{"id":33262,"date":"2024-04-26T16:53:50","date_gmt":"2024-04-26T16:53:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hivepress.io\/?p=33262"},"modified":"2024-08-22T10:43:24","modified_gmt":"2024-08-22T10:43:24","slug":"create-appointment-booking-website-in-wordpress","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hivepress.io\/blog\/create-appointment-booking-website-in-wordpress\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Create an Appointment Booking Website with WordPress"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Today, if you are running a service business, having an online platform to schedule appointments can be a game-changer for both businesses and clients. Whether you&#8217;re a medical professional, a consultant, or a service provider, having your own appointment booking website can drastically improve user experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this article, we\u2019ll show you how to create an appointment booking website with WordPress without any coding skills. We\u2019ll walk you through the whole process, from selecting the right plugins to monetizing your website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Please note that this article will be useful for people who want to create an appointment booking website for their own business and for those who want to start their own multi-vendor marketplace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Without any further ado, let\u2019s get started!<br><br><nav class=\"post__links\"><ol class=\"content-box\"><li><a href=\"#definition\">A Few Words About Appointment Scheduling Platforms<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#prerequisites\">Prerequisites for Launching an Appointment Platform<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#tutorial\">Steps to Create an Appointment Booking Website with WordPress<\/a><ol><li><a href=\"#installation\">Installing MeetingHive<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#categories\">Adding Listing Categories<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#attributes\">Adding Custom Listing Fields<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#listing\">Adding a Service Listing<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#homepage\">Creating a Homepage<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#extensions\">Extending Functionality&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#monetization\">Monetizing a Scheduling Platform&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><\/ol><\/li><\/ol><\/nav>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"definition\">A Few Words About Appointment Scheduling Platforms<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>An appointment booking website is a platform where customers can schedule appointments with different specialists like <a href=\"https:\/\/hivepress.io\/blog\/create-an-online-tutoring-website-with-wordpress\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">tutors<\/a>, barbers, doctors, and so on. There are two types of such websites:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>A single-vendor website<\/strong> &#8211; it can be an appointment booking website for a local barbershop, where you can select a specialist and choose an available hour;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Marketplace<\/strong> &#8211; in this case, many different specialists within one niche list their services on this website, and users can choose a professional they like and book an appointment with.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Such platforms allow clients to schedule, reschedule, or cancel appointments with businesses online by providing an interface for users to view available time slots and services in real time. A great example is a marketplace of doctors &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Zocdoc<\/a>. It allows you to find a doctor you need and book an appointment or get an online consultation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"588\" src=\"https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Zocdoc-Find-a-Doctor-Near-You-Book-Doctors-Online-1024x588.png\" alt=\"Zocdoc homepage.\" class=\"wp-image-33264\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Zocdoc-Find-a-Doctor-Near-You-Book-Doctors-Online-1024x588.png 1024w, https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Zocdoc-Find-a-Doctor-Near-You-Book-Doctors-Online-300x172.png 300w, https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Zocdoc-Find-a-Doctor-Near-You-Book-Doctors-Online-768x441.png 768w, https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Zocdoc-Find-a-Doctor-Near-You-Book-Doctors-Online-1536x882.png 1536w, https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Zocdoc-Find-a-Doctor-Near-You-Book-Doctors-Online-2048x1176.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"prerequisites\">Prerequisites for Launching an Appointment Platform<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, let\u2019s talk about some prerequisites you need to have to create an appointment booking website with WordPress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Domain name<\/strong> &#8211; you should come up with a catchy and easy-to-remember domain name;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Hosting plan<\/strong> &#8211; a reliable hosting provider is a must for your new website. You can check our list of the most popular <a href=\"https:\/\/hivepress.io\/blog\/overview-of-the-best-wordpress-hosting-providers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">WordPress hosting providers<\/a>;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>WordPress installation<\/strong> &#8211; most hosting providers offer a 1-click WP installation, so feel free to use this feature;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>WordPress theme<\/strong> &#8211; select a suitable theme that matches your brand and style <em>(check out our article on the best <a href=\"https:\/\/hivepress.io\/blog\/5-best-appointment-wordpress-themes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">appointment booking WordPress themes<\/a>);<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>WordPress plugin<\/strong> &#8211; choose a <a href=\"https:\/\/hivepress.io\/blog\/best-wordpress-directory-plugins\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">directory plugin<\/a> that has all the necessary features.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>We recommend using <a href=\"https:\/\/hivepress.io\/themes\/meetinghive\/?utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_source=blog\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">MeetingHive<\/a>, a clean and lightweight appointment booking WordPress theme, and <a href=\"https:\/\/hivepress.io\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">HivePress<\/a>, a multi-purpose WordPress plugin that will power all the booking and marketplace features.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, let\u2019s move to the tutorial part of this article and create an appointment booking website with WordPress!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"tutorial\">Steps to Create an Appointment Booking Website with WordPress<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>For the sake of this tutorial, we\u2019ll use the MeetingHive theme and the HivePress plugin since they are already packed with all the required features out of the box.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"installation\">1. Installing MeetingHive<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The first step is installing a WordPress theme. To do that, go to the <strong>WP Dashboard &gt; Appearance &gt; Themes<\/strong> section and click the<strong> Upload Theme <\/strong>button. Next, choose the MeetingHive ZIP file and upload it. Finally, install and activate the theme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you install MeetingHive, you\u2019ll be prompted to install recommended plugins, including HivePress. Since they power all the features on your website, it\u2019s necessary to install and activate all of them. Simply click on the recommended plugin\u2019s link and proceed with the installation.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can check the video below, which shows how to install MeetingHive and the necessary plugins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Installing MeetingHive I MeetingHive Docs\" width=\"749\" height=\"421\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/VI8WDfP8H8E?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Also, if you want to keep things simple, you may proceed with importing MeetingHive demo content. In that case, you\u2019ll get pre-made content that you can customize to better understand how everything works. Check the screencast below if you want to import demo content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Importing demo content I MeetingHive Docs\" width=\"749\" height=\"421\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/vjhTw1pgbok?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"categories\">2. Adding Listing Categories<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"2\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>The next step is to add different listing categories to your appointment booking platform to make it more structured and easier for users to navigate.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To add a new listing category, go to the <strong>WP Dashboard &gt; Listings &gt; Categories<\/strong> section. Here, you\u2019ll be able to name your category<em> (e.g., let\u2019s add a \u201cTutoring\u201d category)<\/em>, describe it, add a category icon and even create a hierarchy of categories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For the sake of this tutorial, let\u2019s add \u201cTutoring\u201d, \u201cMentoring\u201d, \u201cConsulting\u201d and \u201cCoaching\u201d listing categories. Keep in mind that you can add as many categories as you need for your appointment booking website by following these steps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you finish setting up your category, click on the <strong>Add Category<\/strong> button.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"813\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/MeetingHive-categories-813x1024.png\" alt=\"Adding listing categories.\" class=\"wp-image-33267\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/MeetingHive-categories-813x1024.png 813w, https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/MeetingHive-categories-238x300.png 238w, https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/MeetingHive-categories-768x968.png 768w, https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/MeetingHive-categories-1219x1536.png 1219w, https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/MeetingHive-categories.png 1430w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 813px) 100vw, 813px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"attributes\">3. Adding Custom Listing Fields<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, we\u2019d like to show you how to create custom listing fields. By default, any listing has only title and description fields, but with MeetingHive, you can add your own fields and search filters. It allows you to customize the website to your needs and requirements since each site is unique and different details may be required.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To create a new listing attribute, go to the <strong>WP Dashboard &gt; Listings &gt; Attributes<\/strong> section and click <strong>Add New<\/strong>. On this page, you\u2019ll be able to customize your listing field in three different contexts: editing, searching and displaying. We\u2019ll discuss each of these contexts below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, let\u2019s add a \u201cFormat\u201d custom field so service providers can indicate whether they offer their service one-on-one or in groups.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Editing<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>In the first section, you can mark your field as editable to allow front-end editing <em>(i.e., to allow vendors to fill it up when they list a new service)<\/em>. Then, choose whether it should be a mandatory field and set the moderation preferences. Finally, select the field type, in the case at hand, we\u2019ll use the \u201cSelect\u201d field type.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"688\" src=\"https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/MeetingHive-editing-1024x688.png\" alt=\"Adding listing attribute.\" class=\"wp-image-33268\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/MeetingHive-editing-1024x688.png 1024w, https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/MeetingHive-editing-300x202.png 300w, https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/MeetingHive-editing-768x516.png 768w, https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/MeetingHive-editing.png 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Search<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Here, you can turn your field into a search filter so users can filter different listings based on the attribute\u2019s value. We\u2019ll mark this attribute as filterable and searchable so it appears in the listing filter form. Also, we\u2019ll set the \u201cSelect\u201d field type here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"792\" src=\"https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/MeetingHive-search-1024x792.png\" alt=\"Adding listing search filter.\" class=\"wp-image-33269\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/MeetingHive-search-1024x792.png 1024w, https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/MeetingHive-search-300x232.png 300w, https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/MeetingHive-search-768x594.png 768w, https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/MeetingHive-search.png 1208w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Display<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Within this section, you can define how your field will look on the front end. You can set its template areas and display format as well as choose a specific icon for it. To get a better understanding of how to set up attributes, check this <a href=\"https:\/\/help.hivepress.io\/article\/75-how-to-add-listing-attributes\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">doc<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/MeetingHive-display-1024x500.png\" alt=\"Customizing listing attributes.\" class=\"wp-image-33270\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/MeetingHive-display-1024x500.png 1024w, https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/MeetingHive-display-300x146.png 300w, https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/MeetingHive-display-768x375.png 768w, https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/MeetingHive-display.png 1488w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>By the way, note that you can make any field \u201ccategory-specific\u201d by selecting listing categories where it should be applied. Once you finish customizing everything, click on the <strong>Publish<\/strong> button.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"630\" height=\"1000\" src=\"https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/MeetingHive-attribute.png\" alt=\"Publishing listing attributes.\" class=\"wp-image-33271\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/MeetingHive-attribute.png 630w, https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/MeetingHive-attribute-189x300.png 189w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 630px) 100vw, 630px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Since we added an attribute with a \u201cSelect\u201d field type, we need to set some options to choose from. That\u2019s why you have to click on the <strong>Edit Options<\/strong> button and add different options <em>(we\u2019ll add \u201cOne-on-One\u201d and \u201cGroup\u201d)<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"783\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/MeetingHive-options-783x1024.png\" alt=\"Adding search filter options.\" class=\"wp-image-33272\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/MeetingHive-options-783x1024.png 783w, https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/MeetingHive-options-229x300.png 229w, https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/MeetingHive-options-768x1004.png 768w, https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/MeetingHive-options.png 1060w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 783px) 100vw, 783px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s it! This field will now appear in the listing submission form. By following the same steps, you can create many other custom fields, like \u201cHourly Rate,\u201d \u201cSetting,\u201d etc. There are no limits, so feel free to add as many as required for your appointment booking website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"listing\">4. Adding a Service Listing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>At this point, let\u2019s add a first service listing to your website. As a website admin, you can add new listings via the WP dashboard or via the front-end listing submission form. Let\u2019s add a new listing via the front end to get a better understanding of how it works for regular users.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To add a new listing, go to your website&#8217;s front page and click on the <strong>List a Service<\/strong> button. You\u2019ll be redirected to the listing submission page.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"734\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/MeetingHive-listing-submisssion-734x1024.png\" alt=\"Adding listing.\" class=\"wp-image-33273\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/MeetingHive-listing-submisssion-734x1024.png 734w, https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/MeetingHive-listing-submisssion-215x300.png 215w, https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/MeetingHive-listing-submisssion-768x1071.png 768w, https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/MeetingHive-listing-submisssion-1102x1536.png 1102w, https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/MeetingHive-listing-submisssion-1469x2048.png 1469w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 734px) 100vw, 734px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Here, you\u2019ll see some common fields like title and description and many custom fields that you added in previous steps <em>(e.g., on the screenshot, you can see a \u201cFormat\u201d field that we added previously).<\/em> Also, some fields, like booking fields, will be added by different HivePress add-ons.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Please note that this submission form is fully customizable, so you can add, change or remove different fields according to your website niche.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To add a listing, simply fill out all the fields and click on the <strong>Submit Listing<\/strong> button. Now the listing is submitted for review, and an admin can approve or disapprove it in the <strong>WP Dashboard &gt; Listings<\/strong> section. But if you don\u2019t want to accept new listings manually, you can simply disable moderation in the <strong>WP Dashboard &gt; HivePress &gt; Settings &gt; Listings<\/strong> section.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once the listing is approved, it will appear on the front end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"827\" src=\"https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/MeetingHive-listing-1024x827.png\" alt=\"A listing on a WordPress booking appointment website.\" class=\"wp-image-33274\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/MeetingHive-listing-1024x827.png 1024w, https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/MeetingHive-listing-300x242.png 300w, https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/MeetingHive-listing-768x621.png 768w, https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/MeetingHive-listing-1536x1241.png 1536w, https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/MeetingHive-listing-2048x1655.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"homepage\">5. Creating a Homepage<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>The next step is to add a homepage for your appointment booking website. Since MeetingHive is fully integrated with Gutenberg, you\u2019ll be able to create a stunning layout using blocks.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To add a new page, go to the<strong> WP Dashboard &gt; Pages &gt; Add New<\/strong> section. Here, you\u2019ll be able to add different layout blocks by clicking on the \u201c\u2795\u201d icon. For example, you can add a \u201cSearch Form\u201d block so users can search listings from the front page or add a \u201cCategory\u201d block to display all the listing categories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To make it easier, you can simply type \u201cHivePress\u201d in the block search form, and it will show you all the HivePress-specific blocks that you can add.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"733\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/MeetingHive-blocks.png\" alt=\"Adding layout blocks.\" class=\"wp-image-33275\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/MeetingHive-blocks.png 733w, https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/MeetingHive-blocks-271x300.png 271w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 733px) 100vw, 733px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Once you finish customizing your page, you can simply click on the <strong>Publish<\/strong> button. Then, you have to go to the <strong>WP Dashboard &gt; Settings &gt; Reading<\/strong> section and set your newly created page as a homepage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"927\" height=\"401\" src=\"https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/reading-section.jpg\" alt=\"Setting a homepage.\" class=\"wp-image-32935\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/reading-section.jpg 927w, https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/reading-section-300x130.jpg 300w, https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/reading-section-768x332.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 927px) 100vw, 927px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s it! Now, you can check out how it looks on the front end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"986\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/MeetingHive-homepage-986x1024.png\" alt=\"A WordPress appointment booking website.\" class=\"wp-image-33276\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/MeetingHive-homepage-986x1024.png 986w, https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/MeetingHive-homepage-289x300.png 289w, https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/MeetingHive-homepage-768x797.png 768w, https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/MeetingHive-homepage-1479x1536.png 1479w, https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/MeetingHive-homepage-1972x2048.png 1972w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 986px) 100vw, 986px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Additionally, we recommend checking all the customization options in the <strong>WP Dashboard &gt; Appearance &gt; Customize<\/strong> section to set up your website look and feel in the way you like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"extensions\">6. Extending Functionality&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, we\u2019d like to show you how to enhance your appointment booking website with additional features. There are 15+ <a href=\"https:\/\/hivepress.io\/extensions\/?utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_source=blog\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">add-ons<\/a> that you can use with MeetingHive to extend the core functionality. Simply navigate to <strong>WP Dashboard &gt; HivePress &gt; Extensions<\/strong> section to check the whole list of available add-ons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"524\" src=\"https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/extensions-2-1024x524.jpg\" alt=\"HivePress add-ons.\" class=\"wp-image-32980\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/extensions-2-1024x524.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/extensions-2-300x153.jpg 300w, https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/extensions-2-768x393.jpg 768w, https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/extensions-2.jpg 1318w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, you can install the <a href=\"https:\/\/hivepress.io\/extensions\/social-login\/?utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_source=blog\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Social Login add-on<\/a> to allow website visitors to register on your website via third-party websites like Google or Facebook. Also, you may want to install the <a href=\"https:\/\/wordpress.org\/plugins\/hivepress-geolocation\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Geolocation extension<\/a> to enable the location-based search on your scheduling platform. It may be helpful in many niches that offer services offline and have a brick-and-mortar place<em> (e.g., spa salons, barbershops, etc.).<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To install any add-on, please check this <a href=\"https:\/\/help.hivepress.io\/article\/109-how-to-install-extensions\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">doc<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"monetization\">7. Monetizing a Scheduling Platform&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Finally, let\u2019s talk about <a href=\"https:\/\/hivepress.io\/blog\/monetize-a-service-marketplace-with-wordpress\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">monetization of your service marketplace<\/a>. With MeetingHive, you can monetize your website in a few different ways and below will show you two of them, namely:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Paid listings &amp; Featured listings<\/strong> &#8211; charging users for adding new listings and making them featured for an additional fee;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Commissions<\/strong> &#8211; taking a cut from each transaction that appears on your platform.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>So, let\u2019s start with the \u201cPaid listings\u201d model.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"paid-listings\">Charging Users for Adding Listings<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>The starting point is to install the free <a href=\"https:\/\/wordpress.org\/plugins\/hivepress-paid-listings\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">HivePress Paid Listing<\/a> add-on. To do that, go to the <strong>WP Dashboard &gt; HivePress &gt; Extensions<\/strong> section and proceed with the installation. Also, it\u2019s necessary to install <a href=\"https:\/\/wordpress.org\/plugins\/woocommerce\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">WooCommerce<\/a> to enable payments on your website, so go to the <strong>WP Dashboard &gt; Plugins &gt; Add New<\/strong> section and install the plugin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you have everything in place, you need to create WooCommerce products that will be used for payments. Simply go to the <strong>WooCommerce &gt; Products &gt; Add New<\/strong> section and fill in all the fields marked in the screenshot below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"971\" src=\"https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/MeetingHive-product-1024x971.jpg\" alt=\"Adding a WooCommerce product.\" class=\"wp-image-33277\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/MeetingHive-product-1024x971.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/MeetingHive-product-300x284.jpg 300w, https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/MeetingHive-product-768x728.jpg 768w, https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/MeetingHive-product-1536x1456.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/MeetingHive-product.jpg 1616w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>After filling out all the details, click on the <strong>Publish<\/strong> button. We added the first product, which will be used to charge users for making their listings featured. Now, you have to add one more product by following the same steps, which will be used to charge users for adding new listings <em>(e.g., name it \u201cPremium package\u201d).&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Next, go to the <strong>WP Dashboard&gt; HivePress &gt; Settings &gt; Listings<\/strong> section and select your newly-created product in the corresponding field, as shown in the screenshot below.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"750\" height=\"193\" src=\"https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/featured-status-settings.jpg\" alt=\"Enabling featured listings.\" class=\"wp-image-32124\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/featured-status-settings.jpg 750w, https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/featured-status-settings-300x77.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>After saving changes, you can check how everything works. Go to your website and proceed to the user dashboard, then pick any listing and click on the star icon to make it featured. You\u2019ll be redirected to the checkout page where you have to fill in all the necessary details and make a payment. The listing status will be changed automatically once the payment is made.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"233\" src=\"https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/featured-status-1024x233.png\" alt=\"Making listings featured.\" class=\"wp-image-33279\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/featured-status-1024x233.png 1024w, https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/featured-status-300x68.png 300w, https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/featured-status-768x175.png 768w, https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/featured-status-1536x350.png 1536w, https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/featured-status-2048x467.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Alright, now let\u2019s add a few listing packages so you can charge website visitors when they add new listings. To do that, go to the <strong>WP Dashboard &gt; Listings &gt; Packages<\/strong> section and click <strong>Add New<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You make many different packages with various restrictions and prices. Just for the sake of this tutorial, we\u2019ll create two types:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Premium&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Free<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s start with a premium one. You have to name it, then add a description of your package and set how many listings are allowed to be added with this package<em> (e.g., 10 listings)<\/em>. Then you have to select a WooCommerce product that you added before, specially for packages. Finally, click on the <strong>Publish<\/strong> button.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1007\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/premium-package-1007x1024.png\" alt=\"Adding premium listing package.\" class=\"wp-image-33280\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/premium-package-1007x1024.png 1007w, https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/premium-package-295x300.png 295w, https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/premium-package-768x781.png 768w, https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/premium-package.png 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1007px) 100vw, 1007px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Similarly, add a free package but without selecting any WooCommerce product.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, you can check how it works by visiting your website and clicking the <strong>List a Service <\/strong>button. Once you fill in the listing submission form and click the <strong>Submit Listing<\/strong> button, you\u2019ll have to choose one of the packages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"388\" src=\"https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Select-Package-\u2013-HivePress-1024x388.png\" alt=\"Listing packages.\" class=\"wp-image-33281\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Select-Package-\u2013-HivePress-1024x388.png 1024w, https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Select-Package-\u2013-HivePress-300x114.png 300w, https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Select-Package-\u2013-HivePress-768x291.png 768w, https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Select-Package-\u2013-HivePress-1536x581.png 1536w, https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Select-Package-\u2013-HivePress-2048x775.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s it! Users who select a premium package will be redirected to the checkout page, and their listing will be published only after making the payment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"commissions\">Taking Commissions<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>In this section, we\u2019ll show you how to take commissions from each successful booking on your website. For example, if you have a marketplace for tutors, you can take a 10% commission from each lesson\u2019s price that was booked via your platform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To enable this business model, you have to install the HivePress Marketplace add-on. It was sent to you with your MeetingHive theme, so you don\u2019t have to purchase it separately. You can simply download it from your purchase email and install it in the <strong>WP Dashboard &gt; Plugins &gt; Add New &gt; Upload Plugin <\/strong>section.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once the extension is installed and activated, navigate to the <strong>HivePress &gt; Settings &gt; Vendors<\/strong> section. Here, you can set two different types of commissions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Commission Rate<\/strong> &#8211; this one allows you to set a percentage that will be deducted from each successful transaction <em>(e.g., 10%);<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Commission Fee<\/strong> &#8211; here, you can set a flat fee that will be charged for each booking<em> (e.g., $3).<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"321\" src=\"https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/commissions-1024x321.png\" alt=\"Setting up marketplace commissions.\" class=\"wp-image-33204\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/commissions-1024x321.png 1024w, https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/commissions-300x94.png 300w, https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/commissions-768x241.png 768w, https:\/\/hivepress.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/commissions.png 1339w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>You can choose any type or use both of them at once. Also, you can set the same commissions for customers. Meaning that the commission will taken from the customer side. To do that, simply go to the <strong>HivePress &gt; Settings &gt; Users<\/strong> tab, and you\u2019ll see the same settings for vendors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s it! Now, you can take a commission from each transaction that is made on your appointment booking platform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Final Words<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>That wraps up our article on how to create an appointment booking website with WordPress. We hope that was helpful to you and now you have a better idea of how to start your own scheduling platform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you haven\u2019t chosen the theme yet, you can check a <a href=\"https:\/\/hivepress.io\/blog\/overview-of-the-meetinghive-wordpress-theme\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">MeetingHive overview article<\/a> to get a better idea of its features. It\u2019s a fully-featured <a href=\"https:\/\/hivepress.io\/themes\/meetinghive\/?utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_source=blog\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">appointment booking WordPress theme<\/a> that comes with everything you need to start your website. Just plug and play.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Additionally, you may want to check our articles on:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/hivepress.io\/blog\/create-a-website-like-airbnb-with-wordpress\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">How to create an Airbnb-like website with WordPress<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/hivepress.io\/blog\/create-website-like-fiverr-with-wordpress\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">How to create a Fiverr-like platform with WordPress<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/hivepress.io\/blog\/website-for-beauty-services-with-wordpress\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">How to create an appointment booking website for beauty services with WordPress<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/hivepress.io\/blog\/create-a-coach-booking-website-with-wordpress\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">How to create a coach appointment booking website<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A short guide on launching a scheduling platform with WordPress.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":686,"featured_media":33283,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[103],"class_list":["post-33262","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tutorials","tag-an-appointment-booking-website"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hivepress.io\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33262","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hivepress.io\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hivepress.io\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hivepress.io\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/686"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hivepress.io\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=33262"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/hivepress.io\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33262\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":33663,"href":"https:\/\/hivepress.io\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33262\/revisions\/33663"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hivepress.io\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/33283"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hivepress.io\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=33262"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hivepress.io\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=33262"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hivepress.io\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=33262"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}