It’s hard to spend any time online without coming across the term WordPress. It powers blogs, artist portfolios, and even business sites. How deeply is WordPress embedded into the digital ecosystem?
Somewhere in the neighborhood of 75 million websites use it.
That means there’s a good chance you’ve interacted with a WordPress website at some point. That does beg the question: why are so many people choosing WordPress over options like a custom site?
They choose it because of the many benefits of WordPress. For starters, you don’t need any background in things like HTML, CSS, or JavaScript – the holy trinity of web development. After all, how many people can take the time to learn web programming while running a business or building a blog audience?
So let’s dig into some of the other benefits of WordPress and see if it’s the right choice for you.
WordPress Software is Free
One of the biggest benefits of WordPress is that it’s free.
The WordPress software is open source, which means that it’s publicly available for anyone to use. There are no licensing fees like you see with proprietary software.
Beyond the fact that the software is free, WordPress enjoys a thriving community of software developers. So you also get regular, free security and functionality updates to the core software.
Easy Installation
Some software makes you jump through hoop after hoop before you can ever even launch the program. It’s enough to make you want to tear out your hair.
You won’t face any of that nonsense with WordPress. With a little tech savviness, you can perform a manual install.
Here’s the good bit. The software is so popular that most web hosting companies offer one-click installation.
You just log into the control panel and press the button. After that, it’s all about fleshing out your site.
Remote Access
Ever found yourself working in a coffee shop when you realize the program you need is only on your desktop? It’s a monumental pain. At that point, you either go home or search online for some kind of workaround.
Enter another of the big benefits of WordPress. It’s always accessible online.
Unlike locally installed software that’s only accessible on the one computer, WordPress lives on a server. That means you can access it with nothing more than a WiFi connection and your phone. Just don’t forget your password.
It’s Easy to Use
Once you install WordPress, using its main functions is straightforward.
WordPress started life as a blogging program and that origin shines through. So anyone experienced with word processing programs, blogging platforms, or many social media platforms will find it intuitive.
You don’t need any programming experience if you want to create new pages. In fact, you probably landed in the wrong place if you find yourself looking at computer code when that wasn’t your plan.
You’ll also find tabs in the dashboard for managing comments, your media library, and overall settings.
Customizable Appearance
The options for customizing the look of your site is another of the key benefits of WordPress. For example, you can use your own header and background images or adjust the menu order.
The real power, though, is in the themes. There are lots of free themes available from WordPress itself and some developers offer free themes as well. You can also buy premium themes that cater to specific industries.
If those options don’t thrill you, you can hire a WordPress expert to build you a custom theme. The big advantage of a custom theme is that you get the look and features you want without getting stuck with things you don’t want.
User Profiles
Say you’re running a small, online business that’s growing fast enough that you hired a couple people. That means they need some level of access to the site. Maybe you want them posting new content or adding products.
At the same time, they don’t need full admin access to every part of the site. With WordPress, you can assign roles and access levels that reflect your employees’ jobs.
Expanded Functionality with Plugins
Possibly the most underrated of all the benefits of WordPress is the enormous ecosystem of plugins. If you’re in the early steps of launching your business, you can find plugins for several essential functions, such as:
- site security
- content optimization
- load speed optimization
- lead generation
You can also find plugins and extensions for major eCommerce platforms that help turn your site into a digital shop. If you don’t need a full-on shop, there are plugins that let you connect with major payment gateways.
In the unlikely event that no plugin exists for the function you need, you can even hire someone to create the plugin for your site
Responsive Design
More Internet traffic goes through mobile devices than desktop computers these days. So, if you were wondering if you actually need a website that works flawlessly on mobile devices, now you know. Yes, you absolutely need a mobile ready website.
It’s not just about the display either. Search engines use mobile-friendly design as part of how they rank your site.
The answer to that problem is a responsive design. Responsive design is a way of building sites that respond to screen size. The content gets rearranged for best the effect on whatever screen you’re using.
The underlying WordPress software doesn’t use responsive design. What you can get are themes that employ it. These themes help ensure that your site retains its overall look on phone, tablet, or desktop screens.
Parting Thoughts on the Benefits of WordPress
Millions of websites run on WordPress because of the many great benefits it offers.
The software is free. It’s intuitive to use, easy to install, and you can use it from anywhere with internet access.
You can customize the appearance and user access levels. Plugins let you expand the functionality of the site. Plus, you can make the site mobile-friendly with a responsive design theme.
ZNG Creative specializes in website development and custom WordPress sites. If you’re looking for a website upgrade or update, contact us about your project.
Comments are closed.