In the ever-evolving world of web development, it’s not uncommon to see technologies come and go. However, one platform that has stood the test of time is WordPress. As one of the most popular content management systems (CMS) in the world it powers over 40% of all websites on the internet, and many web developers and designers still consider WordPress to be the go-to choice for building websites. But, despite its age and popularity, some argue that it has lost its relevance and is no longer a viable option for building modern websites.
So, let’s quickly address the elephant in the room – why some might think that WordPress is out of fashion. The main argument against WordPress is that it’s old and slow. Some feel that it hasn’t kept up with the latest web development trends and technologies. Its reputation for being vulnerable to security threats is another point of criticism. Finally, some developers find that WordPress’s extensive range of plugins and themes can make it harder to maintain and update a website over time.
But is that really the case? Regardless of the critics, we believe that there is a reason (or quite a few reasons actually) that WordPress has been around for nearly two decades and will remain in the foreseeable future. Let’s delve into why WordPress is still an effective platform for creating customized, scalable, and secure websites, and why it is definitely still in fashion.
Why WordPress is Still in Fashion
1. Flexibility and Customization
One of WordPress’s greatest strengths is its flexibility. WordPress is a versatile platform that can be used for any type of website, from a simple blog to a complex e-commerce store. With its extensive range of plugins and themes, it can be tailored to meet the specific needs of any website. Whether you need to add new functionality, change the design of your website, or improve its performance, WordPress offers an extensive library of plugins and themes that can help you achieve your goals. Developers can also create custom plugins and themes, allowing for even more flexibility. Besides, WordPress’s customization options allow for easy integration with third-party tools, such as social media platforms and email marketing software.
2. User-friendly Interface
WordPress is known for its user-friendly interface that enables even non-technical people to manage and update their website with ease. The interface is simple and intuitive which makes it easy to create and manage content. The WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editor allows users to format their content without needing to know how to code, and the dashboard provides an easy way to manage your website’s settings and features. All in all, WordPress is a great platform for beginners.
3. SEO-friendly
WordPress is known for its SEO capabilities. With its features, such as customizable permalinks, SEO-friendly URLs, and plugins like Yoast SEO it helps users optimize their content for search engines. The WordPress code is clean and simple, making it easy for search engines to crawl and index websites built on the platform. Furthermore, there are a plethora of SEO plugins available for WordPress that can help improve website rankings. This means that with the right optimization, WordPress websites can rank higher in search engine results pages, driving more traffic to your website.
4. Scalability
Whether you are starting with a small blog or building a large e-commerce store, WordPress can accommodate your needs. This makes it a scalable platform that can handle websites of all sizes. WordPress can stem traffic spikes and high-volume traffic without compromising on performance, which means that as your website grows and evolves, you can continue to use WordPress as your platform of choice.
5. Large Community and Support
With its large user base, WordPress has a thriving community of developers, designers, and users that provides support, guidance, resources, and updates to the platform. Whether you need help troubleshooting an issue or want to learn how to use a specific feature, there is likely a community forum or tutorial available to help.
6. Cost-effectiveness
Finally, WordPress is a cost-effective platform, as it is an open-source platform, meaning that it is free to use and can be modified to meet your specific needs. Additionally, WordPress’s vast community of users and developers has created free and low-cost themes and plugins galore which can be used to enhance your website’s functionality and design.
How to Use WordPress Effectively
Now that we have explored some reasons why you should keep using WordPress, let’s discuss how to use it to make the most out of it. Here are some tips for using WordPress effectively:
1. Choose a Reliable Hosting Provider
Choosing a reliable hosting provider is crucial for running a successful WordPress website. Look for a provider that offers reliable uptime, fast page loading speeds, and strong security measures. This will ensure that your website runs smoothly, is secure, and has a high uptime. A good hosting provider can also help you optimize your website for performance and will provide support and resources to help you troubleshoot any issues that may arise.
2. Use The Right Theme
When choosing a theme for your WordPress website, it’s important to choose a lightweight and responsive theme.
A lightweight theme will ensure that your website loads quickly, providing a better user experience. It will also be more compatible with plugins, making it easier to customize your website’s functionality.
Responsiveness is essential for providing a great user experience on all devices, from desktops to smartphones. A responsive theme adjusts the layout and design of your website to fit the screen size of the device it is viewed on. This ensures that your website looks great and is easy to use, regardless of the user’s device.
If you want to make your website stand out (which we probably all do), it is also advisable to look for a theme that aligns with your brand and customize it to fit your needs.
3. Use Plugins Wisely
There are thousands of plugins available for WordPress, but not all of them are essential, and many can slow down your website and cause security issues. When building a website with WordPress choose plugins that are well-coded, regularly updated, and have a good reputation. It is crucial to install essential plugins, such as security plugins and SEO plugins. These will enhance your website’s security and search engine rankings, respectively. Ultimately, it is important to only use plugins that you need. Avoid using too many plugins that offer similar functionality.
4. Optimize Your Website for Speed
Website speed is critical for providing a great user experience and improving SEO. To optimize your WordPress website for speed, you can use plugins to compress images, minimize HTTP requests, minify CSS and JavaScript files, and cache content. It can also be helpful to choose a hosting provider that offers a content delivery network (CDN) to improve website speed.
5. Optimize for SEO
If you want to improve your website’s visibility in search engine results pages, optimizing your website for SEO plays a key role. You can use plugins like Yoast SEO or All in One SEO Pack to optimize your content for keywords, meta descriptions, and titles. Also, remember: Content is king when it comes to driving traffic to your website. Create high-quality, engaging content that is optimized for search engines and provides value to your target audience.
6. Regularly Update WordPress and Plugins
WordPress regularly releases updates to improve functionality, fix bugs, and address security concerns. Make sure to stay up-to-date with the latest updates and plugins to ensure website security and functionality. Additionally, updating plugins regularly will ensure that they are compatible with the latest version of WordPress.
7. Regularly Backup Your Website
Regularly backing up your website is essential for protecting your data and ensuring that you can recover from any issues or security breaches. You can use a plugin to automate backups and store them in a secure location.
8. Secure Your Website
To protect your data and your users’ data you need to protect your website. You can use security plugins, like Wordfence or iThemes Security, to monitor your website for malware and other security threats. Using strong passwords, limiting login attempts, and enabling two-factor authentication can help secure your website as well.
WordPress as an Excellent Platform for Buildung Successful Websites:
If at this point you are still doubting the relevance of WordPress, we highly recommend you to return to “Go” (and do not collect $200) and read again. Despite its age, WordPress is still en vogue in today’s web development landscape. Its flexibility, user-friendliness, SEO-friendliness, customizability, and cost-effectiveness make it an excellent platform for building websites. By using WordPress effectively, you can create a successful website that is secure, fast, and optimized for SEO.
Bright Development uses WordPress to build websites for our clients for namely the same reasons. Our team of experienced developers and designers has been working with WordPress for many years, and we have built hundreds of successful websites using the platform. We understand that every website is unique, and we work closely with our clients to create customized WordPress solutions that meet their specific needs.
Whether you are looking to build an e-commerce store or you are seeking a digital makeover, we invite you to book a free consultation with us, so we can discuss your questions and give you an estimate for your new WordPress website.
