Is WordPress for Small Business the Best Choice?
WordPress for small business is our content management system of choice. We have used WordPress for over ten years and it has grown and kept up-to-date with the current needs of website designers. We use it to design all of the small business websites we do.
Let us mention that there are a lot of options out there today to build a small business website. Some of those are Wix, Weebly, Squarespace and Joomla. We have very limited experience with other website builders because we have never felt the need to go elsewhere. And that's saying something - to remain happy with software for over ten years. (especially since my husband loves to research and find out what's new in the world of software:-)
Wordpess started out as a blogging platform in 2003. If you'd like to read more about the history of WordPress, there's a great post at WP Beginners. Over time, it has grown into a full fledged content management system.
So, why is WordPress a great choice for small business? Let's look at some of the main reasons.
It's free.
his is a big advantage for small business owners who are just starting out and trying to get a website put up. Cost is usually an issue. WordPress can be downloaded for free. Now, there are some costs involved with putting a site on the web, such as purchasing a domain name and hosting for your website. These are the basics that every website needs. Another cost might be to have your website professionally designed. Many people try to cut costs here and build it themselves. However, this can backfire in the end if the site does not have a professional look and feel to it. You want to build trust in your web visitors and for that to happen, a professional looking website is essential.
It's flexible.
WordPress can be used for many types of websites, including informational, ecommerce, membership, or blog. There are many plugins you can use to get the functionality you need. It can do pretty much anything you want, you just have to know how to use it.
You're in good company.
34% of all websites today use WordPress. I don't know about you, but that gives me a great sense of security. It's not going anywhere, and, with that many people using it, it has to have something going for it!
SEO friendly.
Out of the box, it is coded in a way that allows search engines to see the content of the site easily. And, you can also add plugins such as Yoast or All in-one SEO to further enhance your search engine optimization efforts.
It's easy to maintain and update.
WordPress is easy to make edits and has gotten even easier with their new block editor, Guttenberg. There was some apprehension (on our part as well) before Guttenberg came out because no one knew how it was going to change things. But, it has actually gotten better and easier to work with.
Secure.
In today's world of hackers, security has become of utmost importance. According to WP Explorer, WordPress comes out on top for providing security. They release updates on a regular basis, which keeps the software secure.
Variety of themes.
. A small business can have a unique website by choosing an attractive theme and having it modified with their colors, logo and content. There are many themes available - some free and some for a very reasonable price. You can have a website that looks great even if you are on a small budget (as long as you can create it yourself or you hire an affordable web designer.)
Using WordPress for small business websites just makes sense. It keeps the cost down and offers so much in the area of functionality, security and the look of the site.
One last comment. WordPress can be a little tricky to use if you are not familiar with it (as with any software.) If you would like to have us design a beautiful WordPress website for your small business, please contact us and we would be happy to help.