Marketing

A Complete Guide On How To Build Your E-Commerce Website Using WordPress

Build Your E-Commerce Website Using WordPress

September 26th, 2020   |   Updated on August 3rd, 2021

The global retail market has grown overly-competitive, thus the need for local businesses to employ out-of-the-box strategies to be ahead of the competition. And what better solution than the digital marketplace.

You can create an e-commerce website using WordPress that is guaranteed to captivate visitors and draw them back to your site in a few easy steps.

Using WordPress to get your online store up-and-going offers more flexibility. It is a free and open-source content management system that is easily compatible with most plugins enhancing functionality and ease of use.

Currently, WordPress is the most popular platform that you can use to create a professional and beautiful e-commerce website that will make you a ton of money.

How To Build Your E-Commerce Website: 4 Easy Steps

1. Choose A Suitable Domain Name And Service Provider

Your domain name is how you appear on the Internet. It is the address of your website and can be anything you want.

Although WordPress is free, you have to pay for your domain name. The average cost is about US$13 yearly. After you pick a suitable domain name, you need to get hosting from a provider.

A dedicated host, though more pricey, offers your website it’s own server ensuring more control, storage, and bandwidth.

On the other hand, a shared hosting provider is cheaper as you co-share the server with other websites. Web hosting is typically charged as a monthly subscription and varies between providers.

Also, invest in an SSL certificate to secure sensitive information, such as credit card data, on your website. The average yearly charge for SSL certification is around US$70.

The startup fee is a bit hefty, therefore consider offers on WordPress. For instance, Bluehost comes highly recommended by WordPress as it offers a free domain name and SSL certification, and a discount for web hosting.



2. Select And Install An E-commerce Plugin

After you have selected a domain name, web host, and installed WordPress, you need to choose and install an e-commerce plugin to enable you to sell both digital and physical products from your site.

WooCommerce is the most popular of all WordPress plugins, alongside EDD and WP eCommerce.

WooCommerce features a setup wizard, clicking on the ‘Run’ button automatically commences the installation.

All you have to do is specify a few details like location, currency, shipping and tax, and payment information. Clicking the ‘Return to WordPress dashboard’ link transfers you from your ready WooCommerce setup.

 

3. Set Up The Product Pages

To add both digital and physical products to your pages, on your WordPress development admin panel, click on ‘Products’ and select ‘Add Product’. Ensure your products are categorized, have intriguing titles, catchy descriptions, and high-quality images.

4. Establish A Payment System

Upon checkout from your WordPress e-commerce website, consumers are redirected to a payment gateway that you can set up.

Customers simply input their credit card details on the checkout page without having to leave your site. PayPal and Stripe are commonly used.

What Is WooCommerce?

Technically, WooCommerce happens to be just another plugin. The process of installing and activating WooCommerce is the same as any other plugin.  WooCommerce is open-source. You don’t have to pay any licensing fees for installing it.

WooCommerce is a powerful plugin that turns your WordPress site into an online store.

This plugin is easy to install, and is compatible with any WordPress themes and design. You don’t have to change the design of your website.

After installing the WooCommerce plugin, you will have to create your product page.

Here are few tips for creating a product page:

  • Avoid duplication. URLs between categories and URLs. Assign a unique name to each product and category.
  • Every product page should have details about the product name, product description, price. Never forget to upload high-quality image of the product.
  • If you are familiar with coding, you can edit the custom settings of WooCommerce to change the style of your WooCommerce store. You can also buy custom WordPress designs.

Best Plugins For WooCommerce Store

These are some of the best plugins that you can install in your WooCommerce store:

Final Thought

Remember to improve your SEO to increase your Google rankings. Utilize solutions such as backlinks, keywords to create great content, dynamic meta descriptions, and prioritize speed.

Effective SEO gets your online store more organic traffic and makes a significant difference in your sales.

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