These are the slides from my presentation 'an introduction to WordPress multisite' from WordCamp Phoenix

2. Hello, I am NOT
Lisa Sabin-Wilson
• Lisa wasn’t feeling well and had to cancel
• They asked me to take her place
• I am not a natural blonde
• I’ll do my best to fill her shoes

3. http://about-me/
John Hawkins
Co-founder of
We’re a WordPress development team
I write plugins, build sites, answer emails
I’m a WordCamp Junkie (29 & counting)
I live just outside of Vegas
You can reach me at:
No, I don’t know Wayne Newton john@9seeds.com
If you come to Vegas, visit the Pinball Hall of Fame. Twitter - @vegasgeek
Facebook.com/vegasgeek

4. The what and the why.
• Multisite is built in to the same WordPress
software you are already using
• Enables you to run multiple websites from one
installation of WordPress
• Install themes and plugins once, use them
across all sites in your network
• WordPress.com runs on multisite

5. Who is using Multisite?

6. Who is using Multisite?
• Businesses • Multiple branches or
departments that have a
need for their own site
• Theme developers who
want to show demos of
each theme

7. Who is using Multisite?
• Businesses • If you own or operate
several websites, multisite
• People who run can save you time and
multiple websites resources.

8. Who is using Multisite?
• Businesses • Easily set up an online
• People who run community for a niche
multiple websites interest group, sports
• Community managers league, etc.
• Multiple blogs from
multiple users, forums,
member profiles and
more.

9. Who is using Multisite?
• Businesses • Create a sub site for
• People who run each client with their
multiple websites theme, plugins, data &
• Community managers settings
• Developers • Great for returning
clients who need
periodic tweaks

10. Some Examples
http://powersites.net/
- 17,000+ sites for small
businesses

11. Some Examples
http://nytimes.com/blogs
- 60+ blogs covering a
wide range of topics

12. Some Examples
http://worpress.com/
- Kinda big
- 460k bloggers,
840k new posts,
1m comments a day

13. Things to consider…
• Hosting
– Shared vs Dedicated
• Support
• Plugins / Features
• Spam / Splogs
• Update, update, update
• URL Structure

14. URL Structure
Subdirectory Subdomain
http://site.com/subsite/ http://subsite.site.com/
- Requires no additional - Requires wildcard DNS
configuration - Search engines see this
- Search engines see this content as a separate site
content as part of the main with separate listings
site.
* Domain mapping is also an option

15. Setting up Multisite
• Edit wp-config.php
You’ll have a new
‘Network Setup’ link in
your dashboard.

16. Setting up Multisite

17. Setting up Multisite

18. Your new network

19. Network Admin Panel

20. Network Settings

21. Add a new network site

22. Edit a network site
Enable themes Site by site control
• Archive, delete, or mark a
site as spam or mature
• Set amount of space for
uploads
• Much, much more

23. Users / Admins / Super Admins

24. You control the plugins

25. Speaking of plugins
*If Lisa was here, she’d also mention bbPress.

26. BuddyPress
• Main site becomes
central hub.
• Subsites provide
content, content,
content
• Users can friend each
other, leave comments,
create groups /
forums… if you let
them, of course.

27. BuddyPress
Community Activity

28. BuddyPress

29. Gravity Forms
• Very powerful and
versatile plugin
• Use it to create a
customized sign up
form
• Connect it to Paypal to
charge for signups

31. Resources
• Setting up Multisite
– http://codex.wordpress.org/Create_A_Network
• Domain mapping tutorial
– http://ottopress.com/2010/wordpress-3-0-
multisite-domain-mapping-tutorial/
• http://buddypress.org/
• http://gravityforms.com/