WordPress for Club Websites – The Ultimate Guide for Running Your Own Website
WordPress is one of the most popular content management systems (CMS) available, and it’s easy to see why. The range of features is incredibly comprehensive, and the free version is perfectly suitable for small websites.
However, as your website grows in size and popularity, you might want to consider upgrading to a premium account or taking out a dedicated fee-based web host to ensure that your website remains available and functional.
Here, we’re going to run through the various options available with WordPress to help you get started creating your own club website or social network.
WordPress.com
If you’ve never run a website or blog before, the first thing you might want to consider is whether you should be doing this on your own or through a web host. Luckily for you, we have hundreds of offers from the major web hosts, which means we can compare prices, features, and services to find you the best possible deal.
One of the best things about WordPress is the various pricing tiers offered by the platform. While you don’t have to spend a penny to start a WordPress website, you will need to make a payment to continue hosting it. Fortunately, this is a one-off payment that will not affect your monthly budget.
The good thing about this option is that you can focus on building your site, knowing that you’ve got a reliable web host backing you up.
WordPress.org
If you’re really keen to host your site yourself, you might want to consider opting for the free version of WordPress.org. Much like the paid version, the free version comes with all the bells and whistles you’d expect from a fully fledged WordPress website, with the exception of some limitations placed on the amount of traffic you can send to your site. Luckily, these limitations can be modified with a little bit of coding knowledge.
One of the main benefits of this version is that it’s open-source software, which means you can always access the source code if you need to fix or modify something.
WordPress.com Vs WordPress.org
While both WordPress.com and WordPress.org offer unlimited storage, website traffic, and backups, there are a couple of key differences between the two. First off, if you sign up for the free version of WordPress.org, you’re actually giving the software company a small cut of your earnings. Second, depending on the type of content your site contains, you might want to consider paying for WordPress.com’s Pro or Plus tiers to get the most out of the service.
When it comes to hosting your website and making sure it’s always available, you might want to consider opting for the paid version of WordPress.org. However, if you’re looking for a simple solution to create a blog, you might want to consider going with the free version of WordPress.com.
Installing WordPress
Once you’ve chosen your web host, the next step is to install WordPress on the server. Installing WordPress is a simple process, and we’ve got you covered with guides for all the major web hosts. Just remember to complete the installation wizard as directed.
After you’ve installed WordPress, you’ll need to point your web browser to the homepage of your newly installed WordPress website. You should see a blank page with the heading “Welcome to WordPress”. Clicking on this link will bring you to the homepage of your new site.
If you’re looking for a one-stop-shop for all your web hosting needs, we’ve got you covered there too. With hundreds of web hosts to choose from, we’ve examined the features, pricing, and service levels of each one, so you can find the best suited for your needs. You’ll discover that some hosts are just not worth it, especially if you’re looking for a free solution.
Adding Slideshows And Videos To Your Blog
If you’ve been blogging for a while, you might already be familiar with the various platforms that allow for video content. You’ve probably seen blog posts with short videos added in by hand or as an afterthought. If you’ve tried to add videos to your blog posts on your own, you’ll know that it’s not easy.
Fortunately, adding videos to your blog posts is extremely easy with WordPress. For starters, you could use the immensely popular YouTube plugin to automatically upload videos from your own YouTube channel to your blog. You’ll also need to have a video hosting platform, such as YouTube or Vimeo, set up. This can be a time-consuming process, but it’s worth it.
As for the slideshows, they’re also pretty easy to add using the WordPress plugin, Enquiry Form 7. Just choose the type of content you want displayed on each card and set the amount of columns and rows you want.
Customizing Your Blog’s Appearance
As we’ve established, blogs are extremely easy to set up with WordPress. Just follow the prompts to complete the setup process and you’ll have a functional WordPress blog in no time. However, you might want to consider customizing the appearance of your blog a bit, as the default options aren’t necessarily suited for everyone.
If you’ve been blogging for a while, you might already be familiar with adjusting the look and feel of your blog by simply browsing the various online tools available to customize your blog. When it comes to customizing your blog’s appearance with WordPress, you’ll need to follow a few simple steps to make it happen.
With most blogs, the main focus is on content, but if you’re looking for a clean and modern look, you might want to opt for a theme which is optimized for search engines and has a slicker design. Also, make sure you have a privacy policy and terms of use in place before you start collecting any personal data from your blog’s visitors.
Creating An Events Calendar For Your Blog
If you’ve been blogging for a while and you’ve amassed a sizeable number of passionate followers, you might want to create an events calendar for your blog. Doing this can be extremely rewarding, as you’ll be able to showcase your calendar of events online, attracting potential attendees from all over the world.
To create an events calendar in WordPress, you’ll need to install and activate the Events Calendar plugin. You can do this from your WordPress dashboard. Once you’ve done this, you can add in events from a number of different sources, including Google Calendar and Microsoft Outlook. You’ll also need to ensure that your calendar is set to public so that anyone can access it.
Creating an events calendar for your blog is a great way to both establish yourself as an authoritative voice in your industry and to attract potential sponsors and partners. It’s also a great way to engage with your audience and establish lasting connections.
Making Money From Your Blog
If you’ve been blogging for a while and amassed a sizeable number of followers, you might want to explore the various ways you can monetize your blog. Doing this can be extremely rewarding, as you’ll be able to generate an additional revenue stream from the content you’ve been providing for free. The best part is that you can do this without having to resort to adverts or annoying pop-ups.
WordPress has a built-in monetization feature which can be used to generate a passive income stream from your blog. This feature is called Affiliate Marketing and it allows you to earn money by promoting other businesses with complimentary products or services. These businesses, known as affiliate partners, will pay you a commission if someone clicks a monetized link or purchases a product that’s promoted on your blog. You can learn more about affiliate marketing with the Affiliate Marketers WordPress Plugin. Just follow the steps in the installation wizard and you’ll be able to start earning from your blog.
WordPress has a built-in storehouse for customers to buy products from, called WooCommerce. WooCommerce allows merchants to set up a storefront on a WordPress site, with all the associated online payment options. It should come as no surprise, then, that many WordPress experts and developers flock to the platform, as it offers the ultimate combination of content management and e-commerce functionality.
The best part about WooCommerce is that it’s extremely easy to use and configure. When you launch your website with a WooCommerce storefront, you’ll be able to start selling your products, seamlessly integrating your online and in-store shopping experiences. You’ll also be able to take advantage of all the built-in features, such as automated inventory management and email marketing to keep in touch with your customers.