Create WaaS
A 'Website as a Service' (WaaS) or, as some call it, SaaS, is a way to offer ready-made templates combined with a hosting service. This is typically used by agencies to automate the process of provisioning websites on demand for their customers.
InstaWP allows you to build WaaS (a great source of recurring revenue) by creating pre-built templates and setting all related hosting settings, letting your customers create their own websites.
Creation of a WaaS involves the following steps:
- Create a template
- Set up Payout Method
- Build the WaaS with all the options we support (explained below).
In this documentation, we will explore the steps to create a new WaaS in your InstaWP account.
Let’s get started 🚀
Using the demonstration below, let's try to create a new WaaS.
Step 1: Click on the WaaS submenu option under the Sell Menu in the Sidebar.
Step 2: Click on Add New button on WaaS Page.
Step 3: Add WaaS name, select the menu type, select templates, select language and click on the save & continue button
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| Name of WaaS | Enter the name of the WaaS you want to create |
| Choose Design | Side Navigation will show the WaaS Options on the Left Side of the Landing page whereas, the Botton Navigation will show the menu options bottom of the WaaS Landing Page. |
| Choose Template | You will need to select the Templates you want to add to the WaaS |
| Language | Select the default language to be used on the WaaS Landing Page. |
Step 4: If you want to allow demo sites before going live, toggle the button to make it green. Once enabled, you will get an option to set the demo site expiry. You can setup the expiry ranging from 30 mins minimum to the maximum of 48 hours.
Step 5: Customers can by buy the domain directly while purchasing the domain themself. You can configure the domain markup prices to add on top of domain prices shown at checkout once the Buy domain during Checkout option is enabled for WaaS. The markup can be set in fixed amount (USD) or Percentage (%).
Step 6: You can now set the default currency to offer your customers from the supported currencies that we offer. You can choose the currency from the dropdown option available in Currency Settings.
Step 7: If you would like the customers to skip the steps for choosing the template or hosting and directly navigate to site provisioning option you cabn enable the skip by switching the toggle button to green from this option.
Once you are done with all these settings, you can click on Save & Continue Button and move to the next page of WaaS Setup Screen.
Step 8: Add Multiple plans for the WaaS Hosting along with the Templates Pricing based on what you want to offer to your customers and select the InstaWP Site plans that needs to be attached to the Pricing Plan you are configuring and click on Save & Continue Button.
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| Plan Name | Plan Name is shown as the Name for the Hosting Pricing in the Plans List to the customers |
| Plan Type | If you want to offer the hosting plan to customers for free, select Free. Otherwise, choose Paid to add it as a paid plan. |
| Site Plan | Select the Specific InstaWP Hosting Plans that you will be adding the specific hosting plan you are creating |
| Plan Price | Set the Hosting Pricing you want to offer to your customers. You can configure it either Monthly or Yearly. |
| Template | Select Waived Off if you do not want the customer to get charged for the template else select Add Price and configure the Pricing. |
| WordPress User's Role | Select the default user role with which the user will be created on the WaaS. |
| Suffix Domain | Select the suffix domain you want the WaaS site created on this plan to be configured with. |
Step 9: To add features to show in the WaaS Plan, navigate to the Features tab in the Plans Page and add them there. Customers will see these Features on the List of Plans when purchasing the WaaS site from their end.
Step 10: Configure the WaaS with the Branding Details and Click on Save.
Step 11: Add the Custom CSS you want to use on the WaaS Landing Page, Contact Support Link, Customize Email (From Name in Email, Subject for the WaaS Purchase Email, and Body Content of Email), and click on Save.
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| Logo | Choose your Brand Logo you want to be shown in the Landing Page of WaaS |
| Brand Colors | Choose Primary and Secondary Brand Colors to be used in the Landing Page of WaaS |
| Custom CSS | If you want to add the custom CSS to the Landing Page of WaaS, You can add the CSS in Custom CSS Section |
| Contact Support Link | Add your support website URL from where you will be providing support to your Users |
| Customize Email | Add Email From Name with which you want the Email to be Sent for the Creation of WaaS. |
| Customize Email Body | Customize Email body with your content and the WaaS Default shortcodes so that you can send the customized email to your customers |
**Step 11: **Before sharing with customers, click the Preview button to see exactly what your customers will experience. Verify that:
- All templates display correctly with their thumbnails
- Hosting plans and pricing appear as expected
- The full checkout flow works as intended
Step 12: Once satisfied with the preview, click the Share button at the top to copy the WaaS link. You can share this link directly with your customers or embed it on your existing website. Congratulations, Your WaaS is now ready to create the Site.
Congratulations, Your WaaS is now ready!
Customer Checkout Experience:
This is what your customer sees when they open your WaaS link.
Step 1: Choose a Template The customer lands on your branded WaaS page and sees all available templates. They select a template and click Next.
Step 2: Choose a Hosting Plan The customer selects a hosting plan from the available options you configured. If you have multiple plans, they can compare features before choosing. They click Next to proceed.
Step 3: Enter a Domain Name From this page customers can either:
- Buy a domain to attach it to their site
- Enter a custom domain name, or
- Accept the auto-generated random domain name and then click Next to continue.
Step 4: Enter Name & Email The customer enters their name and email address. If they chose a Paid plan, they will also be prompted to enter their credit card details at this step.
Step 5: Checkout The customer reviews the summary and clicks Checkout. The site creation process begins.
Step 6: Site Ready Once the site is provisioned, the customer sees the following options:
- Magic Login – Instant one-click login to their new WordPress site.
- Username & Password – Credentials for manual login.
- Manage Site – Access to the customer site management portal. The created site will be a clone of the original template the customer chose.
Customer Site Management Portal
When a customer clicks Manage Site, they are taken to their site management portal where they can:
- View Site Details – See basic information about their site.
- Cancel Plan – Cancel their current hosting plan.
- Map a Custom Domain – Purchase a domain from any domain provider and map it to their site directly from this portal.
Admin Dashboard (Agency Owner View)
- As the WaaS owner, you can manage all customer sites and track payments from your InstaWP dashboard.
- Viewing & Managing Sites
- Navigate to your WaaS and click on the Sites section. Here you can:
- View all purchased sites – See every site created through your WaaS along with customer details.
- Magic Login – Log into any customer's WordPress site instantly.
- Manage Site – Access site management options for any customer site.
- Delete Site – Remove a customer site if needed.
Payment History
If you receive payments from customers, all transaction history will be recorded under the Payments section of your WaaS dashboard.
FAQs
Can I offer multiple templates to the users in the same WaaS?
Yes you can offer multiple templates in the same WaaS and customer will be able to choose one among the templates to be used for the site.
Can I offer multiple plans to the customers?
Yes, you can offer multiple site plans with different site plans from InstaWP Hosting and offer them with different domain suffix for each plan if required.
| 💡 Did you know? You can create a snapshot and share it with users so they can test your website, plugins, or themes. You can also set an automatic expiry time for the snapshot. Click here to Learn how.