How to Create a Website Like wikiHow

We have probably come across the website wikiHow while searching for information on how to do something. It’s worth noting that “something” may be general, but it is used appropriately when discussing the website wikiHow.

wikiHow is a website that provides explanations for nearly any topic. Are you considering investing in the stock market? Or learning how to play a game of chance? Maybe you want to design your own car? These topics and more can be found on the website, with multiple guides available for each.

You may believe that creating a site like wikiHow would be expensive or impossible, but that is not the case. In this article, we will show you how to easily create a site like wikiHow and outline the ways you can generate significant profits from it.

Note: This is an idea for a site that will make you wealthy if you execute it correctly.

What is the Website wikiHow?

WikiHow is a website that falls into the category of encyclopedia websites, with Wikipedia being the most well-known. Its purpose is to provide practical guidance for solving any problem, including emotional ones, by answering the question of how to do or obtain something.

One of the strengths of wikiHow and similar websites is that they rely on user-generated content. This means that the users of the website regularly contribute to expanding and enriching its content. For example, a user who is experienced in fixing a device in an easy way might publish an article to help others facing the same problem. Another user who works as an economic expert might write an article specifically to help beginners in the field of stock market investing.

It is easy to create an account on wikiHow and write an article about any topic you choose. The website has a large number of categories covering nearly all areas of life, and they are organized in a way that provides a smooth experience for users.

A detailed explanation of the features of wikiHow might require a separate article, but if you want to create a website like it, you should spend some time browsing and studying the website to gather ideas for your own website and how it will operate.

Directions for Creating a Website Like wikiHow

There are two approaches to creating a website like wikiHow: building it from scratch according to your own vision, or relying on the mediawiki program on which the wikiHow website is built. This program is the foundation for all encyclopedia websites, such as Wikipedia, and many other websites that operate in a similar way.

The mediawiki program is free and open source, and it is easy for beginners to use. The program’s website includes detailed instructions on how to use, install, and obtain special add-ons for it.

Regardless of whether you choose to use this program or design your website step by step on your own, there are several fixed steps you will need to take. These steps can be divided into technical steps related to creating the website itself and steps related to managing and organizing the content you will publish on it.

The steps for creating a website like wikiHow, which is a comprehensive encyclopedia covering a wide range of topics, will not differ significantly from those for creating a specialized encyclopedia in a single field. The only difference will be in the steps related to adding content and its scope.

Technical Steps to Create a Website Like wikiHow

1. Choose the Platform (WordPress is Recommended)

There are many websites and platforms that you can use to create your own website, and many of them are excellent for this purpose. However, in our opinion, WordPress is the best platform for creating a website like wikiHow.

Our recommendation for WordPress as the most suitable platform for creating a website like wikiHow is not arbitrary. WordPress offers a high degree of flexibility in terms of controlling the appearance of your website, including choosing a template and installing a wide range of add-ons.

While it is possible to create your own website without using a platform, this is generally not the best option. Relying on a platform like WordPress can save you a lot of time and effort that you can then use to focus on the content of your website.

To create a website like wikiHow on WordPress, you can use our guide on creating a website on this platform in seven steps.

2. Pick a Name for your Website

In general, the name of a website reflects its content, and most website owners are aware of this rule. However, there are exceptions in special cases. In the case of a website like wikiHow, it is important for the visitor to know that they are visiting a large encyclopedia, regardless of its specialty. This means that you may want to include the word “wiki” in the title of your website, as it has become a common term for encyclopedias.

It is worth noting that the word “wiki” refers to a large website that is designed and managed by a group of users. The ultimate decision of whether to include this word in the title of your website depends on the degree of similarity between your website and the meaning of the word, whether in terms of the scope of the content or the way the website operates.

To create a website like wikiHow, there are several steps you need to follow. Firstly, choose a platform to build your website on. WordPress is a good choice because it is highly customizable and has a wide range of plugins you can use.

Secondly, choose a name for your website. It is best to choose a short name that reflects the content of your website. For example, if your website is a tech encyclopedia, you might choose “wiki tech” or “wiki finance” if it is an economic encyclopedia.

Lastly, consider the content of your website. WikiHow got its name because it is a comprehensive encyclopedia that teaches people how to do or make anything. What is the focus of your website? Is it to share information, design things in a certain field, or something else?

It’s important to note that you have complete freedom to name your website and decide whether or not to include the word “wiki.” The previous suggestions are just that – suggestions – based on the nature of the website. In fact, there are many well-known websites whose names do not reflect their content and have no inherent meaning, like Google.

3. Pick a Domain

To create a website like wikiHow, you will need to take a few steps.

1. Choose a platform to build your website on. WordPress is a good choice because it allows you to customize the appearance of your website and install a variety of plugins.
2. Follow our guide on how to create a website on WordPress in seven steps.
3. Choose a domain extension for your website. The most popular and recommended extension is .com, although you can also consider other options like .org.

However, it is important to note that different extensions represent different organizations and it is generally best to go with .com.

4. Pick a Hosting

Choosing a hosting provider is an essential step in creating any website. Hosting is the storage space where all of your website files will be stored. Don’t worry about managing this space or transferring your site to it, as most hosting companies make it easy to understand and do.

Just be sure to do your research and choose a reputable hosting provider to ensure that your site is reliable and secure.

There are many companies that offer hosting services, some of the most popular are:

• BlueHost
• HostGator
• NameCheap

All of Bluehost, HostGator, and NameCheap offer excellent hosting services, and the main difference between them for you is likely to be the price.

It is important to compare the features and pricing of different hosting companies to choose the one that best fits your needs and budget. Additionally, reading reviews from other users can give you a sense of the reliability and customer service of each company.

There are many hosting companies available, but some of the most popular ones include Bluehost, HostGator, and GoDaddy. Of these options, we recommend Bluehost because it offers excellent hosting services at reasonable prices, has good customer support, and is highly efficient compared to most competitors. It will also provide you with a free domain name upon registration.

5. Pick a Theme

One important factor in attracting visitors to your website and introducing them to its content is the design and layout of your site, known as the theme. The theme should be visually appealing and clearly convey the purpose and content of your website.

When creating a website like wikiHow, it is important to create a sense of trust and authority by using a theme that reflects the size and scope of your site as a comprehensive encyclopedia.

There are many WordPress themes available that can help you achieve this, and we recommend considering the following options:

• Docy Theme
• KnowHow Theme
• Lore Theme
• KnowX Theme

6. Choose Appropriate Plugins

Plugins for WordPress sites are divided into two categories:

a) Useful plugin categories for websites.

In this category, we recommend several important additions to your site such as:

• Yoast SEO (the strongest addition in the field of improving site ranking on search engines).
• W3 Total Cache: (an add-on that helps increase the loading speed of your site for visitors)
• Akismet Spam Protection: (the add-on protects you from comments that may contain harmful links).

b) Additions related to the site’s content itself

This type of add-on is directly related to the content of the site itself. For example, if you plan to create a website like wikiHow that is specialized in the technical field, you will need to look for the best add-ons that suit it.

Don’t worry, you will discover the add-ons that are suitable for your site over time and after adding its content and specifying its specialization. You can also search global forums such as Quora and Reddit for the add-ons used by owners of similar websites to improve their site performance.

Steps related to content creation for building a site like wikiHow

1- Create content

Creating any content for a website is strongly tied to its specialization, and creating a website like wikiHow is no exception to this rule. There are several points to consider before you start creating the content for your website.

a) Site specialization and visitor reliance on it

When specializing in a field such as the medical or economic field, it is important to consider the reliance of visitors on the content of your website.

For example, in the aforementioned fields, incorrect or misleading information can have catastrophic results. If you add inaccurate medical information to your website, it could harm your site visitors, at the least causing psychological problems such as anxiety and fear. Outdated economic information can lead to financial losses for people who rely on it to invest their savings.

These notes are not intended to discourage you from adding content to your website, but rather to highlight the importance of your website to your visitors and their reliance on it. This will motivate you to create distinguished and accurate content that can be trusted with confidence.

You can also use messages and techniques to help your visitors not blindly follow the content of your website, and be sure to carefully select your content sources and document the information you include in multiple forms and ways.

For example, medical encyclopedia websites advise their visitors not to rely on their information without consulting a doctor, and consultation and economic information websites rely on high-efficiency global tools to display economic numbers and indicators, and so on.

b) Expertise in the content of your website

If your goal is to create a website like wikiHow, which can be classified as a comprehensive encyclopedia in a certain field, how familiar are you with this field? Of course, it would be ideal if the field of your website matches your field of study, but even if it doesn’t, this is not a major problem.

You can treat the process of creating a website like wikiHow as an investment project, and like any project, it requires human resources for management and operation. You can seek help from an expert to review or even write the content of your website, and manage and organize the site yourself.

Of course, having a basic understanding of your website’s field will help guide the direction of its content.

2- Reviewing Content

The content of large websites like Wikipedia and wikiHow is relied upon by millions of people around the world. This reliance is derived from their trust in the content of these sites.

The basis of this trust in content is its quality, and quality is related to many standards, the most important of which are proofreading and review. Therefore, be sure to review the content you add to your website regularly. This review should include the following aspects:

• Linguistic and grammatical review
• Review of information and facts
• Reviewing the content may require a lot of effort and time, so it is best to delegate it to someone with a keen eye or create a full team to do it.

As the owner of a professional website, you rely on keywords to create the content for your site. On Wikipedia, the role of keywords is particularly important due to the value of its content.

It’s true that you want to create an encyclopedia on a specific subject, which means adding a large amount of content. However, this content should not be added randomly, but should be organized. Creating a medical encyclopedia is a great idea, but what are the popular topics in this field at the moment?

Keywords will help you build content that is consistent with the topics currently being searched for by your target audience. This is reflected in its usefulness in attracting visitors to your site, and its large impact on increasing your site’s profits from advertisements and other means of earning.

Tips for creating a successful website like wikiHow.

1- Create a team

Managing a large site like wikiHow requires a lot of time and effort, and this may seem like an impossible task for one person. Whether you aim to create a site specializing in one field or several fields, you will face a large number of tasks.

Most of the tasks for a site like wikiHow will not be complicated, but some may be repetitive. However, you may face other tasks that require a high level of focus, and it is best to have a team you can rely on.

The team will help you in more than one way and form, and you can rely on it to perform repetitive tasks or ones that you do not have enough information about, such as reviewing content you are not familiar with, or even maintaining the site.

Start by forming a team of your closest friends or interested friends in this idea, and later you can develop this team and turn it into a professional team that fits the growth rate of your site.

2. Do Marketing

Great, you’ve finished creating your website! What’s the next logical step? Attracting visitors to it, of course. This won’t happen magically, but you’ll need to do several things to attract visitors to your site. All of these things fall under the umbrella of marketing.

Market your website through the following methods:

• Email marketing.
• Advertising your website through advertising networks.
• Publishing on social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter.
• Advertising on social media.
• Advertising on search engines.

Each of these methods will have an impact on the visibility of your website and attracting visitors to it. Additionally, each method will require you to take specific steps to complete it, and most of them are necessary steps for promoting any website.

Email marketing will require you to have a list of addresses that you may not be able to get at the beginning of your website’s operation. However, this method cannot be ignored and you can postpone it until you have formed your email list.

Advertising on advertising networks is one of the most important methods you can use to attract visitors to your website. These networks provide powerful tools that help you easily reach your target audience.

Having a presence on social media platforms is a highly effective way to market online websites. Natural presence and interaction on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter (X) can greatly contribute to the spread of your website and increase visitors.

Advertising on these platforms can help you reach specific segments of visitors that other means cannot.

Paid advertisements on social media platforms can also attract more visitors to your website in a shorter amount of time than natural interaction alone. Finally, advertising on search engines is an effective way to get targeted visitors to your website.

Many global online websites and stores use this method to attract visitors and achieve top search engine rankings for extended periods. Advertising on search engines can be cost-effective if used for a short time or occasionally. You can use this method to promote exclusive content or special events on your website.

If you have not done advertising campaigns before, we recommend checking out our tips for a successful online advertising campaign.

3- Presence on YouTube

Using YouTube as a marketing tool is a great way to promote your website, especially if your site specializes in visual content or ideas. For example, wikiHow has a large library of videos that can be used in place of written content in certain areas.

The use of visual content on YouTube will depend on the focus of your site. You can still create videos on topics related to your specialization or even post pictures and short Shorts.

Presence on YouTube can be achieved through a variety of methods, depending on your site’s specialization and your personal preferences. Whatever method you choose, being present on this platform can help you promote your site and attract new visitors.

4- Focus on Ranking in Search Engine Results

Search engines are the primary source of website visitors. When a visitor searches for a topic related to your site and your site appears high in the search results, it can significantly increase the number of visitors to your site.

To improve your site’s ranking on search engines, you will need to study and follow specific techniques in this area. Fortunately, we have a guide that can help you understand the nuances of search engine optimization (SEO) and easily improve your site’s ranking.

By following this guide, you can increase the chances of your site appearing at the top of search results and attracting more visitors.

5- Start with the least possible resources and then develop later.

The appearance of a website may change significantly over time, and this is not just about design. Website owners often have a specific vision for their website, but it may not be possible to achieve this vision at the launch of the site.

There are various reasons why this might be the case, such as lack of experience in website creation or limited financial resources.

Creating a website like wikiHow may require a lot of resources and time, but don’t let that discourage you. You can create your site with the resources you have available as long as you have a short-term and long-term plan in place.

Keep the final appearance of your site in mind as you create these plans and break them down into manageable steps that you can execute over time. This will help you achieve your vision for your website in the most efficient way possible.

Ways to Make Money From a Site Like wikiHow.

1- Advertising

Advertising is a simple and effective way to make money from websites, and it can generate thousands of dollars in monthly profits for website owners. By adding ads to your site, you can also achieve significant profits. In my opinion, the profits from ads on sites like wikiHow, which offer valuable and rare information, can be superior to those from ads on ordinary content sites if they are placed intelligently.

For example, a visitor to an encyclopedia site is likely looking for important and rare information, rather than entertainment. If they see an advertisement for a product at the end of an article that relates to what they are searching for, they may be more likely to interact with it. There are many companies that you can work with to add ads to your site, but we recommend using Google AdSense.

Google AdSense offers a lot of flexibility in terms of controlling the ads that appear on your site and will not negatively impact your search engine rankings, unlike some other advertising companies. Don’t worry about meeting the acceptance criteria for the Google AdSense program, as the criteria are not too difficult to fulfill.

2- Affiliate marketing

Affiliate marketing is the second most popular method used by website owners to generate financial returns from their websites. In some cases, profits from affiliate marketing can reach hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Large encyclopedias like wikiHow are known for their professional content, which attracts a specific segment of visitors who may be looking for information about specific products or preparing to purchase them. This makes them well-suited for affiliate marketing opportunities.

As a website owner, you can make money from affiliate marketing by:

• Joining one of the affiliate marketing networks.
• Marketing affiliate products and companies individually.

Both of the above methods work in the same way, which is by adding the product link within the content of your site. Of course, the best application for this method is by adding product links in appropriate content that encourages the visitor to purchase the product.

3- Sell your own products

Selling products is a common method used by large websites, such as wikiHow, to generate income. Consider the focus of your website and think about products you could make and sell directly through your website or through a special page on a major online store like Amazon.

Don’t worry about the word “manufacturing,” as it is not as difficult as some may think. The products you sell do not have to be complex – they could be accessories, clothes, or even cups that you can manufacture locally and print your website’s logo on.

Even products that require manufacturing in specialized factories do not have to be a major obstacle. You can contact small factories to manufacture them, as many other website owners do.

Conclusion

We have tried to help you understand the steps to create a site like wikiHow and how to make money from it through this article. Share with us in the comments details about your site based on the wikiHow concept. Will it be a general encyclopedia or specialized?

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