How to Make a Classified Ads Website with WordPress
In the digital age, classified ad websites are the essential platforms for selling, buying, and trading goods and services. These platforms create streamlined connections between buyers and sellers, from local community exchanges to specialized niche markets. If you want to make a classified ads website with WordPress, it offers a powerful and flexible solution to help you achieve this relatively quickly.
This article will show you how to make a classified ads website with WordPress. We’ll cover everything from setting up your WordPress environment to choosing suitable themes and plugins, customizing your site, and implementing essential features to ensure a seamless user experience.
What Is a Classified Ads Website?
A classified ads website is an online platform where users can search and post ads for different services, products, and opportunities. These sites bring sellers and buyers together to exchange services. Users can find various services here, such as real estate, jobs, vehicles, and personnel. These sites also allow individuals and businesses to advertise items for sale, seek services, or find employment.
How to Make a Classified Ads Website with WordPress
First, you must choose between WordPress.org and WordPress.com to create a classified ad website with WordPress. WordPress.org is self-hosted and open-source software, while WordPress.com is a blog hosting platform. You will need WordPress.org to integrate classified ad plugins and have complete freedom to design your site. Here are the steps to make a classified ads website with WordPress.
Purchasing Domain and Hosting
Domain
A domain name is a human-readable address that you can use to access a website. It translates the numeric IP addresses that computers use into a format accessible for people to remember and type. Always select a domain name that is easy to remember and describes your brand perfectly. For example, www.example.com is a site.
In this site example is the domain name of the website. Registering a domain name is an easy process. To get a domain name, you can visit domain registrars like GoDaddy, Bluehost, Domain.com, etc. You can check if your desired domain is available, and if it is, you can proceed further and pay for it to own it.
Hosting
Website hosting is a service that provides the resources and infrastructure to make a website accessible on the Internet. Selecting the right web host is essential to consider when making a classified ads website with WordPress. Here are the key aspects to consider before choosing one.
- Server space
- Bandwidth
- Uptime
- Support
- Cost
There are many web host providers available on the Internet. Choose the one that fulfills your site requirements. Some of them are Bluehost, Hostinger, and IONOS. You can visit these hosting platforms to choose your desired features and pay for them to acquire their services.
Installing WordPress
Once you have purchased the domain and hosting, you need to install WordPress. WordPress is a common and most popular content management system. Many web host providers offer a one-click installation option for WordPress. You can download WordPress with a few clicks on your domain. Let’s download WordPress with Hostinger.
First ensure Hostinger is added to your hosting plan. Now open the auto installer and go to Websites > Dashboard > Auto Installer and click on “Auto Installer.”
On the next screen click “WordPress.”
Click the “Next” button after entering the required details.
On the next screen choose the WordPress version and click “Install.” Installation process will take a few minutes and WordPress will be installed
You can also install WordPress manually if your host provider doesn’t offer a one-click installation option. Visit the official WordPress site and download WordPress.
Configuring the WordPress Site
Configuring a WordPress site is straightforward. Once installed, to change your website settings, navigate to Settings > General. You can change settings like the site title, tagline, WordPress address, permalink, and more here.
It doesn’t stop here. Scroll down to change the site language, time zone, and time/date format. Once you’ve done this, hit the “Save changes” button. Your basic settings are now taken care of.
For permalink settings, go to Settings > Permalinks and select a URL structure for posts.
After configuring the WordPress settings, you must choose the perfect theme for your classified ads website.
Choosing a Theme
A WordPress theme contains different files that work together to control the design and layout of a WordPress website. With these themes, you can change the design or appearance of your site without altering its underlying content or structure. Here are a few things that you should ensure before selecting a theme.
- Responsive design
- Numerous customization options
- Compatibility with classified ads plugins
- Regular updates
- Good user reviews and ratings
- Reasonable cost
To activate a theme, go to the WordPress dashboard, navigate to Appearance > Themes, search for your desired theme, and activate it.
You can manually add a theme by clicking “Add New Theme” and choosing the theme file you downloaded from a third-party site.
To customize the theme, click “Customize” in the “Appearance” menu.
Now, you can customize your site according to your preferences, even with the front-end view.
Here are some of the best themes you can use to make a classified ads website with WordPress.
- Classima
- Listable
- Listivo
Classima
Classima is an excellent choice for a classified listing and directory website. Its modern and clean design makes it perfect for classified ads. It has Gutenberg Optimization and Elementor Page Builder, which you can use to design and publish posts and customize your website.
Key Features
- Eight gorgeous multi-homepages
- 2 Blog Layouts
- Drag & Drop Page Builder included – Elementor
- Responsive & Mobile Friendly
- SEO Friendly
Pricing
Classima is a premium theme and costs $49 (one-time fee). You can download it from ThemeForest.
Listable
Listable is another beautiful theme for creating, managing, and monetizing your website. It is simple but powerful, allowing you to customize your site’s layout without any coding knowledge. Your website will work perfectly on all devices because it has a responsive design. It uses WPML, which means it is fully multilingual to address a global audience.
Key Features
- Simple but powerful theme
- WooCommerce support
- Excellent design
- Easy layout control
- Advanced filtering system
Pricing
Listable is a premium directory WordPress theme that costs $85 for 1 end product. You can download it from ThemeForest.
Listivo
Listivo is one of the best WordPress themes for directories, classified ads websites, and listing websites. This innovative classified ad WordPress theme caters to everything from large, multi-category platforms to niche sites focused on specific categories. This theme is fully SEO optimized and integrated with Elementor.
Key Features
- Monetize classified ads
- Flexible and user-friendly design
- Responsive design
- Regular updates
- Extensive documentation and dedicated support
Pricing
Listivo is a premium classified ads theme that costs $79 for each end product. You can download this theme from ThemeForest.
Installing the Right Plugins
To make a classified ads website with WordPress, selecting the right plugin is essential for better site performance. Look for the following features when selecting a plugin:
- Ease of use
- Maximum features
- Seamless compatibility
- Regular updates and support
- Reasonable cost
We will use the Classified Listing plugin to show how to configure settings according to your preference. First, install and activate the plugin from the WordPress plugin repository.
Here are some configuration settings.
General Settings
Go to “Classified Listing” on the sidebar and click “Settings.” Here, you can set up location options, payment details, listings per page, default currency, contact information, and many other essential settings.
Ad Categories
To make more precise changes, you can also create and manage categories/subcategories for classified ads. As mentioned earlier, you can divide your website into listing categories so users can navigate your classified ads site easily. For example, you can add “Jobs”, “For Sale”, and “Services” categories. To add a category, navigate to Classified Listing > Categories > Add New Category.
Payment Integration
You will get payment options like PayPal, Stripe, and other gateways if you want to monetize your website.
Here is the list of other plugins we will need on the website for proper management.
- SEO Plugins: You can use different plugins like Yoast SEO and AISEO for search engine optimization.
- E-commerce Plugins: To manage e-commerce integrations, you can use WooCommerce and Easy Digital Downloads.
- Page Builders: Elementor and WPBakery Page Builder are good plugins for creating and designing pages.
- Analytics Integration: Google Analytics and MonsterInsights are good options for monitoring user behavior, traffic, and conversions.
- Backup Plugins: It is essential to have a backup before going live. UpdraftPlus is a good backup plugin.
- Security Plugins: You can protect your sites from threats using Wordfence and Sucuri Security.
Setting Up the Classified Ad Website
Once we have installed and activated the classified ads plugin on our WordPress website, it’s time to create and manage classified ads. Here are the steps for setting up a classified ads website with WordPress.
Account Creation
Allow visitors to create an account on your website. This will allow users to create and manage their classified ads. Go to Classified Listing > Settings > Account & Policy to do this.
Submission Form
Create a submission form that collects all the necessary information for the classified ad, such as title, description, price, category, images, and contact details. To do this go to Classified Listings > Form Builder.
Upgrades
You can give your users additional visibility of their advertising by upgrading them to featured or premium listings. You can offer this by adding a pricing structure. Go to Classified Listings > Pricing > Add New Pricing.
Managing User Submission
You can review the submitted ads to ensure they do not violate your website guidelines. By removing the inappropriate listing, you can maintain the integrity of your website. You can also allow your users to edit their ads if needed.
Monetize Classified Ads Website
You can start earning money from your classified ads website as soon as your website gets decent traffic. Classified ad websites have decent potential as a business setup. There are several ways to monetize a Classified listing website:
- Posting ads: You can offer different packages with several options for users to post ads on your website.
- Premium Features: Offer premium features like highlighted ads and featured listings for extra money.
- Advertisement: You can charge users or visitors to display their business ads on your website.
- Sale Commission: You can earn a commission on each sale through your platform.
- Sell Data: You can sell your users’ anonymous data to marketers, although this is not considered a good gesture.
Promoting and Optimizing Classified Ads Website
Once your website is online, promoting and optimizing it for increased visibility and traffic is important. Here are some strategies for doing so.
User Experience (UX) Design: Ensure your website is mobile-friendly and works well on various devices. Create a clear and simple navigation structure so users can easily find what they want. Optimizing images, using caching, and minimizing code can enhance site speed.
Social Media for Promotion: First, create your account on social platforms like Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Add your brand and link to your website. Regularly share engaging content, blogs, and classified listings. Motivate users to share your posts. Also, you can attract visitors from search engines such as Google. It is possible to attract viewers by publishing highly-ranked blog posts. You can use Google AdWords and other Google Ad methods, including those on YouTube, to attract users interested in purchasing your products or services.
Improving Website SEO: Search engine optimization (SEO) is important for attracting organic traffic to your classified website. Here are some essential points that you should consider:
- Keyword Research: Identify and use relevant keywords related to your classified categories.
- On-Page SEO: Optimize title tags, meta descriptions, headers, and URLs with relevant keywords.
- Content Quality: Regularly update your site with fresh, high-quality content to attract and engage users.
Launching the Classified Ad Website
Once you have selected the domain, hosting, theme, and plugins, it’s time to launch your classified ad website. But there are some points that you should consider before and after the launch.
Pre-Launch Consideration
First, review your design. It should be user-friendly, visually appealing, and responsive across devices. Check that all the features you offer are working fine. Then, add a variety of initial ads to showcase the different categories and ensure that all content, including legal pages, is complete. Different users use different browsers, so test your site on different browsers and conduct beta testing with a small group of users.
After these basic checkups, you must have a proper launch plan. Before launching, set your timeline, marketing plan, and pre-launch campaign on different media or social platforms to attract users. You must also have a backup of your site before going live.
Post-Launch Consideration
Once you are live, you need to monitor your site performance. You can use tools like Google Analytics to check site performance. Always do surveys to understand what users are thinking about your site. Regularly update your users with information about your site on different media and social platforms. Finally, regular update content, WordPress, themes, and plugins are updated to ensure security and functionality.
Adding the Website to Google Search Console
Google Search Console (GSC) is a Google tool for improving, monitoring, and maintaining website performance in Google search results. To add your WordPress classified ads website to GSC, search for GSC in your browser and click the “Start now” button.
On the next screen you will see two property options: domain and URL prefix. We will use URL prefix to show you the method of adding website to GSC. URL prefix is an easy and less time taking process then domain.
Now you have to add the website address in the URL block. To get your website address, navigate to WordPress dashboard > Settings > General and copy the website address (URL). And click “Continue.”
A popup will appear, now you have to choose a method to verify site owner ship. We will use “HTML tag” to verify site ownership.
Copy the meta tag.
Now you have to install and activate the Yoast SEO plugin.
Now go to Yoast SEO > Settings > Site connections, paste the code into the Google platform. After pasting the code click on Save “Changes.”
Now go back to verify ownership popup and click on “Verify.”
After verification, your WordPress classified ad website will be added to the Google Search Console.
The purpose of Google Search Console is to enable SEO experts, marketers, and website owners to understand how Google assesses their websites. This assessment will help you monitor and improve site performance, identify problems, and resolve them.
Conclusion
Creating a classified ads website with WordPress opens up a world of possibilities for connecting buyers and sellers in a dynamic and user-friendly environment.
In this article, we explored the essential steps to make a classified ads website with WordPress, from choosing a reliable hosting provider and installing WordPress to selecting suitable themes and plugins to enhance functionality and user experience.
We’ve also covered key aspects such as customizing your site’s design, integrating payment systems, and implementing search and filtering options to ensure a seamless browsing experience for your users.
No matter what method you use to make money from your website, remember that the amount you make will depend on how valuable your website is to people.
You can learn more ways to generate money from your website from our article listed below:
