Building a Non-blog Site with WordPress

Key Takeaways:

• WordPress, beyond its blogging roots, excels at building non-blog websites. This involves disabling blog features and focusing on pages and custom post types.
• Theme selection is crucial. Avoid themes overloaded with custom features (shortcodes, buttons, templates) better suited for blogs.
• Plugins are invaluable. "Disable Comments" removes comments, while "Google XML Sitemaps" streamlines sitemap management, preventing search engine crawls of unwanted sections.
• Content management shifts from posts to pages. Create a custom homepage, add pages, and utilize custom post types (testimonials, etc.) with plugins like Elementor or Custom Post Type UI.

This guide explores leveraging WordPress for standard, non-blog websites.

While WordPress dominates blogging, its versatility extends to creating straightforward websites without blog functionality. Let's explore how to effectively transform WordPress from a blogging platform into a general-purpose website builder.

WordPress: Blogging Features and Their Removal

WordPress inherently includes numerous blog-centric features: comments, posts, categories, tags, etc. These are essential for blogs but often redundant for non-blog sites. Leaving them active can lead to issues like "no posts found" messages on archive pages.

The solution? Disable these features. The following code removes default blog pages and archives:

add_action('template_redirect', 'sp_remove_blog');
function sp_remove_blog(){
  if( is_archive() || is_single() || is_home() ) {
    global $wp_query;
    $wp_query->set_404();
  }
}

Place this in your theme's functions.php file (or a child theme's) to prevent empty archive pages that can harm SEO. Alternatively, some SEO plugins (like Yoast SEO) offer archive disabling options.

Choosing a WordPress Theme for Non-Blog Sites

Numerous WordPress themes cater to non-blog websites. Prioritize reputable sources (the official WordPress theme repository for free themes) to avoid malicious code. For free themes, utilize tags like "Education" or "Business" to filter relevant options.

For premium themes, select from trusted vendors. While "Business" or "Corporate" themes often include custom blog page templates, these are irrelevant after disabling blog archives. However, avoid themes with extensive custom features (shortcodes, buttons, page templates). These are often unnecessary and can complicate a non-blog setup. Exceptionally flexible themes like Divi offer pre-built templates that can be adapted.

Essential WordPress Plugins for Non-Blog Websites

Plugins enhance WordPress functionality. Beyond standard SEO and security plugins, consider these:

• Disable Comments: Globally removes comments, simplifying the admin panel and preventing spam.
• Google XML Sitemaps: Efficiently manages sitemaps, ensuring search engines don't crawl unwanted blog-related sections.

Content Management for Non-Blog Websites

After disabling blog features and selecting a theme, focus on content creation:

1. Custom Homepage: In Settings > Reading, set a static page as your homepage.
2. Page Creation: Add necessary pages and content. Page builders (like Elementor) simplify this process.
3. Custom Post Types: For elements like testimonials, use plugins such as Custom Post Type UI.

Conclusion

Building non-blog websites with WordPress is straightforward. Disable blog features, choose an appropriate theme, utilize helpful plugins, and manage content through pages and custom post types. WordPress's flexibility makes it a powerful tool for various website types.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

The provided FAQs section is already comprehensive and well-written. No changes are needed.

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