Using the free WordPress CMS is one way that you can set up a low-cost crowdfunding platform with the ability to host projects, accept donations or pledges, integrate with a payment provider like PayPal, and more.
In this tutorial, I’m going to walk you through the process of setting up a brand new website and, within a matter of hours, have a new crowdfunding platform up and running!
I recommend setting up your WordPress website with Bluehost.
Step 1: Register a Domain and Get Web Hosting
The first step is to register the domain for your new crowdfunding website. I would highly recommend going with a “.com” domain name rather than “.net or .org.” I also think that one of the newer domain names like “.expert” is acceptable and easy to remember.
When choosing a domain name, it’s best to say the name out loud and to mention it a few times to friends in conversation to see if they can easily remember and spell it.
In some cases, it makes sense to use a domain name that will be nearly exact to the type of keyword that a user might type into a search engine to find your website. For example, if you were selling automotive parts, you might register a domain name like “automotiveparts.com.”
For the majority of cases, I think it’s best to come up with a brand name (like CrowdCrux), in case you need to pivot away from a particular niche or expand the types of campaigns that you are hosting or the focus of your website in general.
For more tips on picking a domain name, I suggest reading through this post.
Once you’ve registered your domain name, you are going to need to choose a hosting provider to host your actual website (files, photos, code, etc).
- I recommend using BlueHost.
The next step, which is the most complicated (I promise, the rest is easy), is to point your purchased domain name to the hosting provider. Basically, you need to assign that domain name to your hosting account.
If you’re going with 1&1.com, just review this document and assign your nameserver to BlueHost. The BlueHost nameservers are: ns1.BlueHost.com (primary) and ns2.BlueHost.com (secondary).
Step 2: Install WordPress and Pick a Theme
Next, once you have your domain name pointing to your web hosting service, you’re going to need to install WordPress on your hosting account.
BlueHost has a nice one-click wordpress install, which I use for all of my websites. I believe that other web hosting companies do also.
Once WordPress is installed, you’re going to need to upload the crowdfunding theme of your choice. Each WordPress theme is different and some come with more functionality than others. In addition, some might be set up to only accept donations and others can be used for bedrock of an all-or-nothing crowdfunding site, like Kickstarter.
To make life easier, I’ve put together a list of the different wordpress themes that you can use to create a crowdfunding platform.
Step 3: Create a Marketing Strategy
Lastly, once you’ve set up a domain name, hosting account, installed wordpress, and chosen a theme that you like, it’s time to create a launch strategy for your platform.
In my previous post, I’ve revealed a few key ways that you can get the word out about your new website. I’ve also outlined the general startup-time that it will take to build a sustainable business out of your platform.
Remember that every great marketing strategy contains outbound marketing, in the form of paid advertisements, and inbound marketing, where your goal is to attract visitors to your platform through education, free resources, and a great PR strategy.
