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If you are a gamer, you probably know your way around the internet by now.
The world of gaming has extended from handheld consoles to cyberspace. And as the gaming world continues to build its audience online, gamers are now more opportunities to make a presence online.
Making a gaming website can be easy once you know the steps to take. By the time you’ve finished this article, you will have a great gaming website built up.
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How To Create A Gaming Website Using WordPress
Setting up and creating a website might sound complicated, but the process is more straightforward than you may think.
As technology advances, more and more services come up that allow people to build and host their websites. One of the most popular services to build a website is WordPress.
But before you can build a website, you will want to find a domain name. A domain name is your website’s name. Having a unique domain name will allow people to come and visit your site; think of it as your gaming website’s address.
E.g. www.yourcoolgamingsite.com
You can get your domain and hosting via JustHost. JustHost is a monthly subscription service that provides you with various tools to help host your website, including a domain name. I recommend signing up with JustHost as soon as possible to get a start on your gaming website.
Once you have signed up for JustHost, you will be able to choose your domain name. To have a successful online gaming website, you will want to pick a word relevant to computer gaming.
After selecting a domain name, I suggest that you add domain privacy. There is no need to add any other extra features; the biggest priority is keeping your private information safe.
Once you are signed up to JustHost and have added your domain privacy, you can install WordPress using their 1 click installation tool.
Done!
Now you have your base website setup, let’s make it look worthy of your fellow gamers.
Top Gaming WordPress Themes For A Sharp Looking Site
One of the most enjoyable aspects of setting up any website is the process of customizing the site. You can easily customize your website by using a WordPress theme.
While there are countless WordPress themes to choose from, I suggest going with a gaming specific theme. Here are four of the best gaming themes you can choose from.
Youplay – Gaming WordPress Theme
Youplay is a WordPress theme geared towards members of the gaming community.
Youplay has a polished and clean setup and works with the WPBaker Page Builder. The theme can help you provide a community for gamers and provide a way to sell commerce and share related news.
The Youplay gaming theme offers an unlimited selection of color schemes for your gaming website. Some of the main features of the Youplay theme includes:
- Over 230 theme options.
- Demo for the theme.
- Over 20 shortcodes.
Geco – eSports And Gaming WordPress Theme + bbPress
Next on the list is Geco, another WordPress theme built for gaming-related websites.
Geco is a theme designed for gaming and entertainment content. The theme is sleek and modern and has an interesting design that is perfect for gamers.
The Geco theme comes with a variety of essential pages needed to build a great gaming website. The options for added pages include FAQ pages, gallery pages, about pages, and more.
If you are making a website for a computer game business, this theme is a great option. The Geco theme includes features such as:
- Demo import.
- Responsive layout.
- Clean design.
Kappa – A Gaming WordPress Theme
The next theme is Kappa. It’s more suited to those wanting to blog than the above themes, which are more ‘traditional website’ focused.
Kappa is a premium WordPress theme that will offer you the chance to sell gaming merch, share news regarding new games, and even review the hottest games on the market. Any way that you plan on contributing to the gaming world, Kappa will allow you the platform to do so.
Some of the main features that Kappa provides are:
- A fast and responsive design.
- A variety of layouts and formats.
- Up to four different templates.
SquadForce – eSports Gaming WordPress Theme (Formerly Good Games)
Last but not least on this list is SquadForce. SquadForce is a gaming WordPress theme that, in it’s demo, focuses heavily on eSports.
That said, it can also work as the base for any kind of online computer game website.
The theme can help you present gaming news, host a gaming forum, be a place to showcase your new game, or other. You can also run a normal blog-style website with SquadForce.
There are many features and tools provided by SquadForce that can help you get the most out of your gaming website. If you are using your website to start a brand or business, then SquadForce is a great option.
Some of the main features that are offered through SquadForce are:
- Customizable color options.
- Customizable theme options.
- Footer columns.
If you’re not sure how to install a theme on WordPress, this video explains the process:
Best WordPress Plugins For Gaming Websites
WordPress is a great platform to build a website as it not only allows many great themes, but WordPress also allows you to use plugins for your websites.
To give you a good idea of how you can utilize plugins for your websites, I have listed two good options down below.
BuddyPress
BuddyPress is a great plugin that offers add-on features through WordPress.
The plugin uses software to mimic the components of social network platforms. BuddyPress is designed with website builders and developers in mind. This plugin built by WordPress is a simple and easy to understand social networking software.
BuddyPress provides tools that are important for gaming websites. Through BuddyPress, those who visit your website will be able to utilize your site in a similar way to other social media platforms.
Users can communicate back and forth, register for your website, create groups, and perform many more actions. The gaming community is strong, so any good gaming website will want to recreate that community feeling.
ShortPixel Image Optimizer
ShortPixel Image Optimizer is another important plugin for gaming sites.
Well-loved gaming websites are typically the ones that are both informative and interesting to look at. While you should be careful not to overwhelm your visitors with many images, you should utilize photos to bring personality to your site.
ShortPixel is an easy to use plugin that can help improve your SEO ranking by compressing photos and pdf files for your gaming site. Once files are compressed, they are ready to be optimized.
ShortPixel has many different tools and options to help you get the best out of the plugin.
If you do not know how to install a WordPress plugin, I will refer you to this video.
Important Pages To Include On Your Computer Game Website
It is not enough for a gaming website to look nice. The site can look as nice as possible, with all of the best possible features. But for your website to stand out, you will need to provide the right kind of content depending on your website’s style.
Blog: Game News
If you are running a blog about online gaming, or the gaming community in general, a news page is always a good idea.
Having a section devoted to the news regarding gaming trends is a great way to keep your visitors coming back on a regular basis. Having a news section also builds your website’s reputation as a reliable gaming news source.
Blog: Tutorials
Tutorials are another great way to build an invested audience as a blogger.
Video games are fun no matter what the platform is or how good you are at the game. However, as video games increase their difficulty, many gamers turn to the internet for tutorials and cheat codes.
Providing well-spoken and informative tutorials for as many games as possible is a sure way to build a sense of respect and trust among the gaming community.
Game Company: Game Showcase Page
If you are using a website for a personal gaming company, then you will want visitors to see all of the games that you have created.
Creating a showcase page is a way for visitors and potential customers to see all you have to offer. Gamers love to try new games, and most gamers will like to support indie game creators. A showcase page is essentially a portfolio for your work, so make sure to show it off.
Game Company: Release Dates Page
Again, if you are a gaming company, you will want your customers to stay up-to-date on all of your upcoming releases.
You will want a release date page so that anyone, customer or not, can keep an eye on your accomplishments in the future. A release date page is a good way of communicating to your consumer base and showing you are serious about what you do.
Other Big Gaming Sites For Inspiration
If you are new to creating websites, it is not expected that you will know all of the best tips and tricks about making a gaming website right away. Sometimes the best way to improve is to see good examples of what makes a good website.
To help you draw inspiration for your online gaming site, I have provided four websites below with an explanation as to why they are good examples.
Eurogamer.net
Eurogamer is a gaming website that provides an almost endless source of information regarding gaming.
Eurogamer has sections for different consoles and pages for reviews, news, videos, features, and many more. The wide variety in selections on this site has made it an extremely popular gaming source.
Nintendo.com
Nintendo is a classic and has always had a well-established media presence.
Nintendo.com is popular not only because of its loyal fanbase but also because of how on-brand the website is. The site has an interesting and inviting layout that draws the audience in.
As well as the great design, Nintendo.com provides a lot of information regarding Nintendo games and the Nintendo community.
Game.com.uk
Game.com has a cute design and is easy to navigate.
Game.com sells countless amounts of merchandise and stays up-to-date on all of the gaming trends. As well as selling merchandise, Game.com also provides a tool for consumers to find a gaming store with their area.
This site has seen success because it knows what the gaming community would like to buy based on their gaming hobbies. There is a product for every gamer through Game.com.
IGN.com
IGN.com is one of the most famous gaming sites on the internet.
The site sells merchandise, provides news on the most current gaming trends in the industry, has a forum board, provides reviews, and much more. IGN.com continues to keep its place as one of the most reliable gaming news sites.
Things To Think About When Making A Website In The Gaming Industry
Before you get started on your website, you will want to consider a few things. There are many important aspects of keeping up with a gaming website.
The Community
The gaming community is a large one, but it is also a very close-knit one. Gamers can often tell when someone is trying to make a quick buck out of the gaming community. As a result, you will want to make sure that your passion for gaming is genuine.
While there is nothing wrong with making a profit based on your love of gaming, you will want to build trust between you and the community first. Having a devoted audience(no matter how big or small)is the first step you must take to find success in any gaming site.
The Work
Keeping up a consistent gaming website can be a lot of work.
The work needed to keep up a website extends beyond the initial setup. You will need to have a set posting schedule, consistently edit your site, and respond to comments and questions.
You may have days where there is very little activity on your site, but you will still need to post anyway. Ensure that you are ready to take on the work before committing yourself to the website, or the site will most likely not take off.
The Research
Even though video games are a form of entertainment, you will still need to be well-researched when providing information about them.
Doing your research is another step in building trust in your audience. Your community will respect you as a reliable source of information as long as you do your proper research.
How To Make A Computer Game Website – Final Thoughts
If you are passionate about video games and want to make a website revolving around that passion, everything you will need is in this article.
And now that you have the tools to build your website, you will need to learn how to promote the site and get your website known among the community. There are many tips and tricks on how to advertise your website out there.
Expanding upon your hobby and passions is a great thing that both WordPress and JustHost can help you with.
Once you have signed up for JustHost and installed WordPress, you will be on your way to building a great gaming website to express your passion and creativity.