Do you want to create a news website but are not sure how to get started?
News websites are popular all over the world. They can attract a global audience and help build a brand. While competing with established sites can be tough, you can write about your favorite topics, cover local news, or focus on specific niches.
In this article, we will show you how to make a news website step by step.
Steps to Create a News Website
Here’s what we will cover in this guide:
- Why You Should Start a News Website
- What You’ll Need to Start a News Website
- Selecting Web Hosting and Installing WordPress
- Choosing a Theme for Your News Site
- Adding Content to Your News Website
- Customizing and Adjusting Your News Website Settings
- Optimizing Your WordPress News Site for Search Engines
- Growing Traffic on Your News Website
- Tips to Boost Engagement on Your News Site
Why You Should Start a News Website
People always look for the latest information on various topics like current affairs, technology, lifestyle, fashion, and local updates. A news website can help you reach a wider audience and make money online by partnering with brands or offering subscription services. Additionally, you can create different content formats like videos, newsletters, or podcasts to engage your audience.
What You’ll Need to Start a News Website
First, you need the right platform. Free platforms like WordPress.com, Tumblr, Blogger, and Medium offer limited features. WordPress.org is a powerful website builder that gives you full control over your site. Many notable news brands use WordPress.org.
To get started, you’ll need:
- Web Hosting: The place where your website’s files are stored.
- Domain Name: Your site’s address on the web.
- Your Attention for 30 Minutes: The time it takes to set up your site.
Selecting Web Hosting and Installing WordPress
Creating a WordPress website involves costs for a domain name ($14.99/year) and web hosting ($7.99/month). You can save money with deals like the one from Hostinger, offering a free domain and SSL with each hosting plan, starting at $2.24/month.
- Visit the Hostinger website and click ‘Claim Deal’.
- Choose a pricing plan and click ‘Add to Cart’.
- Select a hosting period (48 months for the best discount).
- Create a new account on Hostinger.
- Enter your personal details and payment method.
- Complete the payment process.
- Create a new website in the Hostinger dashboard.
- Select ‘Blog’ as your website type and ‘Create a new website’.
- Choose ‘WordPress with AI’ and set up login details.
- Select plugins and templates (optional) and claim a free domain.
- Install WordPress and access the WordPress admin area.
Choosing a Theme for Your News Site
Now that your news website is set up, choose a theme. WordPress offers over 11,000 free themes. A good theme should display your latest news prominently and make reading enjoyable. Astra is a beginner-friendly theme with many customization options and support for popular page builders.
- Go to Appearance » Themes in the WordPress dashboard.
- Click ‘Add New Theme’ and filter by ‘news’ to find a theme.
- Install and activate the theme of your choice.
Adding Content to Your News Website
WordPress has two default post types: posts and pages. Use the block editor (Gutenberg) to add content. Start with static pages like contact, about us, privacy policy, and terms of service. Then, create news articles as blog posts. Publish new content regularly to keep your site fresh.
Customizing and Adjusting Your News Website Settings
Here are some settings to adjust:
- Site Title and Tagline: Go to Settings » General and enter your site title and tagline.
- Categories: Create categories to organize your content (Posts » Categories).
- Navigational Menu: Add a menu to help readers navigate your site (Appearance » Menus).
- Comment Moderation: Enable manual comment approval to prevent spam (Settings » Discussion).
Optimizing Your WordPress News Site for Search Engines
Optimize your site for search engines to drive traffic from Google and Bing. Use the All in One SEO (AIOSEO) plugin for on-page analysis, rich snippets, XML sitemaps, and social media integration. Follow basic SEO practices like using HTTPS, adding internal links, and ensuring your site is visible to search engines.
Submit Your WordPress News Site to Google News
Submitting your site to Google News can boost traffic and authority. Follow Google News policies, create a news sitemap with AIOSEO, and submit your site through the Google Publisher Center.
Ways to Grow Traffic on Your News Website
- Convert Visitors into Subscribers: Use OptinMonster to create popups and build an email list.
- Send Push Notifications: Use PushEngage to send notifications about new articles and updates.
- Share Content on Social Media: Automate sharing with tools like Uncanny Automator.
Tips to Boost Engagement on Your News Site
- Add a Scrolling News Ticker: Use the Ditty plugin to display breaking news.
- Show Popular and Trending News Articles: Display related posts to keep users engaged.
- Turn Your Site into a News Aggregator: Curate news from multiple sources to attract more readers.
Following these steps will help you create a successful news website using WordPress.
