You probably have heard of WordPress, it is arguably the most popular of all website building platforms and there are good reasons why.
However, there are also website builders such as Shopify, Magento, Joomla, Squarespace, Wix, and more that are also quite good. So, why use WordPress for your new website?
The answers become clear when you can see what this platform can do. For example, platforms such as Shopify and Magento are primarily designed for creating online stores. And while Wix and Squarespace offers excellent tools and options, they are also designed for those who have a certain level of understanding of how websites work.
If you run an online business, host a blog, or have a personal website, then WordPress offers several advantages that will help make running your site an easier, more pleasing experience.
Make the Site You Want
Perhaps the most important reason that WordPress is superior to the other, popular website building platforms is its flexibility. Admittedly, the reputation that WordPress has built is one of being primarily for blogs. And while that was true some time ago, new versions have made WordPress one of the most versatile website builders you can find.
Because it was based in blogging, WordPress is perfect if you are building a blogging site. It’s fast, easy to learn, and you have all the tools you need from the start. But the same is true if you are building another type of site which includes online businesses, eCommerce, portfolios, chatrooms, galleries, job boards, directories, and more.
The eCommerce versions have greatly improved over the years with new plugins that make selling all types of products quick and easy. Pus, if you want to create a forum website, WordPress is the perfect choice. In fact, whatever the website design you want to create, WordPress will have something for you.
Easy to Learn
If there is one area which stops so many people from creating their own website, it is the learning curve that is involved. Either they do not want to pay a website designer to create the site or they simply do not have the time and knowledge to do it on their own.
WordPress is different in that it is built to be easy to learn. In fact, in just ten minutes of using the dashboard that is the center of WordPress, you can figure out the basics of how to put together your website. It’s just that simple.
Plus, there is solid customer support that will help you walk through what you need to do in creating your website. You can always pay for someone else to do it, but you do not have to if you have a little time and patience. Even those who have never created a website before can go through the step-by-step process. That is probably why WordPress has gained the popularity that it has over the years.
Free & Open Source Software
That’s right, both WordPress.com and WordPress.org are free for you to use. The differences between the .com and .org versions are subtle, but important. The .com version is designed for beginners who have little to no website-building experience but is primarily designed for personal use where making money is not that important.
The .org version is somewhat more complicated, but not much so. It is designed primarily for you to control. There are advanced plugins with the .org version which means you can tailor your site to your needs.
In both cases, anyone can download WordPress for free. Of course, you will need to find a hosting site, so that will cost you a monthly fee. And while most plugins are free, there are some premium ones that will cost a little money. But considering what you get without paying a dime for the website builder itself, that is quite a bargain.
Scale Up Your Website
WordPress is not only easy to use in creating your website, the myriad of plugins makes it easy to scale up your site to your needs. For example, there are many different themes which can be installed quickly, so you can start up a blog right away. The same is true if you are creating an online business, expanding a portfolio, or any other type of site you want to create.
Because WordPress is open sourced, that means creators from around the world have made plugins that fit all types of needs. If you want to add something important to your site, chances are there is a plugin available that can do just that. Many plugins are free and some you have to pay for, but whatever you need to do is available with the right plugin.
Wide Range of Support for Media
One of the most important developments in the past decade for websites is the inclusion of different types of media. From images and documents to audio and video sources, having media as part of your website is a must.
WordPress makes it easy to include all the common types of media files. From JPEG to MP4 to WMV and more, you will find the proper support for these common files. Plus, if you use less common files such as ODT or KEY or OGG, then WordPress has you covered there as well.
Just keep in mind that a considerable amount of media is copyrighted. This means that unless you own it outright, it is open for free use, or you must give credit where it is due, be sure that you are following all copyright laws when using images, video, audio and documents from other sources.
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
WordPress, perhaps more than any other website builder, is primed for SEO. If you want people to find your site, especially if you are selling products or services, then the inclusion of SEO is a must. WordPress has the design, plugins, and tag spaces necessary for you to include the keywords and key phrases needed for customers to find your site.
Plus, there are plugins and features specifically designed to enhance the SEO capabilities of your site. This means that you can tailor the keywords used to augment pages, content, images, and more on your online business to attract the right type of customers.
Manage It Yourself
Because WordPress is so easy to learn and quite intuitive, you can manage the website yourself or leave it to your web designer. The choice is yours and you will have to make the decision based on the time and money you have to maintain your site.
It does help if you learn the basics of how WordPress operates. After a few minutes, you’ll be able to ensure that your server is functioning properly, the security is kept up to date, and that you are using the latest updates to the themes, software, and plugins.
Of course, having a good hosting site will take care of the site running properly. But you will need to use a hosting site that has such functions. Be sure that you do the research before deciding on which hosting site works best for your needs.
If you are considering creating a website, then WordPress should be your first choice. It is easy to learn, free to use, is open sourced which means that many different creators provide plugins to enhance your site and you can adapt your site to fit your needs. Of the many website building programs out there, WordPress is easily the most versatile, intuitive, and simplest to learn.