Planning to set up an online store? Wondering how WordPress can simplify it all for you? Well, we understand why you chose WordPress over the many available platforms. Today, more than thirty percent of the websites on the internet are run on WordPress, and it is all for a good reason. WordPress is free and powerful.
Moreover, it happens to be one of the most scalable platforms out there. Here, in this article, we will try to help you develop a small eCommerce Website using WordPress. So, let us get started and address these steps one by one.
Step 1 – Opt for the domain name and then select the hosting platform.
Before you start with the development stage, you need to pick the domain name. It is your permanent web address, so be wise and make your selection.
WordPress, as a platform, is free, but you do have to bear a price for the domain name and the hosting. This cost is certainly worth it as when you have your domain name, it indeed gives out a more professional outlook,’ points out Darvin, a WordPress developer with a platform offering assignment help Brisbane services.
Further, you also require a hosting provider to keep your website running on the internet. Having a dedicated hosting provider ensures that there is no downtime. More so, you even have a choice of dedicated and shared hosting services. The latter is cheaper, but in there, the control on the website is potentially less. On the other hand, the dedicated host is slightly more expensive but provides your website with a complete server for your usage.
Once the domain and hosting selection has been made, you need to install WordPress. There are two ways to install the website – manual installation and one-click installation.
Step 2 – Configure and Install WooCommerce
‘WooCommerce is indeed one of the most useful plugins for every eCommerce website,’ comments Derek, an online geometry tutor.
Now, after WordPress is installed, you need the plugins that add to the website’s functionality. As you have an eCommerce website, you need the most prevalent plugin that adds to the functionality of your website, which is WooCommerce. Like WordPress, this, too, is free.
You can use this to add extensions without having to spend a penny, such as secure payment gateway, product pages, cart and checkout, automated tax collections, integration with MailChimp, Facebook, and Google analytics, label printing, and shipping options.
After installing WooCommerce, activate it, provide your business details, input the payment options, enter shipping options, select a complementary theme, or any other plugins as required. Finally, you need to activate JetPack.
Step 3 – Check the chosen theme is responsive
The theme is the basic layout of your website. It decides how your website looks to the onlooker.
‘The reason I recommend WordPress over all the other available platforms is because it is easy to customize,’ points out Janice, a Freelance developer who has developed TAE, a nursing assignment help providing website.
You need to opt for a theme that best works for your website. After installation of the theme, do check that the theme works well on all screen sizes. This will confirm the responsiveness of the theme.
Step 4 – Add the products
Once Jetpack has been installed, you will come across a window to add the products you want on your website.
Step 5 – Add other plugins, as required.
WooCommerce alone is not enough for your WordPress website. You need several other plugins, too, which improve the functionality of your website. Some of the plugins that you can add are:
- Yoast for SEO – It is a great SEO plugin that can help you rank higher in your search engine ranking.
- Security for safety – You need to be particularly careful about your site’s security. Of course, you can find a plethora of free security plugins, but none better than Securi.
- Site reviews for reviews – With Site reviews, the customers get a platform to leave a custom review on your website.
Step 6 – Start uploading content.
Now, you have to start drafting the main pages on your website. This is where most of your conversions happen. You need to ensure that the content is search engine optimized, good in quality, and provides the customers exactly what they need.
Some of the content that has to be added included:
- Microcopy
- Product descriptions
- Product images
- Privacy policy
Step 7 – Go Public
Now, we are at the last step of developing a WordPress eCommerce website. After all the above-listed six steps have been followed, you need to examine your website. If you think it works as well as it should, you are good to go. For this, you need to Preview the pages and see how they look when live. Once done, it is time you make your site public. It does not take a lot of effort.
For this, you need to go to the Settings menu and head to the Privacy menu. After the privacy policy has been updated, you are ready to make your website Public. Once the website is Public, your audience can begin shopping, and you are good to go.
So, these are the seven vital steps that you need to follow to build a Small eCommerce website by using WordPress. The process is not very difficult, and you can easily and conveniently follow the steps on your own or hire a developer to do the needful for you.
