Are you getting ready to start your new business website? It’s getting easier than ever to start a new site and there are many content platforms, or content management systems (CMS) to choose from. Consider using WordPress for your next site.
What is WordPress?
You’ve probably heard of WordPress at some point, but may not be familiar with what is it. WordPress is an open source software, or content management system, used to build, modify and management the content of your website.
You might think of WordPress as being the operating system for your website. It works as the framework for a website. Within the framework, you can create and edit content, add new pages, and handles how the site displays.
WordPress is one of the most popular content management systems on the web. In fact, according to W3Techs, the software is used by 34.5% of all websites on the Internet. What makes it so popular?
Why Use WordPress?
Why do so many sites on the web use WordPress? Let us count some of the top! There are many, so let’s get started:
1). WordPress is free and open source software:
you read that correctly. This is a completely free software available to anyone who wants to create a website. You can freely download, install, use and modify the software as you like. There are no limitations.
WordPress can be used on any type of site, too—commercial or personal sites—it doesn’t matter. There are no extra fees in case your site goes viral and gains more traffic.
2). Create any type of site with WordPress:
there are no limitations to the types of website you can create with this CMS. It offers extreme flexibility and functionality with a wide range of themes and plugins available. Create anything such as ecommerce, membership, blog, photo sites and more. Choose the theme and plugins to give your site the look and functionality you need.
One more note—it’s easy for anyone to use, even non-techy people!
3). Ready out of the box:
WordPress is ready to use right out of the box; you can start using the software immediately after installation. You’ll just need to customize the theme and add plugins to give your sit the look and functionality you need. Easily integrate social media feeds, comments, SEO plugins and more directly through WordPress.
4). WordPress is SEO friendly:
if you’re looking to draw traffic from search engines such as Google, then WordPress is the way to go. WordPress sites rank higher with the search engines than sites that don’t use it. But why? The software’s framework is built in such a way that makes it easy for search engine spiders to crawl the site, which helps to get your content indexed and ranked by Google. The easier it is to find and obtain the information on your site, the higher it will rank.
5). WordPress is secure:
the software is one of the best when it comes to safety and security. The CMS and plugins are continuously updated, making it more difficult for hackers to find a way in.
While the software is very safe and secure, it’s still a good idea to practice your own security measures. Be sure to update your password regularly, only add plugins directly from the WordPress plugin store, update WordPress regularly, use only themes from trusted sources such as WordPress.org.
6). It’s mobile-friendly:
WordPress is mobile-friendly, which is a necessity these days. Google penalizes sites that are not mobile-friendly, which means these sites are ranked lower in the search results and don’t get as much traffic. WordPress is built to be responsive and mobile-friendly, making it work across all types of devices—from computers and laptops to smartphones and tablets.
7). User-friendly:
did we mention that WordPress is easy to use? It’s a great software for everyone—from beginners to more advanced users. Not only that, the CMS is made to be intuitive, another point for making it user-friendly.
8). Resources abound:
if you need information on an issue or problem when using WordPress, then a quick Google search will lead you to the information you need. The Internet abounds with guides, how-to’s and more to help solve common or more involved problems.
You’ll also find a wide variety of forums where you can reach out to the community for help. In fact, this community is very large and active, so you’re sure to get the help you need.
9). Multimedia-friendly:
the software is one of the best when it comes to integrating multimedia. The WordPress WYSIWYG editor makes it fast and easy to insert video, images, and audio directly into a post. Just one click and your file is added to the content. The software’s editor also makes it fast and easy to edit images and videos.
10). Add any service or application:
while the out-of-the-box version of WordPress comes with a lot of functionality, you can easily install plugins to bring even more functionality and services to your site.
There are over 40,000 (you read that right) plugins available the WordPress plugin directory. You can quickly and easily add contact forms, email marketing integration, ecommerce plugins and much more.
You’ll find a mix of free and paid plugins that could make a valuable addition to your site. Just be sure to avoid third-party plugins, as these could contain malware and other nasties. Get all the plugins you want via the WordPress directory, which is built into the software.
11). Not tied to hosting company:
if you’re unhappy with your current hosting company, switching couldn’t be easier when it comes to moving your site. Most web host providers offer support for WordPress, and you’ll find support from your new hosting company or a ton of information on the web for how to move your site form one server to a new one.
There’s a lot more we could add about the benefits of using WordPress, but these are the major reasons for using the software on your site. WordPress is one of the popular CMS platforms due to its ease of use, the continuous updates and support it gets, and it’s supported by most hosting companies. And don’t forget it’s a free software that’s user-friendly and fun to work with!