Hyperlocal websites, or blogs are becoming kind of a phenomenon. These websites have been popping up for several years now publishing news and/or information from either a local area, such as a neighborhood or city, or a specific niche.
I wrote some articles for a hyperlocal website in Dallas, TX a few years back when I was running College Football Top Ten pretty regularly. In fact, I was “given the keys,” so to speak, to drive the vehicle when I was given the opportunity to write unique content for the website. I was, as it were, an unpaid staff member.
As a writer, I was able to get press credentials to two TCU Horned Frog football games and the Armed Forces Bowl which was played at TCU’s Amon Carter Stadium. Further, I received press credentials to Texas Motor Speedway to attend their annual Media Days and then for the weekend dirt races event in 2009.
Putting together a hyperlocal blog or website really isn’t that hard to do, but if you want to do it well and quickly, then it is best that use a flexible, robust platform to publish your website, and there are few better than WordPress. In fact, it is the most used content management system on the planet.
However, if you need more reasons to use WordPress, I present the following.
RSS is inherent
Aggregating and sharing content is much easier with an RSS feed, and WordPress provides that out-of-the-box. It doesn’t get any easier than that. Originally used exclusively for blogging, RSS was essential in getting content curated across the internet allowing readers to insert the blog’s feed in their readers.
Extremely user-friendly
Check it out for yourself. These guys like it.
The best hyperlocal and niche websites are published on WordPress
The West Seattle blog is one of the earliest and most successful hyperlocal websites in the country. It is not fancy with pretty graphics, it is simply one of the most visited blogs out there. It is built on WordPress.
The Fayetteville Flyer is another one.
It allows for the best use of search engine optimization
Just installing WordPress for your website gives you a “heads up” on your competition, but if you take advantage of the really good plugins available for SEO, you can do wonders.
Plugins allow for greater flexibility
Speaking of plugins, they add extra function and power to your website. They extend the reach of WordPress. Several are necessary just for having a good WordPress website.
Social media integration is easier
With the use of plugins and widgets, it is easy to install social media buttons and social media sharing buttons.
It builds community with the comments section
Allowing comments build community on a blog. There are more than one plugin that allows for a user to log in via Facebook or twitter.
Open Source so there is no out-of-pocket cost
Open Source gives WordPress a no-cost option for publishers, but there is an amazing support available through the WordPress forums as well as other bloggers who provide tips and tutorials. If that doesn’t help, there are always plenty of developers for hire.
While open-source means not cost, that is for the software. There may be a need to hire someone to install WordPress as well as customize or install a theme. Regardless, considering other news content management systems available, it is a less expensive option.
Thousands of themes to save time with custom building
Themes give you a chance to install a ready-built design shell from which you can choose to custom for your business or organization or simply a framework that will allow a developer to design a completely custom made theme from the ground up. For publishers, there are thousands from which to choose and many are pre-made for online magazines and/or newspapers.
If it’s good enough . . . .
WordPress powers some top notch blogs.
WordPress is excellent for:
If you need help . . .
If you need help setting up a WordPress website for your hyper local blog or website, contact me today! I have experience setting up WordPress websites and, especially, experience setting them up for online publications.
