Wix, WordPress, Squarespace, Shopify. These are just some of the website building platforms that you may have come across when looking for the best way to start a website.
Each platform has it’s pros and cons, features and add-ons that we will explore in other articles but you’re just here to learn about the best, and why the best is WordPress.
WordPress - But Why WordPress?
There are many reasons why WordPress is the best option to use as a website platform but we recommend it because;
- It’s free
- It’s easy to use
- It’s well-supported
- It has a ton of documentation and how-to guides
- It’s completely scalable, accommodating small businesses up to huge global names
Whether you’ve got a bit of web know-how or want an opportunity to improve your skills as you go, WordPress is a fantastic platform to help get your business online. With a WordPress website you can easily;
- Sell products and services online
- Take bookings for appointments or events
- Run an informative and engaging blog
- Start a community forum
- Raise donations for a good cause
- Do anything you want to achieve!
Whatever you need your website to do, WordPress is the platform that can help you to do it and is supported by a library containing hundreds of secure, and well-built, plugins that make it simple to add the features and extras you need to support your visitor’s experience.
If you can’t work out how to do something, there is guaranteed to be a written online guide or step-by-step YouTube video to help you work it out. As one of the world’s most popular CMS (Content Management System) most agencies and marketers are already familiar with using WordPress. Meaning even if you get started by yourself, you can work with an agency down the line and you won’t have to spend time changing platforms or starting from scratch.
Some Common WordPress Misconceptions
As we mentioned before, there are many different platforms available and over time a few common misconceptions have popped up around WordPress and what it’s useful for. You might have heard;
‘WordPress is just for blogging!’
False. WordPress began life as a blog publishing system but quickly developed into something more, something bigger. Today, WordPress is the best choice for any website that needs to be regularly amended or added to, and with today’s audience need for frequently updated, engaging content - that pretty much covers all of them.
‘WordPress can’t do e-commerce!’
False. Not only can WordPress handle all your e-commerce needs but with support from WooCommerce, the WordPress e-commerce plugin, it does a fantastic job of it! WooCommerce is the most popular e-commerce platform, powering almost half of all e-commerce on the web and capable of handling everything from physical products to digital downloads.
‘All WordPress websites look the same!’
False. Although the look and style of WordPress websites are controlled by a ‘theme’, you have full control over your chosen theme from a free theme to a premium paid theme - both with high degrees of customisation or have a custom theme made that’s completely bespoke to your business.
