If you used the Internet some 20 years ago, you may remember the huge selection of public chat rooms available. However, due to social media and other platforms like Discord or Reddit, the concept of a chat room website has been retired.
Who’s to say that they should stay retired, though. The last couple of years have been difficult when it comes to meeting new people due to lockdown restrictions and social distancing, but an online chat room could be the perfect solution.
Today I will demonstrate how to create one. concept level chat room website with WordPress.
What is a chat room website?
Many websites have a live chat component, but that it does not make them a full website. chat room website. Instead, this title is reserved for websites that only contain chat rooms.
The sole purpose of the website is to allow users to communicate with each other.
Usually , the website is made up of several chat rooms, each of which focuses on a unique topic.
For example, there may be a chat room dedicated to auto repair. Users will be able to log in and talk to like-minded people who are interested in doing their own bodywork.
It’s very similar to different Reddit forums or Discord servers.
However The biggest difference is that it’s live and you can’t edit what’s being said. This also requires a much higher level of moderation. After all, you might find that some not-so-great topics might end up being discussed on your platform.
Is it worth building one in 2022?
If I’m being completely honest, probably not.
Platforms like Discord allow users to create their own server and invite other users to join in order to communicate with each other. Not only does it work with text chat, but you can also use voice and video chat.
And it’s completely free.
You can even go a step further by creating bots of Discord to help assign roles to users and even moderate content.
Similarly, Reddit has become one of the most popular websites in the world because you can find like-minded people to talk to. about any topic. This is more limited than Discord, but its popularity is too great to ignore.
There are also various chat services that businesses use to communicate, such as Microsoft Teams or Slack. Not to mention the countless apps for phones.
That said, if you still want to try creating your own, let’s get started.
How to Create a Chat Room Website
Step 0: Decide on an approach
Every website needs an address, and a chat room is no exception. In fact, I would say that focus is more important than ever. Without a focus, a bunch of people with nothing in common would start talking, and this probably won’t end well.
Or, your website may be associated with a specific topic that you’re not comfortable with. The Internet is not a pleasant place.
Instead, you must decide the focus of the website. For example, do you want to create a free chat site that allows users to talk about any topic, or create one for a specific niche and have multiple side chats for different topics?
Hopefully, it’s the latter. , because the first option would be a disaster. Of course, it’s not just the theme that’s important.
You should also think about the maturity level of the site. Let’s face it, if you allow users to chat online anonymously, it can get nasty, dirty, or both. That’s not suitable for all ages.
You need to decide the age group you’re targeting to help create a moderation system.
Have a clear idea of the topic and the your website values before proceeding.
Step 1: Choose a platform to build with (WordPress)
Next, you would normally take the time to browse the hundreds of CMS available that you can build a website with. However, I will save you a lot of time just by recommending WordPress.
WordPress is the most popular CMS on the market and over 40% of the internet is built on it. That’s because it’s easy to use, free, and you can build any type of website.
With WordPress, you won’t have to write a single line of code, but having that knowledge can help.
In fact, that’s exactly why both beginners and experts in the web design industry love the platform.
It struck this balance by offering users a great selection of plugins and themes. A plugin is a small software package that adds a specific feature to your website. Without it, you would have to code it manually.
Whereas a theme is a collection of templates and style sheets that give your website its look and feel. Everything about a theme is customizable. Both come in free and premium versions, and there are many great options for an online chat site (see Step 3).
Step 2: Choose a web host and domain name
Next, you need to find a web hosting company. This is the company that will rent you a web server to host your website.Every time someone accesses the website, they are actually connecting to that web server.
Therefore, the web server you select will have a direct influence on its performance. And let’s face it, a live chat needs to be fast and responsive.
The good news is that web hosting is a very competitive industry, which has driven down costs and forced the service you receive be much better. That being said, not all web hosts are created equal, so you have to find a great one.
That’s why here at GreenGeeks, we’re proud of our award-winning web hosting services. And we can achieve this without negatively impacting the environment.
Instead, we can have a positive effect.
For every website we host, we buy three times the energy you use in clean energy. And for our new customers, we plant a tree.
You’ll also need to choose a domain name. This is simply the URL of your website, so make sure it’s short, easy to remember, and reflects the theme of the website.
Step 3 – Install WordPress and select a theme and plugins to use
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At this point, you are ready to start creating a chat room website. First, install WordPress using Softaculous.
Once you’ve installed WordPress, it’s time to choose a theme and select the plugins your website will need. You have many options at your disposal, so be sure to spend some time testing each tool to see which one is right for you.
When it comes to choosing a theme, my advice is to pick one that fits your needs. style you are looking for, but remember that you can customize it. So, if you’re not a fan of a color or font, don’t worry… that can be changed in the settings.
Here are some plugins you might find useful:
AtomChat
AtomChat is a premium plugin that turns your website into a complete online video chat site and yes, it supports regular text chat as well. The plugin allows you to create multiple chat rooms that visitors can access from the WordPress menu.
It even has a Chatroulette functionality that allows visitors to join a random chat. In terms of usage, the plugin has been simplified so that web developers can easily configure it.
Chats can be organized by topic to help organize them. You can use the free trial to see if it’s right for you.
BuddyPress Group Chatroom
BuddyPress Group Chatroom is a plugin for BuddyPress. It allows users to create their own groups and allows them to create a chat room. It gives users more privacy and power and is a great option if you plan to have a membership.
The good news is that these chats close themselves after 15 minutes without a new message. This helps ensure that your website doesn’t use a lot of resources.
It’s a great way to create a live chat site.
Step 4: Have a moderation plan
In step 0, I mentioned that you should have an idea to moderate content and now it’s time to implement it. Unfortunately, I can’t give you detailed instructions because the tools at your disposal depend on which plugin you choose.
What I can tell you is that if you want to be conventional, you really want to try and block profanity. or any kind of racial slurs. Obviously, if your website is aimed at a larger audience, then profanity may be acceptable.
Most of these tools have ways to censor certain words or phrases. See your plugin of choice for more information, but don’t let your website run unmoderated.
At this point, your chat room website is ready to go; Congratulations.
Make a Chat Room Today
While chat rooms may be a bit dated, it’s easy to learn how to create a chat room. WordPress is a great platform for building any type of website, so regardless of your skill level, you can create something amazing in no time.
What topics will be discussed in your chat room? ? Have you considered other options like Discord?
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