June 27, 2024

How to Build a Website Using WordPress: A Guide for Dispensary Owners and Operators

By
Dutchie
June 27, 2024

Creating a professional online presence for your dispensary can significantly boost your visibility and sales. With WordPress, building a website is accessible and manageable even for those with limited technical skills. This guide will walk you through the steps to set up a basic yet effective website, including how to embed Dutchieโ€™s eCommerce menu.

Step 1: Setting Up WordPress

  1. Choose a Hosting Provider: Select a hosting provider that supports WordPress. Some popular options include WP Engine, Cloudflare, and Rocket.ย 
  2. Install WordPress: Follow the hosting providerโ€™s instructions to install WordPress. This often involves a simple one-click installation process.
  3. Select a Domain Name: Choose a domain name that represents your dispensary well. This will be your websiteโ€™s address (e.g., www.yourdispensaryname.com).

Step 2: Choosing and Installing a Theme

  1. Access Themes: Log in to your WordPress dashboard. Go to Appearance > Themes
  2. Add New Theme: Click on Add New to browse free and paid themes. Choose a theme that suits your dispensaryโ€™s style and is mobile-friendly
  3. Install and Activate: Once you find a theme you like, click Install and then Activate

Step 3: Creating Essential Pages

Homepage
  • Go to Pages > Add New
  • Title your page "Home"
  • Add relevant content that introduces your dispensary and highlights key attributes of your dispensary
Order Online page
About Us page
  • Go to Pages > Add New
  • Title your page "About Us"
  • Add content that tells your story, mission, and what sets your dispensary apart
Contact Us Page
  • Go to Pages > Add New
  • Title your page "Contact Us"
  • Add a contact form. You can use the built-in WordPress block or a plugin like Contact Form 7
  • Include your dispensaryโ€™s address, phone number, and a Google Maps embed for easy location

Step 4: Menu Setup

Create a menu
  • Go to Appearance > Menus
  • Click Create a new menu, name it, and click Create Menu
Add pages to menu
  • Add your Home, Order Online, About Us, and Contact Us pages to the menu by checking the boxes next to each page and clicking Add to Menu
  • Once all pages are added, click Save Menu

Step 5: Basic SEO Best Practices

SEOย plugin
  • Install an SEO Plugin: Install a plugin like Yoast SEO to help manage your siteโ€™s SEO
Optimize your content
  • Use relevant keywords throughout your site content
  • Ensure each page has a unique meta title and description
  • Add alt text to images to improve accessibility and SEO
Google My Business profile
  • Go to Google My Business and create a profile for your dispensary
  • Fill out all the details accurately, including your address, phone number, hours, and website link
  • Verify your business to increase its credibility and visibility in local searches
Implementing an XML Sitemap (optional)
  • From your Dutchie Admin, navigate to Settings > SEO > XML Sitemapโ€
  • Confirm that the Embed URL setting is correct. This must be the URL where the embedded menu is located on your website.
    • Navigate to Settings > Store Info > Embed URL
  • Copy the sitemap file
    • Websites with an existing sitemap:
      • If your site already has a robots.txt file copy the sitemap rule shown and add it as a new line
    • Websites without an existing sitemap:
      • If your site does not have a robots.txt file create one using the rule shown in a new robots.txt file added to your websiteโ€™s root.
  • Submit sitemap to Google

Final Touches

By following these steps, you can create a simple, functional website for your dispensary that facilitates online orders and provides essential information to your customers. Happy building!

About the author
Dutchie
The Dutchie Squad