If you’ve researched how to start a website, or simply spent five minutes looking into opening your own small business, you’ve probably heard of a platform called WordPress. What is it, though?
At first glance, WordPress looks like any other service site. You get a list of subscription plans, promises of super-easy web development, etc. However, at its core, WordPress is a completely different beast than anything else you’ve worked with.
In this short guide, we’re going to go over what WordPress is, how it works, and how you can use it.
What Exactly is WordPress?
WordPress isn’t just any old service. It’s a CMS, or content management system, that allows you not only to build a website with lightning speed but also manage that website going forward. In short, it streamlines the entire web design process and makes it accessible to everyone.
It’s also completely opensource and free to use. This has led to it being a major player in the web design world, with sites such as Vogue powering their entire infrastructure with it. In fact, everything from tiny blogs, to massive corporate web pages, use WordPress.
While it is free, you will have to pay for a domain name and hosting yourself. Some of the many premium wordpress plugins you can get also come at a price.
How Does it Work?
Once you’ve purchased a domain name and site hosting with Hostgator to get started, you can install WordPress for free. However, you have to use the WordPress.org version of the service. WordPress.com is a paid variant that is more specialized, and you likely don’t need it.
Once you’ve gotten your hosting and free domain with Hostgator installing the WordPress software on your site is easily done with a one-click installer.
The magic really happens once you’ve installed the software. You’ll be able to pick from a huge selection of site-wide free themes, pick plugins you can add to your site, post content in a similar way to Facebook or other media sites, and handle every other aspect of your site with a simple, drag-and-drop process.
Within minutes of installing the software, you can have a professional-looking site. Of course, you’ll need to have your content ready to upload if you want it to come together that quickly.
Should You Start a Website with WordPress?
WordPress gives you the power to build a website on-par with the internet’s own digital goliaths. However, it’s not perfect. Before committing to it, check out this list of pros and cons.
Pros:
⦁ It’s free
⦁ Plugins are plentiful and affordable
⦁ It’s easy enough for anyone to use it
⦁ You can build a professional site in minutes
⦁ It continues to be useful for the lifespan of your site
Cons:
⦁ Opensource: Opensource software is something literally anyone can mess with, and you’re forced to update your software to the latest version. It’s highly unlikely, but these community-based additions to the software can make your site vulnerable to hackers. This makes it a poor choice for sites in need of HIPAA compliance or anything similar.
⦁ DIY: WordPress is something you have to invest your own effort into. If that’s not something you want to take on, and you have a fat wallet, you might be better off just hiring a web designer to build a site from the ground up.
In most cases, WordPress is an amazing option that will serve you well. Just weigh the pros and cons before you get started, and be willing to put forth the effort to create something truly special to represent your online space.