Why would you want to use WordPress to build your insurance website? There are so many reasons why businesses of all sizes use the platform, which has gone way beyond just a blogging platform.
Some of the major advantages are that it:
- is simple to install and use, and no design knowledge is required;
- enables you to create any design you want, from a free template to your own unique design;
- provides added functionality through thousands of plugins;
- has an excellent support community to answer your questions and provide advice;
- prevents you from being stuck with one designer because you are never tied to a custom CMS.
In addition to the above, it is completely free to use. If you like the sound of that, here is some information about the basics you need to know to get started.
Use a host that has one-click WordPress instalment
If you know you want to use WordPress, find a host that makes it easy for you. Many of the best web hosts now include a one-click install service whereby you simply choose WordPress as your platform and the host sorts the rest out.
This is the easiest way to arrange it if you have limited IT knowledge, and then you will be ready to go.
Decide on a look
Once the WordPress platform is set up, it will just have the basic WordPress theme and you will normally want to change this to reflect the fact you are running a professional insurance business.
You want a site that is unique, professional and that stands out, and with WordPress you can choose from a wide range of themes. These are ready-made designs that you can switch between until you find one you like.
You can choose from one of the numerous free themes available. However, you may prefer to pay for a premium theme if you are running a business website because this will provide you with greater flexibility and will look more professional.
There are many companies online where you can buy premium themes. Most of these themes will have been designed already so that you can just download them. However, these will not be unique, and you may want a design that makes your site stand out.
If so, there are many designers who will design you a unique theme from scratch, and this is often the best option for a business site.
So there are many options available and it is well worth spending some time looking over other websites and finding some you like the look of so that you can then use these as a guide for your own website’s design.
Download some useful plugins
Once you have your basic website up and running, and the design is sorted out, you will want to add some extra features.
In the olden days, you would have to get a designer to add such features for you, such as contact forms, social media buttons and email sign up forms. But with WordPress websites you can just download plugins and start using them immediately without any design skills required.
Some to get you started include:
- Contact Form 7, a popular plugin for creating customised contact forms for your site;
- Ninja Popups, a plugin you can use to create a wide range of popups for your lead generation;
- Google XML Sitemaps, which you can use to create an XML sitemap so that your site can get indexed by Google;
- Easy Social Share Buttons, which allows you to place social media buttons next to your content to encourage more shares;
- Google Analytics by Yoast, a plugin that makes it easy to integrate Google Analytics so you can find out important details about your visitors and your website activity.
Give WordPress a go
WordPress is a fantastic platform for your insurance website. It is versatile, easy to use, hugely popular, and it also has many options when it comes to the design and the plugins available. So give it a go and see what you can come up with for your own website.
