Over the years, there have been numerous website and blogging platforms that have competed for business from individuals and organizations. Most have come and gone without gaining significant traction. Launched in 2003, WordPress has become the most obvious exception. Over the last 14 years, it has evolved from a simple blogging site to the most common open-source web development platform in the world. It is the most-often-used web content management system available. No other platform comes close, particularly among small to medium-sized businesses.
WordPress is not ideal for large businesses that have an extensive online store component, contain an extremely heavy amount of content, or require the highest level of security possible. For companies with truly large online sales activity, those that compete with a content giant (such as Netflix or Pinterest) or those with extremely sensitive databases (larger banks, for instance), there are better options. However, for the vast majority of businesses, WordPress is the best option.
Why is this the case?
The following are only a few of the reasons to use WordPress:
- Cost
WordPress provides a cost-effective alternative to custom-coded websites built from scratch. While there is still cost involved in achieving the design you envision and some custom coding is almost always required to tailor the design to your needs, there are many pieces of a WordPress site that are automated to be functional out of the box. Instead of paying $25,000 to build a website, you can utilize WordPress and have a highly functional, optimized site for $2,500-$5,000, making it an ideal option for SMBs, entrepreneurs, authors, and personalities.
- Installation and Updates
If you pay a developer to custom-build your website, you often become a customer for life, because there is no way to easily update or change the site without going back to the developer who built it. Unless you love paying exorbitant fees for these minor changes, WordPress is best. Websites built using self-hosted WordPress allow you to rely on your digital-marketing partner for updates, support, and design changes at a reasonable hourly rate.
- Increased Site Security
WordPress is sometimes criticized for having poor security. This might have been true when it was launched in 2003, but it has not been the case for quite some time. Currently, it is easy to make WordPress sites highly secure. There is no other open-source site that is demonstrably better at security, and its security capabilities are more than adequate for the individuals and organizations it caters to.
- Responsive Web Design
Responsive web design is no longer an option; it is a necessity. Mobile online traffic has replaced desktop online traffic as the primary method of web search, so it is vital that you avoid the need to develop separate websites for different devices. WordPress makes it much easier to deliver a great experience no matter what kind of device your customer is using.
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Search Engine Optimization is critical in today’s market. While many will claim that WordPress is “SEO optimized out of the box”, there are still steps that must be taken to make sure Google sees your website. WordPress is, however, SEO-friendly, meaning going from 0 to 60 on WordPress is easier than with other platforms. No other platform’s SEO elements are so intuitive.
In many situations, the most dominant, popular option is the best option. People use WordPress for many reasons. Individual and small to medium-sized business web development is no different, and WordPress is the premier platform. It is cost-effective, easy to implement and maintain, adaptable to the requirements of modern technology, secure, and stable. There simply is no other alternative that works as well in its target markets.