Should your business be using WordPress?

Content Management System (CMS)

As stated in our last blog post, What is a CMS?, content management systems (CMS) have revolutionized the way we build and host websites. The days of hardcoding every line of HTML and CSS to create the most basic structures are over. We now rely on the intuitive CMS platforms that offer pre-built templates, themes, widgets, and plugins. A great CMS platform allows the user to publish a website without typing a single line of code.

What CMS platform fits your business?

There are hundreds of CMS platforms to choose from, and landing on the perfect one for your business seems like a daunting task. Even though all CMS companies aspire to provide the same end product, they are all very different. Some CMS platforms focus on a single practical use of websites, such as e-commerce; some are more user friendly than others, but sacrifice website performance to achieve a straight forward experience.

Over the following weeks, WooStrategy will review some of the most popular CMS platforms and list their pros and cons. If you would like to discuss your option with a member of our team, don’t hesitate to contact us.

WordPress

Probably the most famous CMS software company in 2020. Most beginner web design courses will mention WordPress more than once, not by coincidence, as it holds the largest share of the market for published websites. The large volume of users is an advantage on its own, as it is easier to find free resources such as how-to videos or community blogs.

Pros

WordPress has risen above its competitors as the industry standard because of its simplicity to navigate. Whether it is retrieving content or creating a new page, it does not take long to find what you are looking for, and that is priceless. A CMS should strive for simplicity for the user, and WordPress positions its product so that those with just fundamental skills can understand how to use it.

You can build any website imaginable on WordPress, from simple blogs, business pages to an e-commerce site. No matter the website you have in mind, there is probably a template available to you. WordPress offers a wide selection of free templates, but if you are looking to make your website stand out, you can purchase a third-party design template.

A significant advantage of WordPress is the built-in Search Engine Optimization (SEO) tool that will rank your page’s content and evaluate its performance when scanned by Google algorithms. As SEO continues to become a crucial part of website building, WordPress’ tool can give a nonprofessional the necessary knowledge to optimize their content.

WordPress is an open-source system that allows third-party plugin developers to create products that enhance the user experience and simplify the design process by extending functionality. Plugins are great, and there are thousands of them; it is safe to say that you are more than likely to find a plugin for any of your web development needs. Plugins can help in more than one way; they are not limited to front-end design tools; hundreds of them improve the website’s back-end functionality.

Cons

Although plugins sound great, there is a downside to them; most of them require an additional monthly fee, which can drastically increase your website’s price.

External companies develop plugins, and WordPress is not responsible for making sure they continue to run smoothly; therefore, each plugin company will release multiple updates every year. It is up to you, the user, to make sure that you push all those updates promptly. Small business owners who did not want to dedicate that much time to their website might find this an inconvenience.

Pricing

WordPress is free to use; yes, that is true; you can start designing a website once you sign up for an account. However, the free version has some limitations, and more importantly, you will need to pay for WordPress to host your website. You’ll also need to pay for your domain name to have your brand front at the center. Your domain is what users type in their browsers’ search bar to access your website (for example, Woostrategy.com). WordPress is still a very affordable option, even if free does not necessarily mean a working website, hosting pricing starting at $8 per month.

Contact WooStrategy

If you are looking for a more in-depth evaluation of a CMS, subscribe to our mailing list to be notified of new blog posts or schedule a meeting with WooStrategy for your free website assessment.