While originally a blogging platform, WordPress has become the most widely used Content Management System (CMS) and website builder in the world, powering almost half of the world’s websites. The likes of CNN, New York Times, and Vogue all built their websites using WordPress platform – so you can see how versatile it can be as a website builder. There are obviously a lot of choices out there for web designers so let’s run through some of the reasons I choose to build websites on WP.
EASY TO USE
Once your website is finished, you ideally want to be able to manage and update your own content whenever you need to (e.g. blog posts, portfolio, gallery, products etc), rather than paying a designer/developer to do it. Because WordPress was originally a blogging platform, it offers user friendly content management capabilities, including an easy-to-use editor, categorisation, tagging, and scheduling features. Coupled with a page builder plugin like Elementor, it has the drag and drop functionality of Squarespace or Wix. No coding required! Incidentally, if you want the ability to have a blog on your website (which I highly recommend), website builders like Wix and ShowIt don’t offer this function – you would still need to install WordPress on those builders to create your blog. Just go straight to the source!
GREAT FOR SEO
WordPress sites are known for being SEO-friendly out of the box, with features and plugins that easily allow for further optimisation to improve search engine rankings. With clean code, optimised images, and an SEO plugin configured, WordPress makes it easier for Google to crawl and index your site. This means better visibility and higher rankings in search results.
IT’S FREE!
WordPress is a Content Management System – it’s like the frame of your house providing the structure for your website. And, it’s FREE! Yep you can install the platform on your hosting provider of choice and design your site with a page builder like Elementor. This means you’re not locked into one platform and their fee structure – you can choose the hosting and design software to fit your budget. And you have complete ownership and control of your site.
SECURITY
No matter how big or small, every website can fall prey to hackers. I install a plugin called ‘Wordfence’ to protect against these attacks on every site I build. It scans your site for bad traffic and stops it at the door with its firewall. If anything sketchy tries to sneak in, Wordfence spots it right away and alerts you. Plus, it scans your site to make sure no malicious code has slipped through. It also allows you to add extra security by adding 2 factor authentication and puts limits on how many times someone can try to log in, making it tough for intruders to get in. This plugin coupled with regular updates to your plugin and theme will ensure your website is safe and secure!
FLEXIBLE & SCALABLE
While Squarespace, Wix, and Showit offer templates and customisation options, WordPress provides an extensive range of themes, templates, and plugins, allowing you to build pretty much anything you want. With WordPress, I have the freedom to create unique layouts and build custom functionalities (like an e-commerce store, membership portal or custom software integrations), ensuring that each website is custom and perfectly reflects my clients’ brand identity and vision. You can start your website small and scale it as your business grows.
If you have any questions relating to web design or the right website builder for your business, get in contact and we can chat it out!
