Want to learn how to build a gaming website with WordPress?
Games have never been more popular. With your (Gaming Website), you can create a gaming community, start a popular gaming blog, and even earn a side income.
In this article, we will show you how to easily create a gaming website using WordPress without any technical skills.
What do you need to create a gaming website with WordPress?
You will need the following things to create a gaming website with WordPress.
- Domain name (this will be the name of your website that people type in to find your site online, like tdgameszone.com)
- web hosting account (this is where your website files will be stored)
- WordPress template (this will control the look and functionality of your site) (its available for free)
- The right WordPress plugins (this is how you will add the specific gaming features you need)
- SSL Certificate (You need this if you plan to sell products or add Twitch streams) (you will get in hosting)
- Your full attention for an hour!
Depending on the type of gaming website you are creating, it is entirely possible to build it in less than an hour. We will guide you through the entire process step by step. (Gaming Website)
In this tutorial, we’ll cover the following:
- You can create different types of gaming websites
- How to get a free domain name
- How to choose the best website hosting
- How to choose the best WordPress gaming theme
- What WordPress Game Plugins Can Boost Your Site
- The best resources to grow your gaming website
However, let’s get started. (Gaming Website)
Step 1: What Kind of WordPress Gaming Site Are You Going to Make?
If you love video games, nothing is better than getting involved in space.
Gaming blogs and websites cater to the large community of gamers looking for articles on the latest games, consoles, hardware, events, and more.
What kind of gaming websites can you create with WordPress?
- A dedicated gaming forum for your favorite game
- Game review site and news blog
- A site that hosts simple and fun online games
- A site that sells products to the gaming community
- Maybe your new gaming site will be the next IGN, Kotaku or GamesRadar?
Whatever type of gaming site you want to create, this tutorial will help you create it with WordPress.
Step 1. Choose the right website platform
To get started, you need to choose the right website builder, and since you’re reading this, you’re on the right track.
You’ll want to use WordPress. But, there are two WordPress programs that share the same name, so it’s easy to get confused.
First, you have WordPress.com, which is a blog hosting platform. The second is WordPress.org, which is a self-hosted version of WordPress.
We recommend using the self-hosted version of WordPress.org as it gives you more freedom, control, and access to all WordPress features.
For a comparison, see the difference between WordPress.com and WordPress.org.
Next, you will need a domain name and web hosting. But you don’t want just any web hosting company. You need a quality hosting provider that will support your WordPress site as it grows.
A domain name usually costs $14.99 per year, and web hosting starts around $7.99 per month. If you are just starting out, this can be a great investment.
Fortunately, Bluehost, a WordPress recommended hosting provider, has agreed to offer our readers a free domain, SSL certificate, and discount on their web hosting.
Basically, you can get started for $2.75 per month.
After you purchase hosting through Bluehost, they will automatically install a WordPress Content Management System (CMS) for you.
If you prefer, you can install WordPress yourself. For more details, follow the complete WordPress installation tutorial.
Once you have WordPress installed, it’s time to set up the rest of your WordPress gaming site.
You can follow our step-by-step tutorial on how to create a website for complete setup instructions.
Read: How To Download BGMI (Battlegrounds Mobile India) On Android? Now, It Is Legal To Play BGMI!
Step 2. Choose the perfect gaming WordPress theme
The next step after setting up your WordPress site is to select the perfect WordPress gaming theme.
When you search for the best gaming WordPress theme, you will come across many options that have gaming-related features baked right in.
Although it may seem like a good idea, in reality you will want to avoid using these themes.
You don’t need a WordPress theme designed for games.
Most gaming WordPress themes are bloated and will keep you from using them forever. You can even encounter compatibility issues when trying to add new features to your site.
It is better to choose a flexible and high-quality theme and add more functionality with WordPress plugins. There are all kinds of plugins to help you add the features you are looking for.
By taking this approach, you have the flexibility to change themes in the future while still keeping the same features and not having to hire a WordPress developer.
We have an in-depth article that will help you determine the perfect WordPress theme.
If you want to shorten the process, check out our picks for the best WordPress magazine themes.
A magazine template can be perfect for gaming sites because it serves as a model for what other big, successful sites in the gaming space are doing.
Once you find a theme you like, you can install and activate it. If you need help installing the theme, check out step-by-step guide on how to install a WordPress theme.
Read: Download Windows 11 ISO Original WORKING
Step 3. Install the correct WordPress gaming plugins
Next, it’s time to add more functionality to your website with WordPress gaming plugins.
Plugins are like apps for your WordPress site. It allows you to add all kinds of features to your website. There are more than 58000+ free plugins for WordPress.
What kind of gaming features can you add to WordPress?
- Detailed reviews of video games
- Community gaming forum
- twitch video streaming
- Real-time game visitors can play it
- Selling game related products
- Add Game Reviews to WordPress
If you’re a game blogger who blogs about games, hardware, and consoles, you’ll want to add an advanced review function to your site.
This way, when writing product reviews, you can add starred reviews and improve the appearance of your reviews.
Step 4. Take your WordPress gaming website to the next level
WordPress is a powerful and flexible platform that gives you access to thousands of different plugins that you can use to grow your gaming site.
The following plugins can help you grow your gaming site today.
WPForms Lite – It is the best contact plugin for WordPress and allows you to quickly create contact forms using a drag and drop tool.
AIOSEO – It is the best WordPress SEO plugin and will help you rank higher in search engines.
MonsterInsights – Allows you to easily install Google Analytics in WordPress, so you can understand where your visitors are coming from and what content on your site is most valuable.
Smash Balloon – It is the best social media feeds plugin for WordPress and allows you to add social network feeds directly to WordPress.
SeedProd Lite – It’s the best page builder plugin that allows you to easily customize your website using a drag and drop builder, no HTML required.
For more plugin recommendations, check out our list of 24 must have WordPress plugins for business websites.