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“Follow the plan outlined here and you can create your own website from scratch without writing any code for less than $300.”
9Gag does things just a little bit differently than other social media platforms.
Known for its user-generated content, this popular website is a hub for funny pictures, gifs, and videos that span anime, sports, movies, and so much more.
If you want to create your own version of 9Gag, then you’re in the right place.
Can you really create your own site like 9gag?
The good news is that 9gag isn’t that complex of a site, and there are quite a few tools available you can use.
In this guide, you’ll learn exactly how to create your own version of 9Gag that’s sure to draw in new visitors and engage your audience.
Best of all, your new website will be clean, beautiful, and fully functional. This isn’t some two-bit knock-off, it’s a top-quality 9Gag competitor you can tailor to your own specific needs and preferences.
How much will it cost? Using the tools recommended here, you can create the site on your own with less than $200.
What your new site will look like
Fans of 9Gag already know that the social media website boasts a simple design that highlights the most recent or popular memes, videos, and gifs.
It also features intuitive toolbars and a search tool to help visitors find the exact type of content they want.
Your new website will closely replicate these characteristics. Thanks to the Bimber WordPress theme, you will be set up for viral success from the get-go.
Bimber is massively customizable and can be edited to look like other viral sites too like Buzzfeed and Pinterest, but the demo featured above is made to look exactly like 9gag.
There’s content-heavy focus, prominent social sharing buttons, and multiple ad locations.
Though the one-click demo versions of Bimber are stylish and functional in their own right, the real beauty of this WordPress theme is its customizability. A number of powerful tools enable you to develop the exact website you desire.
Now that you’ve gotten a look at the final product, let’s cover the steps to make the site.
How to create a site like 9Gag
These are the simple, actionable steps needed to create a website like 9Gag:
- Purchase a Domain Name
- Get Web Hosting
- Install WordPress
- Install & Configure Bimber
- Launch Your Website
Now, we’ll look at each of these steps in order so you know exactly how to develop your new viral website.
Tools That You Need
There are three main tools that you need to create a WordPress website.
These are a domain name, web hosting, and WordPress.
Domain name
Your domain name is the URL people use to navigate to your website. It must be simple, easy for visitors to remember, and usually relate to your website’s main topic.
It’s also important to select a “.com” extension for your domain name. Web users are more familiar with this extension. There are also some .com SEO benefits.
Hosting
The second tool you need for your website is web hosting. This is what connects the server of your website and the visitor’s browser. You can’t have a website without it.
Nexcess is my choice for the best web hosting platform in this instance. Not only is it affordable and reliable, but it also works seamlessly with WordPress and even lets you choose your domain name for free.
Nexcess is way faster and easier to use than the budget hosts but costs less than half the price of the premium WP hosts, making it an excellent entry-level host for beginners.
WordPress
The last major tool you need to create a WordPress website is WordPress itself. There are a lot of different ways to install WordPress, but the easiest is to use the Nexcess auto-installer.
In fact, all you need to do is create an account with Nexcess, and they’ll automatically create your first site for you.
Why You Should Use WordPress
The benefits of WordPress are numerous.
At the top of the list is its ease of use and affordability (free). When your other option is to pay a web designer hundreds of dollars to create a website, WordPress is the easy choice.
Thanks to its popularity, WordPress is also extremely reliable. More than a quarter of websites are now powered by WordPress.
And that’s not to mention the huge and ever-expanding support community.
The WordPress support forums are full of other web and business owners just like you. It’s a great place to share tips and tricks as well as seek out help if you bump into a problem.
Anything else?
Now that you have a domain name, your website is hosted, and WordPress is set up, you have a basic website online. Congrats!
The next step is to install a theme that will transform your basic website into a viral content platform like 9gag.
Your WordPress theme is what dictates the overall look and feel of your website. A quality theme will really help your new website stand out from the pack.
As I mentioned above, my top choice for those that want to make a website like 9Gag is the Bimber theme.
Why You Should Use Bimber
Bimber is the best choice for those interested in creating a website like 9Gag.
In addition to its simple user interface and intuitive controls, it makes it very easy to stream and share content.
Dozens of premium plugins and widgets enable you to add social sharing tools to your website to help develop a strong social community of users just like 9Gag.
Bimber is also stylish and beautiful. It’s a functionally laid out theme so it draws in new visitors and helps them find exactly what they’re looking for.
Of course, this top WordPress theme is also fully responsive. It works just as well on mobile phones and tablets as it does on computers.
Is it tough to use?
Perhaps the absolute best thing about using the Bimber theme is that it’s so intuitive and easy to use.
Anyone can learn how to use it effectively in just minutes. It doesn’t require any knowledge of coding, programming, or web design.
The main highlight of using Bimber is the drag-and-drop builder. You can simply choose the elements you want and drag them into place.
Other features
Other customization tools allow you to change the overall color scheme or just the color scheme for specific elements.
Numerous widgets and premium plugins give you a wide range of options for designing your new website exactly how you’d like.
Because of its popularity, Bimber has an extensive network of support materials. Video tutorials and a detailed help guide are available if you do run into any problems.
There is also an active support community of Bimber users to reach out to. And if you really need extra help, the folks behind the theme offer 5-star customer support.
Alternative WordPress themes like 9Gag
Despite the beauty and power of Bimber, you may want to consider some other options tool
Two other themes that work well for those interested in creating a website like 9Gag are BoomBox and Stoked.
BoomBox
BoomBox is yet another top-quality theme created with viral magazines in mind. The design is very similar to 9Gag so you’re sure to appeal to a similar audience.
This WordPress theme comes with built-in social sharing features to enable your visitors to create user accounts, communicate with each other, and share your content on their social media accounts.
Stoked!
Stoked! is designed specifically for irreverent magazines and blogs. It places its focus squarely on content sharing, namely pictures, gifs, and videos.
It’s extremely fast, fully responsive, and is integrated with dozens of premium plugins. It also boasts an impactful and engaging layout and design.
We have a couple more recommendations in our viral WordPress themes collection too.
Launch your new 9Gag website
Launching a website similar to 9Gag has never been easier.
All that you need is a domain name, web hosting, WordPress, and a top-quality theme.
We’ve outlined all of these steps in detail above. For even more information, take a look at our comprehensive guide to how to make a WordPress site.
To summarize:
- Purchase a Domain Name
- Get hosting with Nexcess
- Install WordPress
- Install & Configure Bimber (or another theme)
- Launch Your Website
By following these steps and utilizing these tools, your 9Gag website will be up and running (and attracting new customers) in no time at all!
