How to Create a Buzzfeed-Like Website Using WordPress (2023 Guide)
Looking to start a viral content website like BuzzFeed? Wondering how to build it and make money from it? You‘ve come to the right place.
In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll walk you through everything you need to know to launch your own BuzzFeed-style WordPress site in 2023. We‘ll cover choosing a domain name and hosting, installing WordPress, selecting the perfect theme, creating share-worthy content, driving traffic, and monetizing your site effectively.
Let‘s get started!
Why Launch a Viral Content Site Like BuzzFeed?
First, let‘s discuss why you might want to create a BuzzFeed-like viral content site in the first place. BuzzFeed has grown into a digital media powerhouse by perfecting a formula of engaging, entertaining, and highly shareable content. The site brings in over 100 million unique visitors per month.
While BuzzFeed was valued at $1.5 billion in 2016, it‘s had its share of struggles in recent years, laying off 12% of its workforce in late 2022. However, it remains an incredibly popular site, and its fundamental model of viral content is still very viable and profitable.
By creating your own viral content site, you have the opportunity to:
- Flexibly work from anywhere
- Express your creativity and have fun with content
- Build a large, loyal audience
- Generate revenue from ads, affiliates, sponsorships, and more
Of course, it takes a lot of work to get there – but we‘ll show you how, step-by-step. The great news is that anyone can get started with a very small investment using WordPress.
What Do You Need to Get Started?
To launch a self-hosted WordPress site, you only need two things:
- A domain name (your site‘s address on the web)
- Web hosting (where your site‘s files are stored)
We recommend using Bluehost for both. It‘s one of the largest and most reputable hosting companies, and WordPress officially recommends it.
Bluehost offers a free domain name when you sign up for hosting, and plans start at just $2.95/month. So you can get your site up and running for under $50.
→ Click here to get started with Bluehost ←
Once you‘ve signed up, Bluehost will automatically install the latest version of WordPress for you. You can log in and start working on your site right away.
Choosing the Perfect WordPress Theme
Your WordPress theme controls the visual design and layout of your site. While there‘s no theme that will make your site look exactly like BuzzFeed, there are countless flexible multipurpose themes that provide a professional foundation.
Here are a few of our top theme picks for BuzzFeed-style sites in 2023:
Astra
Astra is a hugely popular multipurpose theme that‘s perfect for content-rich sites. It comes with hundreds of pre-built websites, including many great magazine and viral content designs. It‘s also highly customizable.Divi
Divi is another excellent option that‘s beginner-friendly yet powerful. It includes an intuitive drag-and-drop page builder, along with many content-focused layout packs to get you started.Kadence
Kadence is a multipurpose theme that‘s optimized for speed and performance – essential for a high-traffic viral site. It offers a variety of starter templates and integrates seamlessly with the WordPress block editor.Neve
Neve is a lightweight, customizable theme ideal for content sites and blogs. It provides multiple header and blog layout options and is designed to show your content in the best light.OceanWP
OceanWP is a popular theme with a variety of demos to choose from, including several that would work well for viral content sites. It‘s highly flexible and offers unique features like video and GIF headers.
Remember, your theme is just a starting point. You can customize colors, fonts, logos and more to make the design your own. Many of these themes even include built-in A/B testing so you can optimize your layout over time.
Planning and Creating Your Content
With your theme selected, it‘s time to start creating content! BuzzFeed grew to prominence on the strength of unique, creative content formats – here are a few of the most popular types to consider:
Listicles: Articles presented as lists, like "10 Amazing Gadgets Under $50 on Amazon". These are fun, easy to consume, and do well on social media.
Quizzes: BuzzFeed quizzes like "Which Disney Princess Are You?" regularly go viral. Interactive content gets a lot of engagement and shares.
Memes/GIFs: Humorous images and GIFs are social media gold. Think about clever captions and how to tap into relatable moments.
Videos: Short, entertaining videos are incredibly popular. How-to‘s, skits, challenges – get creative!
Polls & Surveys: Get your audience involved by asking for their input. Hot button questions can spark a lot of responses.
Trending News: Put your own spin on the latest celebrity gossip, breaking news, and current events.
The key is to create content that‘s entertaining, informative, and highly targeted to your audience. Do your research into what your target demographic is interested in and tailor your topics accordingly.
Use tools like BuzzSumo to see what content is getting the most engagement in your niche. Look for opportunities to cover trending topics with your own unique angle.
Most importantly – make sure every piece of content provides real value in some way, whether that‘s information, insights, inspiration or just a good laugh. Quality is what will keep people coming back.
Driving Traffic to Your Viral Content
With some stellar content created, it‘s time to start getting eyeballs on it! Here are the most effective traffic strategies:
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Optimize your content to rank in Google searches for your target keywords. This brings in consistent, high-quality traffic. Use a plugin like RankMath or Yoast SEO to optimize your posts.
Social Media Marketing
Share your content across social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest. Use eye-catching visuals and enticing captions. Engage with your followers!
Email Marketing
Build an email list from day one. Encourage signups with a freebie or content upgrade. Send your latest content to your list to bring people back to your site.
Boost High-Performing Posts
Use Facebook and Instagram ads to expand the reach of your best content. Start with a small daily budget and scale up winning campaigns.
Collaborate with Other Sites
Work with other content creators in your space. Swap guest posts, join roundups, or even create content together. Tap into their audiences to expand your own.
Focus on creating click-worthy headlines, using power words and numbers. Emotional, curiosity-driven headlines tend to perform best on viral content sites.
Also, make sure your site is optimized for speed and performance. Use a caching plugin, optimize image file sizes, and choose a fast web host. Site speed is important for user experience and SEO.
Monetizing Your Viral Content Site
Once your viral site is getting steady traffic, it‘s time to think about monetization. BuzzFeed makes money through several key avenues, which you can adapt for your own site:
Display Ads
The classic monetization method – get paid for ad impressions and clicks. Google AdSense is the easiest way to get started. As your traffic grows, you can work with higher-paying ad networks like Mediavine or AdThrive.
Sponsored Content
Partner with brands to create sponsored posts, videos, or other content. You can reach out to brands yourself or join an influencer network to get matched with opportunities.
Affiliate Marketing
Earn commissions by promoting products or services you recommend. Join affiliate programs like Amazon Associates, ShareASale, or CJ Affiliate. Create gift guides, product reviews, and top 10 lists to naturally work in affiliate links.
Digital Products
Create your own ebooks, courses, templates, stock photos or other digital products to sell. A loyal audience of fans will want to buy from you!
Paid Subscriptions
For your most diehard fans, consider offering a paid subscription or membership program. Provide exclusive content, community perks, or bonus resources.
The key is to diversify your income streams. You never want to rely on a single source of revenue, so incorporate multiple monetization methods as you grow.
Helpful Resources
As you build your viral content site with WordPress, you may have questions or run into challenges. Fortunately, the WordPress community offers a wealth of free resources:
- WPBeginner: The largest free WordPress resource site for beginners, with tutorials, guides and videos.
- WordPress.org Support Forums: Get help from WordPress experts and other users.
- Facebook Groups: Join WordPress groups to connect with other creators and get advice.
- YouTube Channels: Follow channels like WPCrafter and WPTuts for helpful video tutorials.
With some persistence and hard work, you can grow a profitable viral site you‘re proud of. Focus on creating quality content, marketing it strategically, and serving your audience. Here‘s to your success!
