{"id":27437,"date":"2023-10-20T12:00:04","date_gmt":"2023-10-20T10:00:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/?p=27437"},"modified":"2025-02-11T06:48:56","modified_gmt":"2025-02-11T05:48:56","slug":"how-to-start-a-gaming-website-with-wordpress","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/how-to-start-a-gaming-website-with-wordpress\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Start a Gaming Website with WordPress"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\"><p>[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]If there\u2019s one thing you can be sure of when starting a gaming website, it\u2019s that you\u2019ll never, ever run out of content. The gaming industry is huge and it\u2019s growing even bigger. The niches are plenty and more are popping up by the second. The ways to approach the industry and create content from your own unique angle are many and open to exploration.<br \/>\n[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]Gaming is also a part of the culture that seems to bring out much passion in the people who enjoy it. For all these reasons and many others, you might find yourself with something to say about the industry, the culture, or the tech that underpins it. However, instead of looking for websites that will allow you to submit content for publishing \u2013 or because you\u2019re done doing that \u2013 you think about starting your very own gaming website.<br \/>\n[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]If this sounds at all familiar, you\u2019re in the right place. We\u2019ll help you with the basics of how to start a gaming website with WordPress, covering topics that include:<br \/>\n[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;22px&#8221;]<ul class=\"qodef-unordered-list-item qodef-toc\">\n    <li>\n\t        <div class=\"qodef-ul-title-holder\">\n            <span class=\"qodef-ul-title-content\"><a href=\"#why-choose-wordpress\">Why Choose WordPress?<\/a><\/span>        <\/div>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;5px&#8221;]<ul class=\"qodef-unordered-list-item qodef-toc\">\n    <li>\n\t        <div class=\"qodef-ul-title-holder\">\n            <span class=\"qodef-ul-title-content\"><a href=\"#what-kind-of-gaming-website-do-you-want\">What Kind of Gaming Website Do You Want?<\/a><\/span>        <\/div>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;5px&#8221;]<ul class=\"qodef-unordered-list-item qodef-toc\">\n    <li>\n\t        <div class=\"qodef-ul-title-holder\">\n            <span class=\"qodef-ul-title-content\"><a href=\"#choosing-the-hosting\">Choosing the Hosting<\/a><\/span>        <\/div>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;5px&#8221;]<ul class=\"qodef-unordered-list-item qodef-toc\">\n    <li>\n\t        <div class=\"qodef-ul-title-holder\">\n            <span class=\"qodef-ul-title-content\"><a href=\"#picking-the-name\">Picking the Name<\/a><\/span>        <\/div>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;5px&#8221;]<ul class=\"qodef-unordered-list-item qodef-toc\">\n    <li>\n\t        <div class=\"qodef-ul-title-holder\">\n            <span class=\"qodef-ul-title-content\"><a href=\"#installing-and-customizing-the-website\">Installing and Customizing the Website<\/a><\/span>        <\/div>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;5px&#8221;]<ul class=\"qodef-unordered-list-item qodef-toc\">\n    <li>\n\t        <div class=\"qodef-ul-title-holder\">\n            <span class=\"qodef-ul-title-content\"><a href=\"#leveraging-wordpress-plugins\">Leveraging WordPress Plugins<\/a><\/span>        <\/div>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;5px&#8221;]<ul class=\"qodef-unordered-list-item qodef-toc\">\n    <li>\n\t        <div class=\"qodef-ul-title-holder\">\n            <span class=\"qodef-ul-title-content\"><a href=\"#whats-next\">What\u2019s Next?<\/a><\/span>        <\/div>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;68px&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"qodef-h4\"><a id=\"why-choose-wordpress\"><\/a>Why Choose WordPress?<\/h2>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;21px&#8221;]<div class=\"qodef-single-image-holder    \">\n    <div class=\"qodef-si-inner\" >\n                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"969\" height=\"554\" src=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Why-Choose-WordPress.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Why Choose WordPress\" srcset=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Why-Choose-WordPress.jpg 969w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Why-Choose-WordPress-300x172.jpg 300w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Why-Choose-WordPress-768x439.jpg 768w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Why-Choose-WordPress-620x354.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 969px) 100vw, 969px\" \/>                        <\/div>\n<\/div>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;38px&#8221;][vc_column_text] The first thing to settle when figuring out how to start a gaming website is what platform or framework you want to use. For many, WordPress is the very first thing that comes to mind. The next question you might want to ask yourself is why choose WordPress for your gaming website, and not even the free kind, but the self-hosted kind that costs money? <strong>What it boils down to is the level of control and customization that comes with using WordPress.<\/strong> You won\u2019t be able to find it anywhere else \u2013 not even on WordPress.com.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]For starters, WordPress is <a href=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/how-to-install-wordpress\/\">notoriously easy to install<\/a>. Many hosting providers offer things like one-click installation for WordPress. Some even offer managed hosting that takes a lot of the behind-the-scenes work from your hands. You should consider these options when <a href=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/how-to-choose-wordpress-hosting-provider\/\">choosing a hosting provider<\/a>.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]<strong>Then again, you don\u2019t have to go with a regular hosting provider at all.<\/strong> You can install WordPress on most cloud service providers, including <a href=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/install-wordpress-google-cloud\/\">Google Cloud<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/microsoft-azure-wordpress-instalation\/\">Microsoft Azure<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/install-wordpress-on-aws\/\">Amazon Web Services<\/a>. You should always do a cost\/benefit analysis when choosing the host, as some might give you more than your gaming website actually needs and at a higher price.<strong> But that\u2019s one level of control you have with WordPress that some other website builders don\u2019t offer.<\/strong>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]With your own hosting and your own website, you\u2019ll also get to choose what monetization model you employ. You can use AdSense or <a href=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/best-adsense-alternatives-for-wordpress\/\">its alternatives<\/a>, offer <a href=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/affiliate-marketing\/\">affiliate links<\/a>, have a <a href=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/woocommerce-tutorial\/\">store section<\/a>, put your <a href=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/publish-paid-content-in-wordpress-with-paywall\/\">content behind a paywall<\/a> \u2013 you name it, you\u2019ll be able to make it happen with WordPress. How? With plugins, of course.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]<strong>Plugins \u2013 and themes, too \u2013 are what make WordPress genuinely great.<\/strong> Thanks to them, you can easily change how your website looks and behaves, add or remove functionalities to it, and spend ridiculous amounts of time making sure that every detail is just the way you want it to be. <strong>WordPress is a powerful facilitator of your creativity, and that\u2019s something you\u2019ll learn to love about it.<\/strong>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;68px&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"qodef-h4\"><a id=\"what-kind-of-gaming-website-do-you-want\"><\/a>What Kind of Gaming Website Do You Want?<\/h2>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;21px&#8221;]<div class=\"qodef-single-image-holder    \">\n    <div class=\"qodef-si-inner\" >\n                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"969\" height=\"555\" src=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/What-Kind-of-Gaming-Website-Do-You-Want.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"What Kind of Gaming Website Do You Want\" srcset=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/What-Kind-of-Gaming-Website-Do-You-Want.jpg 969w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/What-Kind-of-Gaming-Website-Do-You-Want-300x172.jpg 300w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/What-Kind-of-Gaming-Website-Do-You-Want-768x440.jpg 768w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/What-Kind-of-Gaming-Website-Do-You-Want-620x355.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 969px) 100vw, 969px\" \/>                        <\/div>\n<\/div>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;38px&#8221;][vc_column_text]<strong>The very first question you should answer when considering how to start a gaming website is exactly what kind of a gaming website you want to create.<\/strong> Because gaming is an incredibly diverse term that encompasses technology, culture, social phenomena, economy, probably even politics \u2013 there are just so many different ways to approach gaming.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]As you might have imagined, creating a website that\u2019s home for the speedrunning community is quite different than creating a website for, let\u2019s say, an indie developer. A regular gaming website that features reviews and news, might look completely differently.<strong> Then again, if the website is the presentation of yourself and your gaming persona, or even your gaming team or guild, you might want to build something unlike anything we\u2019ve mentioned so far.<\/strong>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]<strong>Then, you should consider whether you want your website to be game-specific or genre-specific.<\/strong> It might also be completely devoted to the nerd culture and all the beautiful and quirky ways fandoms manifest themselves. You can create a website that tracks gaming events and tournaments or even a website that hosts them.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]The possibilities are endless, but you\u2019ll need to narrow them down as much as possible because that\u2019s the kind of option that will affect other choices as you move on. <strong>So for starters, know what kind of gaming website you want to build.<\/strong>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;80px&#8221;][vc_widget_sidebar sidebar_id=&#8221;gaming-banner&#8221;][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;80px&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"qodef-h4\"><a id=\"choosing-the-hosting\"><\/a>Choosing the Hosting<\/h2>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;21px&#8221;]<div class=\"qodef-single-image-holder    \">\n    <div class=\"qodef-si-inner\" >\n                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"969\" height=\"555\" src=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Choosing-the-Hosting.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Choosing the Hosting\" srcset=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Choosing-the-Hosting.jpg 969w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Choosing-the-Hosting-300x172.jpg 300w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Choosing-the-Hosting-768x440.jpg 768w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Choosing-the-Hosting-620x355.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 969px) 100vw, 969px\" \/>                        <\/div>\n<\/div>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;38px&#8221;][vc_column_text]We\u2019ve already covered the wide variety of hosting options that you might look into when starting your gaming website. If you decide to go with a hosting provider \u2013 something that\u2019s a popular choice, even with the availability of cloud hosting platforms, you should take your time and research them properly.<br \/>\n[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]<strong>The things you might want to look into include:<\/strong>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;22px&#8221;]<ul class=\"qodef-unordered-list-item qodef-toc\">\n    <li>\n\t        <div class=\"qodef-ul-title-holder\">\n            <span class=\"qodef-ul-title-content\"><strong>Great customer service<\/strong> \u2013 you should have access to them around the clock, and they should have a good reputation, too.<\/span>        <\/div>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul><ul class=\"qodef-unordered-list-item qodef-toc\">\n    <li>\n\t        <div class=\"qodef-ul-title-holder\">\n            <span class=\"qodef-ul-title-content\"><strong>A realistic promise of uptime<\/strong> \u2013 generally, 100% uptime is something no one can really guarantee, which makes it a red flag. Aim for 99.9%.<\/span>        <\/div>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul><ul class=\"qodef-unordered-list-item qodef-toc\">\n    <li>\n\t        <div class=\"qodef-ul-title-holder\">\n            <span class=\"qodef-ul-title-content\"><strong>The host\u2019s reputation<\/strong> \u2013 a host that\u2019s particularly bad or nasty won\u2019t have a good reputation as words about these things tend to spread.<\/span>        <\/div>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul><ul class=\"qodef-unordered-list-item qodef-toc\">\n    <li>\n\t        <div class=\"qodef-ul-title-holder\">\n            <span class=\"qodef-ul-title-content\"><strong>Competitive pricing and plans<\/strong> \u2013 you\u2019ll have to shop around a bit to find a good balance of price and value but be wary of any offers that look too good to be true.<\/span>        <\/div>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]Some other things you might consider when choosing a host is whether they allow you to <a href=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/what-is-a-domain-name\/\">register a domain name<\/a> with them, or you have to go to an independent registrar. <strong>Even more importantly, you should make sure that they have a package that would facilitate you building a gaming server on it if that\u2019s what you\u2019re creating the website for.<\/strong> The demands will depend on the game you plan to run, so do your research beforehand and check for leeway to expand later on.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;68px&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"qodef-h4\"><a id=\"picking-the-name\"><\/a>Picking the Name<\/h2>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;21px&#8221;]<div class=\"qodef-single-image-holder    \">\n    <div class=\"qodef-si-inner\" >\n                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"969\" height=\"555\" src=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Picking-the-Name.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Picking the Name\" srcset=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Picking-the-Name.jpg 969w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Picking-the-Name-300x172.jpg 300w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Picking-the-Name-768x440.jpg 768w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Picking-the-Name-620x355.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 969px) 100vw, 969px\" \/>                        <\/div>\n<\/div>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;38px&#8221;][vc_column_text]Choosing the name for your website is an important step for a couple of reasons. The name is a part of your website\u2019s brand, and as such is a recognizable symbol for everything that you do with the website. But semiotics aside, <strong>it\u2019s also a word you might want to use in your domain name. It would be best to have one before registering your website\u2019s domain name.<\/strong>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]How to pick a good name? <strong>It\u2019s not that easy to tell, especially given all the fantasy elements that are readily found in games, which expand the possible vocabulary tremendously.<\/strong> Things would be complicated enough without them, too, as gaming is a truly global culture that draws upon influences \u2013 and words \u2013 from national cultures as diverse as Eastern Asian, English-speaking, or even Slavic.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]<strong>Still, some best practices to follow include:<\/strong>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;22px&#8221;]<ul class=\"qodef-unordered-list-item qodef-toc\">\n    <li>\n\t        <div class=\"qodef-ul-title-holder\">\n            <span class=\"qodef-ul-title-content\">Generally, shorter is better and easier to remember\n<\/span>        <\/div>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul><ul class=\"qodef-unordered-list-item qodef-toc\">\n    <li>\n\t        <div class=\"qodef-ul-title-holder\">\n            <span class=\"qodef-ul-title-content\">Be very careful when using numbers and signs other than letters\n<\/span>        <\/div>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul><ul class=\"qodef-unordered-list-item qodef-toc\">\n    <li>\n\t        <div class=\"qodef-ul-title-holder\">\n            <span class=\"qodef-ul-title-content\">Make sure that it\u2019s easy to spell, with little room for mistake\n<\/span>        <\/div>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul><ul class=\"qodef-unordered-list-item qodef-toc\">\n    <li>\n\t        <div class=\"qodef-ul-title-holder\">\n            <span class=\"qodef-ul-title-content\">Choose a name that\u2019s recognizable in the industry or the culture\n<\/span>        <\/div>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul><ul class=\"qodef-unordered-list-item qodef-toc\">\n    <li>\n\t        <div class=\"qodef-ul-title-holder\">\n            <span class=\"qodef-ul-title-content\">Make sure to check for copyright first\n<\/span>        <\/div>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]<strong>Finally, you should always come up with a couple of strong choices for the name for your website.<\/strong> In case <a href=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/what-to-do-if-your-preferred-domain-name-is-taken\/\">the domain name is taken<\/a>, you\u2019ll want to have a fallback.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;68px&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"qodef-h4\"><a id=\"installing-and-customizing-the-website\"><\/a>Installing and Customizing the Website<\/h2>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]One of the best things about WordPress is that it\u2019s ubiquitous, which means most hosts have an easy way for you to install it. <strong>WordPress is a CMS with a lot of features, so even if the installation is easy, you\u2019ll want to spend some time learning your way around it.<\/strong>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]For starters, you should learn what themes are and <a href=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/how-to-install-wordpress-theme\/\">how to install them<\/a>. <strong>Your gaming website should have all kinds of elements and layouts depending on its niche<\/strong>, and while it\u2019s possible to build them all from scratch, choosing the appropriate <a href=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/theme-category\/gaming-wordpress-themes\/\">gaming WordPress theme<\/a> can save you a tremendous amount of time and effort.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;50px&#8221;]<div class=\"qodef-single-image-holder   qodef-has-border \">\n    <div class=\"qodef-si-inner\" >\n                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"969\" height=\"669\" src=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Artorias.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Artorias\" srcset=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Artorias.jpg 969w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Artorias-300x207.jpg 300w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Artorias-768x530.jpg 768w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Artorias-620x428.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 969px) 100vw, 969px\" \/>                        <\/div>\n<\/div>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;5px&#8221;][vc_column_text]<a href=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/wordpress-theme\/artorias-gaming-and-esports-theme\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Artorias Theme<\/a>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]So let\u2019s say you\u2019re building a website to support a game you\u2019re publishing. <strong>You\u2019ll probably want to have a landing page that packs a big hero image<\/strong>, possibly even animated, <strong>and then shows off a game trailer<\/strong>, maybe some copy about the setting, <strong>some cards showing different races or classes people could play in the game<\/strong>, a quote from someone who played an early version, maybe an email capture form,<strong> and even a countdown clock &#8211; why not. You can either build a page with all of that from scratch, or find a theme with that kind of layout, ready for you to upload your content to it.<\/strong>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]The same really goes for any other kind of gaming website. <strong>For an eSports website, you\u2019ll need a theme that supports easy YouTube and Twitch integration, has layouts for match lists, and layouts for team presentations.<\/strong> Leaderboards, tournament lists and timetables, and player lists would also be nice features to have.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;50px&#8221;]<div class=\"qodef-single-image-holder   qodef-has-border \">\n    <div class=\"qodef-si-inner\" >\n                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"969\" height=\"490\" src=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Overworld.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Overworld\" srcset=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Overworld.jpg 969w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Overworld-300x152.jpg 300w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Overworld-768x388.jpg 768w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Overworld-620x314.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 969px) 100vw, 969px\" \/>                        <\/div>\n<\/div>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;5px&#8221;][vc_column_text]<a href=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/wordpress-theme\/overworld-esports-and-gaming-theme\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Overworld Theme<\/a>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]For a news type of website that <a href=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/how-to-create-review-wordpress-website\/\">also does reviews<\/a>, elements that enable you rate games or products would also be must-haves. You can even stray away from gaming themes and look for a <a href=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/theme-category\/technology-wordpress-themes\">technology theme<\/a> that might work better for your type of website, as would a <a href=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/theme-category\/blog-magazine-wordpress-themes\">blog or magazine theme<\/a>. <strong>What\u2019s important is that you match the look and features of the theme with the feature you need for your website.<\/strong>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]Then again, you can use plugins to make it even better.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;68px&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"qodef-h4\"><a id=\"leveraging-wordpress-plugins\"><\/a>Leveraging WordPress Plugins<\/h2>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<strong>That\u2019s the other thing about WordPress you\u2019ll need to figure out<\/strong> \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/what-are-wordpress-plugins\/\">what plugins are and how to use them<\/a>. While you might not need plugins to, let\u2019s say, <a href=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wordpress-live-streaming\/\u201a\">live stream to your website<\/a>, you will need them for security, updating, optimization, and a whole host of other things. You can take a hint from business websites and look at <a href=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/best-wordpress-plugins\/\">the plugins they commonly use<\/a>, and that should give you a good idea of where to get started with adding your plugins.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]For instance, if you already have a website set up with a theme you like and don\u2019t want to change, but that doesn\u2019t come with Twitch integration out of the box, don\u2019t worry. You can quite easily <strong>add Twitch integration<\/strong> to your existing website and stream the games directly from your pages using a plugin.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]We recommend using <a href=\"https:\/\/wordpress.org\/plugins\/streamweasels-twitch-integration\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">StreamWeasels<\/a>, a free WordPress plugin designed for embedding Twitch streams. It works with Gutenberg &#8211; after installing it, you will find a brand new block in your block editor, which you can use to stream games. If you\u2019re not using Gutenberg, the plugin also provides a shortcode with the same function.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]The plugin offers a variety of sleek premade designs for the stream, and you can customize it in a variety of ways: start muted, autoplay, embed chat, different color schemes, embed heights and widths. The best thing is that the Twitch API is not required, which really makes things simple.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]Another gaming-specific functionality you might need a plugin for are <strong>game reviews<\/strong>. If you plan on having them (whether you want to write them yourself or have your visitors write them and benefit from <a href=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/ultimate-guide-to-user-generated-content-marketing\/\">user-generated content<\/a>), you will probably need a plugin (although some themes have reviews by default).[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]<a href=\"https:\/\/wordpress.org\/plugins\/game-review-block\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Game Review Block<\/a> is another block-based plugin that you can use for this purpose. It adds a review functionality with 1-10 rating system that you can place anywhere you want and your visitors can use it to rate your game, or any other game in case you\u2019re publishing game reviews. What\u2019s important is that this plugin <strong>adds Schema.org structured data to your reviews, meaning they qualify for Google rich results<\/strong>. Rich results, just like <a href=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/complete-guide-to-google-featured-snippets-for-wordpress\/\">featured snippets<\/a>, help you rank higher, boost traffic and significantly improve your CRT rate.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]Finally, extending the functionality of your gaming website using plugins doesn\u2019t necessarily mean installing a bunch of them &#8211; there are plugins that represent collections of widgets or blocks that can be used for anything from typography and infographics to SEO and business features. One such plugin is <a href=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/qi-addons-for-elementor\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Qi Addons for Elementor<\/a>, with 100+ remarkable widgets, and if you prefer block editing, there\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/qi-blocks-for-gutenberg\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Qi Blocks for Gutenberg<\/a>, so make sure to check them out.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;68px&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"qodef-h4\"><a id=\"whats-next\"><\/a>What\u2019s Next?<\/h2>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]After you\u2019ve taken care of the domain and hosting, installed WordPress, the theme, and have a couple of valuable plugins to keep your website safe and working well \u2013 you\u2019ve started your very own gaming website and you could even teach others how to start a gaming website! Congrats!<br \/>\n[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]Now comes the hard part, however. You need to start populating your website with content \u2013 whatever type of content you choose to create. You\u2019ll need to hustle to <a href=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/promoting-your-wordpress-website-on-social-media\/\">promote the website on social media<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/best-performance-testing-tools-for-wordpress-website\/\">monitor its performance<\/a>, look for ways to reach new audiences, work on it with the utmost diligence while waiting, patiently, for the numbers to start showing that it\u2019s taken off. It\u2019s maddening, but that\u2019s why we love it. We hope you will, too.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Want to learn how to start a gaming website with WordPress? We&#8217;ll take you through the process and give you some sound and practical advice. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9295,"featured_media":43775,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[29,126,16,4,13],"class_list":["post-27437","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tutorials","tag-business","tag-gaming","tag-themes","tag-tips","tag-wordpress"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27437","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9295"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27437"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27437\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/43775"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27437"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27437"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27437"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}