10 Cool Ways to Use WordPress Beyond Blogging

Back in 2003, when WordPress was developed, it was built as a blogging platform. Back then, people and the internet phenomenon was different. The usage of WordPress was also just limited to blogs nothing more than that. By the time 2004 passed and 2005 approach, a steady shift was clearly visible. People start using WordPress not just as a blogging platform but also as a website builder.

After that things constantly evolved and then WordPress users never looked back. Now, WordPress is the leading content management system of the world wide web. Over 28 percent of the total website are of WordPress. This clearly shows that how much WordPress has developed.

In this article, I am going to disclose the ways to use WordPress beyond just blogging. There are many types of websites that can be developed with WordPress. With reference of that, I am going to provide you a well-elaborated explanation on how you can use WordPress.

So, let’s get started and reveal the WordPress application beyond blogging.

1. Use WordPress as a Directory listing website



A directory is of various things such as Real estate listings, Review Directory, Business Directories, and Membership information. In order to create directories in a WordPress website, you can use WordPress themes and plugins to create a directory from the backend of a WordPress website.

In order to create a directory listing, you can use many of the thousands of WordPress theme that facilitate you to manage the listings from the backend of the WordPress website. You can use,


There are loads of them but these are some of the best.

Also, there are WordPress plugins that can help you to create an effective directory listing website. Some examples are,


These are some of the best out of hundreds of listing plugins in WordPress.

2. Multisite WordPress

There was this time when you need to log in separately from another browser to get access to your other WordPress website. Then in the meantime, scenario changes and now you can handle multiple WordPress websites from a single WordPress installation. This empowers you to manage all your other WordPress websites from one place.

This multisite theory also gives you relief as you just have to install and activate themes and plugins once. You don’t need different credentials every time. With a single entry of login credentials, you can access all your WordPress websites.

3. Use WordPress to Create E-Commerce Stores



Online marketing and shopping are thriving in this digital era. Stores not selling online are missing out a whole lot new and profitable side of the internet. Creating an E-Commerce store using WordPress is very simple and also highly profitable as well.

WordPress gives you empowerment to build an efficient and easy to manage E-Commerce website with the use of mere WordPress themes and plugins.

Themes that can help you giving the perfect looks and functionality of an E-Commerce store are,


These are two best themes that can help you build and manage your E-Commerce WordPress website.

Plugins that will empower you to build the perfect E-Commerce website are,


So, as you can see it is quite easy to have E-Commerce website at your fingertips.

4. Build Membership Websites using WordPress

If you want to monetize your WordPress website, membership website is the perfect solution (if you have the quality content that people craves). WordPress is quite handy as I said above. Here to build a membership website you just have to look a little deeper in the WordPress directory for the perfect plugin and theme.

I can help you to refine the search for you. For themes, you can try these,


In order to have various membership functionalities, you can go for these plugins,


These plugins and themes can really help you to build an incredible WordPress membership website.

5. Evolve your WordPress into Social site



It is well said by many WordPress nerds that you don’t have to know everything about coding in order to apply creativity in WordPress. If you want, it is really very easy to build a social networking website with WordPress on your side.

Using themes and plugins in an organized manner will help you not just building the social media platform, but also manage them quite effectively.

WordPress themes that can help you in building and managing your Social site are,


For plugins, you can try for,


Give it a shot and build your own social network.

6. Create A Forum with the help of WordPress

A community is actually the real power of WordPress. The WordPress community is the reason WordPress is such a brand. If you also want to make your own brand, you need to build a community. WordPress here again can help you incredibly.

There are many WordPress themes and plugins that can really be very helpful to build an effective community website.

Some themes that can help you in building and managing your community website are,


This is the best. That is why I just mentioned this one only.

Apart from themes, you can take a peek in these plugins to get further help and functionalities,


7. WordPress to Create Portfolio Website



WordPress can be very useful to showcase your professional profile. You can easily create a portfolio website by WordPress and impress your clients with your work history and presentation skills.

There are many businesses that build a portfolio website to showcase their expertise, testimonials, and reviews. These also help a prospective client in their decision-making process. Presenting a portfolio link will ease their task and imprints a better impression.

WordPress themes that can help you build a better-looking portfolio website. You can use these WordPress themes,


WordPress plugins that will help you to build a better portfolio plugin are,


In a nutshell, it is quite simple to build a fully functional portfolio website.

8. Create Landing Pages and Resumes with WordPress

Landing Pages can be very beneficial to drive traffic and increase the page view. A landing page also drives your viewer to click your call to action button which can either function as a lead generation or a potential buyer. Apart from that, you can also build attractive and professional resumes.

For a WordPress enthusiast, presenting his resume is very crucial. WordPress itself can be incredibly helpful in this scenario.

Some of the WordPress plugins that will help you to create better landing pages and resumes are,


Some of the WordPress themes which will help you to make your landing page and resumes effective are,


It is as simple as installing, activating and drag and drop customizing.

9. Create a Job Board Website using WordPress



You must have heard monster.com and indeed.com. These are some of the famous job board websites. With WordPress on your side, you can easily build a job board by yourself.

All you need is some of the features to understand properly, strategize the website and sustainable plugins and themes to install. Then the deed is done.

Some of the WordPress themes that can help you to build a better WordPress job board website are,


Some Plugins that will help you to set up an effective job board website are,


So, these are the themes and plugins that will help you to build an effective and resourceful job board website on WordPress platform.

10. Start A Classified Startup with WordPress

You must have heard about Craigslist. It is known to be one of the best-classified websites in the digital world. With WordPress on your side, you can easily start a classified start-up. All you need is a perfect balance of WordPress themes and Plugins.

Let’s check out some of the WordPress themes that will help you to build a better classified WordPress website,


Also, Some WordPress plugins to aid you in adding incredible features to your classified website are,


So, these themes and plugins will ease your task of creating a classified website.

Bonus infographic
16 Cool Ways to Use WordPress Beyond Blogging - infographic
Source: Whoishostingthis

Wrapping it up

There are many other functionalities as well that you can leverage using WordPress. These are the most popular one which I mentioned. You can literally use WordPress in almost every niche.

Let’s give you a quick recap of the ways to use WordPress except blogging.

Use WordPress as a Directory listing website.

Manage all your other WordPress websites from one place with WordPress Multisite.

WordPress gives you empowerment to build an efficient and easy to manage E-Commerce website.

If you want to monetize your WordPress website, membership website is the perfect solution.

Evolve your WordPress into a Social site.

If you want to make your own brand, you need to build a community website with WordPress.

WordPress can be very useful to showcase your professional profile.

Landing Pages can be very beneficial to drive traffic and increase the page view. Apart from that, you can also build attractive and professional resumes.

With WordPress on your side, you can easily build a job board by yourself.

With WordPress, you can easily start a classified start-up. All you need is a perfect balance of WordPress themes and Plugins.

I hope you like my views on the topic. If you have any suggestion, please do mention it in comments. I would love to know more on this. Till then, have a good one.

About Author:
Jason Daszkewicz is a WordPress developer by profession. He is associated with WordSuccor Ltd. - a custom WordPress web development services provider. Jason has been associated with WordSuccor for last 5 years and handling clients across the globe. When he is not working, he likes to spend his time outdoors exploring the world, people and technology.
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