Wordpress categories as sub-domains each with their own theme

Cleo · 2012-04-09, 09:18 PM

I'm trying to setup a network of blogs so that the root blog shows all posts but categories are subdomains with their own themes.

I found this plug-in that would do exactly what I want to do but it doesn’t work correctly with WP 3.
http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/...ss-subdomains/

Any ideas?

Maj. Stress · 2012-04-09, 11:59 PM

I'm using this. http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/...t/screenshots/ Somehow I have it pulling rss feeds from my subdomains. Not sure if I did it stand alone or used an importer. It's late and I just finish a 14 hour shift so I'm brain dead. Anyways instead of putting the widget in the sidebar, I put it on the index page and resized it. It wasn't to hard to do. If you run into problems lmk and I'll dig deeper into wtf I actually did.

Cleo · 2012-04-10, 07:42 AM

Not that it matters but this is for a mainstream outdoor activities blog.

After sleeping on it I think pulling in rss feeds from the subdomain blogs to the root would probably be about the best solution.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maj. Stress

I'm using this. http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/...t/screenshots/ Somehow I have it pulling rss feeds from my subdomains. Not sure if I did it stand alone or used an importer. It's late and I just finish a 14 hour shift so I'm brain dead. Anyways instead of putting the widget in the sidebar, I put it on the index page and resized it. It wasn't to hard to do. If you run into problems lmk and I'll dig deeper into wtf I actually did.

Would like to know more about how you used a sidebar widget on the index page and what you are using to pull in rss feeds. Also would love to see what your solution looks like on your blog.

cd34 · 2012-04-10, 02:46 PM

From an SEO standpoint, doesn't that dilute the value of your keywords to run on a separate subdomain?

Someone appears to have fixed it and there is a post that has a fix:

http://wordpress.org/support/topic/p...ing?replies=22

Cleo · 2012-04-10, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cd34

From an SEO standpoint, doesn't that dilute the value of your keywords to run on a separate subdomain?

Someone appears to have fixed it and there is a post that has a fix:

http://wordpress.org/support/topic/p...ing?replies=22

I tried it and the plug-in does work under the latest WP.

But... whilst it does allow a different theme under each subdomain and turns categories into sudomains there is no way to have each subdomain have their own pages and widgets so it won't work for what I'm trying to do.

Looks like the best solution will be to basically turn the root domain into a RSS reader and then use WP's MU plugin to make all the subdomains.

Basically what I'm building is an outdoor activities blog with different activities (snorkeling, kayaking, biking, whatever) as subdomains with their own themes, pages, plugins, widgets and ads. The root domain will list all the different blogs and show one or two the most recent post from each blog.

What Maj. Stress did sounds like what I'm trying to do.

cd34 · 2012-04-10, 04:37 PM

You might also consider http://buddypress.org/ which is a plugin for WordPress and works with WPMU, but, would allow you to create a community.

You actually can have separate widgets per template by modifying the templates to use separate sidebars - then, a single admin would handle it. Otherwise, you're going to have separate admins for each category which might be a pain to start with.

Cleo · 2012-04-10, 04:53 PM

I looked at http://buddypress.org/ yesterday. Seems more for doing a social site than for doing activities information site. Adding pages (not sure if you even can) and hacking templates to allow different widgets on different themes sounds too convoluted.

Having multiple admins is no big deal as there isn't that many activities that I'm doing blogs for.

Maj. Stress · 2012-04-10, 09:09 PM

Cleo, I did it with the tabber tabs widget. I put the widget in an area at the bottom of the index pages and set it to pull feeds from some of my other sites just to test it out. Just put it the widget that is in an area that is the full width at the bottom or top of your index. This site is on a local host since it's in the early stages of development. If you are using something like wampp I can make a back up and send it to you so you can play with it. I'm using Thematic to test all this stuff out before I start coding. Let me know if you want a backup of this.

Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner but my day job is nuts this time of year and 12-14 hour days are the norm right now.

Cleo · 2012-04-10, 09:16 PM

Thanks but I think I found something.

Only have one feed being pulled in right now and this isn't the theme that I'll be using but it seems to be working well,
http://floridaoutdooradventures.info/

I'm using Simple RSS. You make a post and place this code to pull in the feed.

Code:

[simple-rss feed="http://snorkeling.floridaoutdooradventures.info/feed/" limit=5]

I like it because it's nice and simple.

Maj. Stress · 2012-04-10, 11:55 PM

Let me know if that doesn't work as you want. No problem getting you a copy of what I have on local host to take a look at.

2012-04-09, 09:18 PM	#1
Cleo Subversive filth of the hedonistic decadent West Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Southeast Florida Posts: 27,936	Wordpress categories as sub-domains each with their own theme I'm trying to setup a network of blogs so that the root blog shows all posts but categories are subdomains with their own themes. I found this plug-in that would do exactly what I want to do but it doesn’t work correctly with WP 3. http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/...ss-subdomains/ Any ideas? __________________ Free Rides on Uber and Lyft Uber Car: uberTzTerri Lyft Car: TZ896289

2012-04-10, 02:46 PM	#4
cd34 a.k.a. Sparky Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: West Palm Beach, FL, USA Posts: 2,396	From an SEO standpoint, doesn't that dilute the value of your keywords to run on a separate subdomain? Someone appears to have fixed it and there is a post that has a fix: http://wordpress.org/support/topic/p...ing?replies=22 __________________ SnapReplay.com a different way to share photos - iPhone & Android

2012-04-10, 04:37 PM	#6
cd34 a.k.a. Sparky Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: West Palm Beach, FL, USA Posts: 2,396	You might also consider http://buddypress.org/ which is a plugin for WordPress and works with WPMU, but, would allow you to create a community. You actually can have separate widgets per template by modifying the templates to use separate sidebars - then, a single admin would handle it. Otherwise, you're going to have separate admins for each category which might be a pain to start with. __________________ SnapReplay.com a different way to share photos - iPhone & Android

2012-04-10, 04:53 PM	#7
Cleo Subversive filth of the hedonistic decadent West Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Southeast Florida Posts: 27,936	I looked at http://buddypress.org/ yesterday. Seems more for doing a social site than for doing activities information site. Adding pages (not sure if you even can) and hacking templates to allow different widgets on different themes sounds too convoluted. Having multiple admins is no big deal as there isn't that many activities that I'm doing blogs for. __________________ Free Rides on Uber and Lyft Uber Car: uberTzTerri Lyft Car: TZ896289

2012-04-10, 09:16 PM	#9
Cleo Subversive filth of the hedonistic decadent West Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Southeast Florida Posts: 27,936	Thanks but I think I found something. Only have one feed being pulled in right now and this isn't the theme that I'll be using but it seems to be working well, http://floridaoutdooradventures.info/ I'm using Simple RSS. You make a post and place this code to pull in the feed. Code: [simple-rss feed="http://snorkeling.floridaoutdooradventures.info/feed/" limit=5] I like it because it's nice and simple. __________________ Free Rides on Uber and Lyft Uber Car: uberTzTerri Lyft Car: TZ896289

2012-04-09, 11:59 PM	#2
Maj. Stress Progress rarely comes in buckets, it normally comes in teaspoons Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Dark Side Of Naboo Posts: 1,289	I'm using this. http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/...t/screenshots/ Somehow I have it pulling rss feeds from my subdomains. Not sure if I did it stand alone or used an importer. It's late and I just finish a 14 hour shift so I'm brain dead. Anyways instead of putting the widget in the sidebar, I put it on the index page and resized it. It wasn't to hard to do. If you run into problems lmk and I'll dig deeper into wtf I actually did.

2012-04-10, 09:09 PM	#8
Maj. Stress Progress rarely comes in buckets, it normally comes in teaspoons Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Dark Side Of Naboo Posts: 1,289	Cleo, I did it with the tabber tabs widget. I put the widget in an area at the bottom of the index pages and set it to pull feeds from some of my other sites just to test it out. Just put it the widget that is in an area that is the full width at the bottom or top of your index. This site is on a local host since it's in the early stages of development. If you are using something like wampp I can make a back up and send it to you so you can play with it. I'm using Thematic to test all this stuff out before I start coding. Let me know if you want a backup of this. Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner but my day job is nuts this time of year and 12-14 hour days are the norm right now.

2012-04-10, 11:55 PM	#10
Maj. Stress Progress rarely comes in buckets, it normally comes in teaspoons Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Dark Side Of Naboo Posts: 1,289	Let me know if that doesn't work as you want. No problem getting you a copy of what I have on local host to take a look at.