WordPress powers about 1/3rd of the websites throughout the world, that range between small personal blogs and complex websites of major companies like New York Post, Sony, Time Inc., NBC etc.
WordPress is just one of those site builders as well as content management systems that users download and then install at completely zero cost.
Moreover, it has various features that are unique and make it one of the most popular CMS or content management systems, which is in use nowadays.
What is the difference between WordPress and Competition?
WordPress ranks at the list of 3 most frequently utilized website building packages, which is followed by Drupal and Joomla.
All of them are completely free to download as well as to use and they even come with various additional specialized functionality, which can be customized to match individual user requirements.
However, in case of Drupal and Joomla, businesses require a definite level of knowledge about tech and familiarity with programming language PHP and HTML CSS. WordPress enables experienced users to work at a similar level of Drupal and Joomla.
However, unlike Drupal and Joomla, WordPress ensures to include various features for the beginners that they can use to set a website swiftly with zero knowledge about programming or code.
Listed below are some benefits of using WordPress platform
Software is free & open-source
Both wordpress.org and wordpress.com are free to use. WordPress.org is a version, which is self hosted where businesses can control more of their website and take the benefit of advanced plugins.
WordPress.com, on the other hand, works well for the beginners and is not the best for businesses that plan on yielding revenue, thus eliminating the idea of using WordPress.com by businesses makes complete sense.
While WordPress.com does come with higher paid plans, I advise it for use as personal or hobby blogs.
Moving to WordPress, it is free to download. It is an open source platform that has been around since the year 2003.
It means WordPress is developed by a collection of contributors. Such open source projects are generally free with huge communities.
Users generally take part in the community as simple brand advocates or beta testers, but there is actually no need for any participation if that is not your style.
Warning: While WordPress software is free, you may end up spending little money. It is a self hosted platform, hence hosting is needed.
It can begin at nearly $3 each month for cheap shared servers & go all the way round to nearly hundred each month for the ones requiring ultimate performance and speed.
One can generally find plugins and themes for free, however the paid/premium ones typically provide better quality and feature support. Many WordPress users end up spending on other additional services.
For instance, you may pay freelance designers for designing a logo for your business or adjusting a few CSS code on your website.
Various other WordPress users are highly keen on having graphic designers and even on keeping maintenance experts over call. All of it depends on your website’s scale and personal experience.
On the whole, you can definitely keep WordPress costs to the least. Various webmasters end up just paying for the hosting.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
WordPress calls for having SEO built into the platform. In fact, WordPress generates meta descriptions and title tags for all your posts and pages.
This allows search engines to know about your business/freelance content, which gets you indexed & potentially moves you up in rankings.
Ease Of Use
Even if businesses are not familiar with the content management system and have no designer or programmer or staff, you can still build an expert website with WordPress.
In reference to administration, WordPress is crucially easier to utilize as compared to its competitors. The administrative interface is intuitive, including content is simple and quick, and installing plugins takes little effort.
With WordPress, users do not have to depend on website designers. You can log in to your dashboard and even add, remove or edit anything with just a few clicks. WordPress dashboard is simple and easy to use and understand.
Quick Installation
Many of the main website hosting providers proffer a simple and one-click installation of WordPress.
Users do not require fretting in regard to downloading the installation files of WordPress and can use an FTP server for uploading them.
Users just require visiting the control panel of the hosting provider and click the option to install WordPress and in just a few minutes it will be done.
Themes Offer Multiple Options
Your online organizational requirements have their own specific look. WordPress proffers various opportunities in reference to customization.
Additionally, there are plugins that can assist make your website unique and there are thousands of templates to use for your website in WordPress.
Customizing any template is way simpler and easier though, for a high tech complex website, knowledge of CSS is crucial.
WordPress Plugins
WordPress involves all the elements required to create a basic website. But many users look for more specialized functions in relation to website’s requirements.
WordPress plugin directory contains hundreds of plugins – various small code pieces designed to carry out specific activities that enable users to include features like galleries, shopping carts, contact forms, and others for a compatible WordPress website.
Users also can buy & install various custom plugins from 3rd party developers. Plugins can even be deactivated or activated and uninstalled when you require enhancing your website.
Strong Community Support
As compared to various other platforms, strong community support is possibly one of the greatest advantages of using WordPress. About 27% of all the sites across the world use WordPress.
As a lot of people use it, permits have been given to large communities to flourish and grow.
If you require assistance with something, WordPress contains materials such as ebooks, online tutorials, blogs, message boards, and others completely devoted to helping you.
Whatsoever queries you have, community group members would be able to assist you for free.
The community aspect of WordPress is a valuable & rewarding part of utilizing this CMS.
WordPress Updates
As WordPress is an open-source platform, it is continuously receiving improvements and feedback from the development and design community.
WordPress gets constant updates, each of which solves the bug issue and offers new functionality and features.
It always remains updated and towards the route of improving. Note that, it is not a static software piece that becomes old in some months. Cutting edge feature is prevalent in WordPress.
Speed
While WordPress is not certainly the fastest site software on market today, this is less bulky as compared to others.
The major key here is to ensure there are no design elements in your template, which is slowing you, or that you do not have any specific plugin, which is mucking various things up.
Also, Google has made it completely clear that they factor in website loading time as a signal to give a better ranking. By utilizing cache plugins and CDN, you can create WordPress site loading really swiftly.
Mobile Responsive
Mobile responsiveness is a crucial factor in the process of Google ranking. Thus, sites require to look good on the mobile device.
WordPress proffers numerous responsive theme designs & the users can to make static websites responsive with adjustments and plugins to theme files.
WordPress websites come with a built-In blog
As WordPress is CMS (Content Management System) software, it comes with various features, which makes content publishing simple and easy.
One such feature is a built-in blog that is accessible from any device, any time.
Thus, those users looking to add blogs to their site do not require creating them separately.
This is possible even for the websites not related to blogging to utilize such blog features for including in announcements and updates.
Sanjay Dey