To Create an online community with WordPress appears to be a piece of cake, but it requires a lot of effort, time to develop a community website. A lot of people have this idea that installation of WP plugin to their present website can create a social platform their targeted audience. But, it is not so! WordPress is undoubtedly the best way to create an online community, but you need to prepared for brainstorming. You can choose to create an online community with WordPress in the form of a public forum, social networking site etc.
What are the different kinds of community websites?
Before you start to create an online community with WordPress,you
should know what exactly you want. Concentrate on creating an online
environment where users can easily interact with one another efficiently. But,
keep the security and privacy of users as your top priority. Users should be
clear about what they want from your site and their reason for sign up. Here
are kind of website you can develop for different community types.
Forums
Forums are quite famous and
preferred online community websites. Usually a panel is created to serve your
purpose and develop awareness amongst people. However, it can also serve
different purpose depending on what your website has been developed for and
what your website it all about.
For example, if you have
made a product related forum, the consumers can pose their feedback and
complaints and seek solution from other users. Rather than waiting for the
support of the company, members can resolve the issue on their own.
If you are a service
provider, then people can discuss your service related issues and treatment
options available from one another.
Community blogs
They are same as forums but
specific features make it different from forums. The forum is surely the best
way to communicate social, but community blogs have their own standards and
ability. They give viewers a higher chance to put their opinion and get heard
by everyone across the world.
It offers space to users to
upload and publish their content. It is the ultimate option to generate content
via your audience. It helps in bringing people and content to your website and
develop great audience engagement.
Social networking sites
They are different community blogs and forums. Social networking sites do
not just help visitors to discuss about the problems and their solutions, but
allow them to create social profiles, send and receive friend lists and message
one another. Under the site, members can create communities for different user
groups.
How does a plugin help to create an online community with WordPress?
Plugin always help you like a magic wand to create an online community with WordPress. If you
don’t have any idea about coding in social community website, then a good plugin
can do all the work for you. Just choose the right plugin compatible with
WordPress and you can attract several visitors to your website and engage them.
Some of the famous plugins to create community with WordPress are given below:
1. Userpro: Community and user profile plugin for WordPress
With userpro, you can easily do anything and create a reliable WordPress
community site. Some of things, it offers you are:
- Create your own community with the help of member’s directory.
- Give user a custom profile.
- Personalize registration
- Forbidden access to content depending on the membership level.
- Allow social connect and immediate profile synchronization through Facebook, Instagram, Google+, Twitter and linkedin.
2. Youzer: WordPress user profile plugin
The plugin concentrates on creating good community and user profiles. It
provides several tools to allow the users to personalize their profile and
community page. Some of the services it provides are:
- Social login
- Completely personalized with different color schemes, header designs and profile widgets.
- Completely responsive design
- Lot of specs like points, reviews, rating, comments etc.
3. Ultimate Membership Pro
For subscription based communities which provide access to other
services and products as per your membership level, this is the best plugin
choice. It helps you to:
- Create your subscription with different membership fee standards
- Offer different levels of access to content depending on your membership standards.
- To manage your membership form, pages, content etc.
- It releases content at periodic intervals as per your subscription time or level.
- Plugin comes with integrated payment gateways
- It comes with email marketing platforms.
4. Bbpress
It is highly
recommended for forums. It is a forum plugin made by Automattic. It permits you
to include a simple forum to your site by including “Participant” as a new
WordPress user role and get people assigned for this role to create content on
your forum. It comes with hundreds of extensions available.
5. Buddypress
It works best
when used with a social network program. It is also recommended for use on
forums. It allows your community to create user profiles, private message one
another, form groups and communicate with one another in ways which go beyond
what possible on your site comment section.
6. WP Membership
If you want
to be overwhelmed with lot of features, then WP Membership will help you get
beautiful, well-designed templates for your membership website. Some of the
templates to choose from are:
- User profile templates
- Two sign up
- Pricing table templates
Simplicity makes one of the
best features of this plugin. You don’t require to configure too many things on
your site. Just install and use it. It helps you create email templates,
settings at the time of installations and other important pages. Some of the
other specs are:
- Mailchimp assistance
- Paypal payment gateway
- Free and paid memberships
So, there are few ways to create an online community with WordPress and you can choose one that best for you.