Getting Started

Quick Start

May 9, 2026 docsadmin 4 min read

Quick Start

Get a polished classifieds site running in about 15 minutes.

This guide takes you from a blank WordPress install to a working marketplace with sample listings, payments configured, and the homepage looking professional. Detailed guides for every section come later — for now, follow these steps in order.

Before you begin: A WordPress 6.0+ install on PHP 7.4 or newer with a fresh admin account. We recommend using a staging or demo site first so you can experiment freely.

What you’ll have at the end

  • The Best Classifieds theme active with the Emerald & Cream design system
  • 48 demo listings spread across 8 categories (real Pexels photos, optional)
  • A 4-column footer with About, Categories, Quick Links, Contact
  • Working live-search dropdown with smart category icons
  • [Pro] license activated, frontend submission form available, demo content imported

Step 1 — Install the theme

  1. Download best-classifieds.zip from your account.
  2. WordPress admin → Appearance → Themes → Add New → Upload Theme.
  3. Choose the zip, click Install Now, then Activate.

Permalinks should already be Pretty (/post-name/). If not: Settings → Permalinks → Post name → Save. This is required for clean listing URLs.

For step-by-step screenshots and troubleshooting, see Installation.

Step 2 — Install Best Classifieds Pro [Pro]

The free theme works on its own, but the polished demo, frontend submissions, and payments require Pro.

  1. Download best-classifieds-pro.zip from your FasterThemes account.
  2. Plugins → Add New → Upload Plugin → choose the zip → Install → Activate.
  3. Appearance → BC Pro License → paste the license key from your purchase email → Activate.

You’ll see “Active” with a list of unlocked features. The license is tied to this site; activate on others by re-pasting the key.

Step 3 — Run the WOW Feeder [Pro]

The WOW Feeder is the one-click demo populator. It creates 48 listings, 8 categories, 5 standard pages, navigation menus, and a 4-column footer in about a minute.

  1. Install Best Classifieds WOW Feeder (separate plugin, included with Pro).
  2. (Recommended) Get a free Pexels API key at pexels.com/api — takes 30 seconds. Real photos will replace the gradient placeholders.
  3. Tools → BC WOW Feeder → paste the key → Save → click Test connection to confirm it works.
  4. Click Start one-click import.
  5. Wait ~3 minutes (downloading 144 photos is the slow part).
  6. Click View site → when it’s done.

You should now see a fully populated marketplace. If anything looks wrong, the Demo Import page has detailed troubleshooting.

Step 4 — Configure the basics

In Appearance → Customize:

  1. Site Identity — set your site title and tagline.
  2. Best Classifieds Options → Theme Style — pick a color palette (Emerald & Cream is default; Sunset Orange is the warm alternative).
  3. Best Classifieds Options → Hero — adjust the headline if needed; the WOW Feeder set sensible defaults.
  4. Best Classifieds Options → Footer — confirm the about text and contact email.

Click Publish.

Step 5 — Configure payments [Pro]

If you’ll charge for paid listings or featured placements:

  1. Classifieds Pro → Settings → Payments.
  2. Stripe — paste your publishable + secret keys (test mode first; switch to live when ready).
  3. Razorpay — paste your Key ID + Key Secret if you serve Indian customers (GST handled automatically).
  4. Define paid packages under Classifieds Pro → Packages (or use the demo package).

See Payment Gateways for the full setup with screenshots.

Step 6 — Test the full flow

Run through these as both a logged-out visitor and a logged-in member:

  • Browse — homepage shows hero, categories, recent listings, trust strip
  • Search — type 2 letters in the hero search; smart-icon results appear
  • View a listing — click any card; gallery, sidebar, contact reveal all work
  • Click “Show Contact Email” — first click reveals the address; second click opens your mail app
  • [Pro] Post a Listing — click the header “Post Free Ad” → you should land on /post-a-listing/ with the submission form
  • [Pro] Pay for a featured slot — submit a listing, choose a paid package, complete a Stripe test payment

If any step breaks, the Troubleshooting page covers every common issue with the exact fix.

Step 7 — Pre-launch checklist

Before pointing your domain at the live site:

  • Replace the demo About + Contact page content with your own
  • Update Categories — rename or remove ones you don’t need
  • Configure Stripe/Razorpay in Live mode (not test)
  • Set the site URL and the “Post Free Ad” customizer URL to the real domain
  • Add Privacy Policy + Terms pages and link them from the footer
  • Generate an XML sitemap (Yoast or Rank Math) and submit to Google Search Console

The full pre-flight list lives at Going Live Checklist.

Where to next

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