Are you looking to start a baby registry but lack the essential components to do so? Do you want to organize a baby shower but aren’t sure where to start? Do you need a way to coordinate an intimate gathering of friends and family to celebrate the arrival of your bundle of joy?
If so, then you’ve reached the right place. We’ve built a simple pool where you can bet on the due date of your baby. Whether you’re an expecting mother looking for a way to socialize with others who are also in the same situation or a new parent who just wants to make sure they’re not making any unnecessary financial commitments, this pool is for you.
To get things started, you’ll need to login or register to get access to the pool on our site. Once you’ve got access, you can start building your pool. We’ve provided a starter kit for you to use that will give you a basic form to work with. Feel free to use it or change it to fit your needs. Your pool will be available for others to join once it’s been published.
Setting Up The Pool On Your Website
The first thing you need to do is register for a free account with our provider, Booni. Once you’ve got an account, login and click on the gear icon in the top right hand corner of the screen. From there, you can choose to add documents or settings pages to your website. When adding settings pages, you’ll need to give them a title and an optional description. The best documentation we’ve found for explaining SEO is the Google SEO guide. While this is an incredible resource for anyone looking to learn SEO, it’s a great starting point for those looking to create a baby registry pool.
The next thing you’ll want to do is create a small web page containing the basics of your pool. You’ll want to keep this page simple and to the point. Remember: visitors to your site may not be familiar with SEO and may not understand what all the jargon means. Keep things easy to understand and concise. In addition to the basics, you can add a short description of the pool, the name you’ll give it, and the URL (internet address) of your website. Finally, you’ll want to add a logo for your website. If you’re keeping things simple, use one of our pre-designed logos below. You can always use TinyURL to create a short, easy-to-memorize link to your logo.
Choosing A Name For Your Pool
The first thing you’ll want to do is pick a name for your pool. This can be a last name, a first name, or even a hyphenated last name. Whatever you choose, make sure it’s relevant to the kinds of bets you’ll be making on your pool. For example, if you’re betting on the sex of your baby, you might want to choose a last name that’s relevant to pregnancies of that nature (i.e. Smith, Brown, or Jones).
If you do end up choosing a hyphenated last name, you’ll need to make sure that the couple who shares this last name is willing to allow you to use it. Sometimes, these types of arrangements don’t work out and the person who shares the name does not agree to its use by other parties. If you’re still unsure whether or not to use a hyphenated last name, simply use your last name only.
Designing A User-friendly Webpage
Once you’ve gotten the basics of your website set up, it’s time to move onto the fun stuff — designing a user-friendly webpage. You’ll want a clean, uncluttered look to your site that’s easy to navigate. To achieve this, you can either use one of our pre-designed layouts or you can start from scratch. If you go the DIY route, you’ll want to use a tool such as WordPress to build your website. This way, you’ll be able to fully customize the look and feel of your site to fit your needs. When it comes to baby showers and the like, you don’t want to make it too complicated for your guests to figure out. Keep things easy to navigate with an uncluttered look. In addition to keeping things simple, you’ll also want to keep things short. Remember: some of your guests may not have internet access at home and could become frustrated if your website is too lengthy.
Creating The Forms
Now that you have a user-friendly web page, it’s time to move onto the fun part — populating it with content. The first thing you’ll want to do is create the forms that will be used for joining your pool. These forms will be used to collect the information you need to set up the pool. Luckily, we’ve got you covered on this front too. When it comes to creating forms, you don’t need to do much beyond following the simple instructions that are provided with the pool starter kit. Once you’re done creating forms, it’s time to move onto the next step.
Adding The Functions
After you’ve created the forms, it’s time to move onto the next step — adding the functions needed for the pool to work. Luckily, we’ve got you covered on this front too. One of the great things about the pool starter kit is the fact that it comes with all the necessary functions already built in. Simply insert your forms (just as they are), choose an authentication method (either email or password), and you’re done. Now, if you want to make your pool available to the public, simply choose the option to do so from the menu on our website’s dashboard. You’ll need to make sure that you’ve got the proper permissions set in order for people to be able to use your pool. If you’re having trouble getting it approved, contact us and we’ll help you out. As for the name of your pool and how others should refer to it, you can choose from a variety of options. Just make sure that you keep it relevant to the kinds of bets you’ll be placing on it. For example, if you’re betting on the sex of your baby, you might want to choose a last name that’s relevant to pregnancies of that nature (i.e. Smith, Brown, or Jones). Finally, be sure to check out our blog for additional resources that may be of use to you as a new parent.