If you’ve been thinking about getting a website you have probably done a little (or a lot of) research on the web. Odds are, you’ve probably heard a lot about WordPress. At this point you may understand quite a bit about what WordPress is, and more importantly-what it can do for you. However, if you would like to know more, read on.
Who uses WordPress?
WordPress is the world’s most popular tool for creating websites As of this writing 455+ Million websites run on the WordPress content management system (CMS for short). Even though it is free, WordPress is very powerful and is capable of creating any style of website, from a simple blog to a full-featured Business website. It could even be used to create an online store.
Many popular, and highly trafficked blogs, news outlets, music sites, Fortune 500 companies and celebrities are using WordPress as their website CMS.
How does WordPress work?
WordPress has two parts – the front end and the back end. The front end is the part that your viewers will actually see. The back end, is the part of your website that is used to manage all of your pages, pictures media files etc. This functionality is quite useful if you plan to manage your site on your own.
What are the advantages?
1. WordPress is Cheaper and Faster
In the not so distant past when we built a website we had to build all of this stuff from scratch. Often, this took a long time, and was sometimes quite expensive. These days, a modern website built on a WordPress foundation can be completed in a few weeks, and for a fraction of the cost.
2. Plugins can add Functionality to your site
In the not so distant past, when you wanted your website to carry out some type of specialized operations or functions a programmer was required. This was time consuming and expensive.
WordPress utilizes a “Plugin” system to change this. Plugins are essentially small applications or “apps” that can be added and activated from within the WordPress system. Once activated, these applications add new functionality to your website. Many of these plugins can be downloaded for free from the WordPress website.
For example, if you want to add a mail list signup or inquiry plugin to your site, all we need to do is to is consult the WordPress plugin catalog to find dozens of options. If it turns out that the functionality that is needed can’t be found in the WordPress catalog as a free plugin, there are often third-party developers all over the world that offer plugins (for a small fee) that may do the job for you. If however, there is no stock application available anywhere, one of our programmers can put one together for you.
The main takeaway from this is that you will probably never outgrow your WordPress site. Plugins can be installed and uninstalled as needed as a site evolves and grows.
3. WordPress Sites Rank Highly on Search Engines
Search engine optimization (SEO) relies on keyword placement, and a very specific site organization/structure to rank well on Google (as well as other search engines). Out of the box, WordPress pages are organized in a way that is ideal for most of the major search engines, and little needs to be done to them to rank well. That said, if you need an extra push, there are also many plugins for optimizing content for SEO
4. WordPress Sites Are Responsive
Do you look at websites on your phone or tablet? If the site looks good, it has been specifically designed to do so. This is referred to as “Mobile responsiveness”. If a site isn’t responsive it tends to look really, really bad on smartphones and tablets. Since many people will look at your website on mobile devices, it is very important that it looks good. Luckily WordPress supports all current mobile device types.
Responsive design is also a factor in Google rankings. Responsive websites tend to rank better on Google than other sites. So, as an added bonus your sites mobile responsiveness should enhance your search engine position.
5. WordPress is User friendly…Even if you are a Beginner
More and more site owners are choosing to manage their site content. If you choose to do so, the WordPress back end offers, an intuitive and easy to manage Administrative control panel that allows you to easily add/delete pages, manage images and other media, and to customize site menus. It is really easy to use.
The Best for Last
WordPress is Flexible and Adaptable for Your Changing Needs and Website Growth/Evolution
WordPress has a huge community of developers, programmers and users that are constantly improving all of the code that runs WordPress. These volunteers keep the sites core features secure against the latest hackers and malware. In addition, the WordPress system is constantly being improved upon to integrate features that keep WordPress sites in line with the latest technical advances that the Internet has to offer. These upgrades are offered periodically and can be installed on a WordPress site with the click of a button in the control panel. This means that the code that runs your site will never become “old and tired”, and need to be retired. When you add to this the immense possibilities available with plugins – you should never outgrow it. In theory, it will work for you forever. Why would you use anything else?