I'm spinning up a new website for a local community. I'm actually a developer by trade, so I would have built something custom in like Django or whatever, but I decided to use WP for this since that would be the quickest option, it just works, and getting some experience with WP is probably a good thing.
I just spun it up on WordPress.com, though I could migrate to self hosting if I needed. Beyond that, I am looking for any suggestions on any plugins or things to use. The purpose of the site is to be a local aspiring photographers and models community. I belonged to a similar thing when I lived in Seattle, so I am wanting to start one where I live now. Just a way for photographers and models to connect and a place to coordinate meetups.
Any community-focused plugins I should look into for this? Something possibly with some kind of a forum like functionality, event planning functionality, maybe even photo sharing, etc?
Thanks in advance!
Creating a community-focused website for aspiring photographers and models is a fantastic idea! Here are some plugin suggestions and tips to help you set up your WordPress site effectively:
**Plugins to Consider:**
1. BuddyPress: Adds community features like user profiles and activity streams.
2. bbPress: Provides forum functionality for discussions and coordination.
3. The Events Calendar: Manages and displays events for meetups and RSVPs.
4. User Registration: Facilitates user sign-ups and profile management.
5. WP Job Manager: Allows posting job listings and opportunities.
6. Photo Gallery Plugins: Use NextGEN Gallery or Envira Gallery for sharing and showcasing photos.
7. Contact Form 7 or WPForms: Enables easy communication through custom forms.
8. Newsletter Plugin (e.g., Mailchimp for WordPress): Keeps the community updated with newsletters.
**Additional Tips:**
* User Roles: Set different user roles (photographers, models) with specific permissions.
* Design: Choose a clean, responsive theme for a user-friendly experience.
* SEO Optimization: Use Yoast SEO for better visibility in search engines.
* Social Media Integration: Connect with social media for wider engagement.
* Engagement Strategies: Host contests and Q&A sessions to keep the community active.
**Migration Consideration:** Consider migrating to self-hosted WordPress (WordPress.org) for more plugin flexibility and customization options.
Let me know if you need further details or any help. I just started a web agency, so let me know if I can assist you!