’t need to go overboard and use all the tools available on the WordPress website, but you should at least use the following:
- a featured image
- post thumbnails
- headings (h1, h2, etc)
- text-based section dividers
- social media buttons
- a contact form
- and more
If you are new to WordPress, you can use the free WordPress Blogger platform to quickly create a basic blog. Once you’ve created your blog, you can install the WordPress interface on your computer and use it to make any necessary adjustments to your blog’s design.
Use the Contact form to receive enquiries
The contact form is one of the most important elements of your website. It allows potential customers to get in touch with you easily and to discover more about your products or services. You can use the contact form to collect emails, phone numbers, or both.
If you’ve never created a contact form for your site, you can use the free WordPress Contact Form 7 plugin to do so. Alternatively, you can use a service like Hello Fresh to create an enquiry form for your website.
Set up the About page
The about page of your website will contain important information about your business. You can use the following to create your about page:
- a short bio about your business
- your location
- a gallery of your work
- links to websites and social media accounts
- and more
If you’re looking to create a business blog, consider using the About page to display case your expertise. You can also use the About page to describe the mission statement of your business. Keep the bio short and sweet, and make sure to include a link to your website in the About page.
Use the Shop page to showcase your products
The shop (or storefront) page of your website will be used to display all the products you sell. You can use the following to create a basic shop page:
- a brief description of each product
- a short list of the best features
- product images
- and more
If you’ve never created a shop page for your website, you can use the free WordPress WooCommerce plugin to do so. Alternatively, you can use a service like Shopify to create a shop for your website.
Set up the Services page
The services page of your website will contain a list of your business’s provided services. You can use the following to create a basic services page:
- a short description of each service
- the price for each service
- a short list of the best features
- and more
If you’ve never created a services page for your website, you can use the free WordPress WooCommerce plugin to do so. Alternatively, you can use a service like Shopify to create a shop for your website.
Use the Contact page to collect emails and phone calls
The contact page of your website is where you’ll put additional information about your business. You can use the following to create a basic contact page:
- your contact details (email, phone number, etc)
- a brief description of your business
- a map with the locations you serve
- and more
If you’ve never created a contact page for your website, you can use the free WordPress Contact Form 7 plugin to do so. Alternatively, you can use a service like Hello Fresh to create an enquiry form for your website.
The use of plugins can be a little bit overwhelming at first, so make sure you take the time to read the documentation before you start implementing them on your site. This way, you’ll know exactly what each one does and how to use it properly.