Building a website from scratch requires some serious technical know-how – not to mention a high price tag. That’s why website builders have become a convenient and affordable alternative.
However, it can be difficult to know which website builder is best for your business. With a wide range of website builders available today, how do you know which one actually meets your needs? To help you decide, we’ll look in depth at WordPress vs. other website builders.
Benefits of WordPress
WordPress has a ton of features that work well for businesses. In particular, it’s ideal for those who want to heavily customize their site. Some benefits include:
- Flexibility and scalability: WordPress is the #1 flexible option for website building. There’s so much you can make use of on WordPress. It’s easy to scale your business needs using WordPress, too.
- WordPress plugins and themes: WordPress offers 55,000 out-of-the-box plugins and themes to choose from. These can streamline the building process and cut costs.
- Mobile-friendly: Unlike other website builders, WordPress is guaranteed to be mobile-friendly. This is essential, as the majority of web users today are browsing on mobile instead of desktop.
- Search engine-friendly: WordPress sites rank well on Google overall and it’s one click to add a top SEO plugin such as Yoast SEO.
- Content-oriented: WordPress has content top-of-mind. It includes a blog section and its tools are focused on content creation.
- Huge developer community: Because it’s open source, WordPress has a massive developer following. The community forums are filled with technical guides and helpful threads for common issues.
Drawbacks of WordPress
Of course, WordPress isn’t perfect. Your team should analyze these key considerations to make sure they aren’t make-or-break for your business. Here are some potential challenges of WordPress:
- Steep learning curve: WordPress does require some initial familiarity. You may need somebody who’s tech-savvy or has coding experience. The interface of WordPress isn’t drag-and-drop like other website builders, so you’ll occasionally have to tweak code. Of course if you want a more professional level, you can always hire a developer to work on your WordPress site.
- Initial low cost, but may have hidden extras: WordPress is a free platform, but other aspects of building a site aren’t included. For example, the domain, hosting, SSL and eCommerce features may require extra fees. The plus here is that WordPress is buffet-style: you choose what you want, instead of getting locked into a website builder’s sole option.
- Security vulnerabilities: Finally, potential WordPress users are wary about the number of hacked WordPress sites. It’s important to remember that WordPress is the #1 targeted platform online. However, you should be aware of WordPress-specific security vulnerabilities. To avoid them, you should keep your WordPress version up-to-date, as well as all plugins (often the most common security flaws arise from out-of-date programs). Additionally, you should use a trusted hosting provider, like Onsharp, to ensure that your website has an extra layer of added security.
Amazingly enough, WordPress powers over 39% of the web. There’s a good reason for this: WordPress has excellent flexibility for making your website vision come true. While it’s not without its challenges, it’s a top choice for businesses who want to customize without paying the high price of a site made from scratch.
Need a hand with your WordPress set-up? Our WordPress pros are here to help.