Why should anyone use WordPress to create a small business website? Because WordPress is a free and powerful open-source tool to build web sites, and its content management system (CMS) powers some of the biggest brands on the planet. These are some of the world’s most well-known brands with millions of pageviews per day, like Mashable, Nasa, Mozilla, Coca Cola, and the Wall Street Journal. Meaning, WordPress should be considered as a serious business website solution.
WordPress was released on May 27, 2003, and has become the world’s most used CMS. Over 74 million websites of all types and sizes use WordPress to post new content each second. Did you know that WordPress powers 26% of all websites ? So, if you are considering where and how to build your small business website, WordPress should be considered as a serious solution.
Here are the top reasons why you should build your website on WordPress.
It’s Free, Open-Source Software
It doesn’t matter if you plan a commercial website or a personal blog, WordPress doesn’t charge a penny, even if you achieve millions of site visitors daily. And, since WordPress is user-friendly and operates as open source software, you bypass the need to hire web technicians and designers.
It’s Plug-and-Play
You can start using WordPress as soon as you install it. There is no configuration required, aside from the customization you give your theme, as well as the plug-ins that suit your interest. Most of the things you are looking for come with the installation, such as the integration of social media feeds, comments, and more. There is no need to know HTML code to use WordPress, but you can it you desire. Also, because the WordPress dashboard looks the same on every platform, there is no confusion.
It’s Search Engine Friendly
WordPress is SEO friendly from the first install and use. Popular search engines, like Google and Bing, tend to rank websites that use WordPress higher than those that don’t, because the framework makes it easy for the search engines’ spiders to crawl. In fact, Google endorsed WordPress in 2009.
It’s Secure and Safe
WordPress developers invest heavily in security measures to preserve the trust of its users. The WordPress staff constantly update the CMS, along with the plugs-ins that integrate with it. Of course, you should use caution and only download plugins from trusted sources, preferably while directly logged into WordPress.
It’s Customizable
You can make your WordPress website look any way you want with a customized theme. Many are provided in the initial installation, and you can buy various premium themes developed by third parties. You can also add and extend certain features to make the website function and perform just the way you want.
It’s Mobile Friendly
Websites that aren’t mobile-friendly are penalized and ranked lower on major search engine pages. With WordPress, you don’t have to overhaul your entire site to make it accessible on tablets and smartphones, since most themes are automatically responsive. WordPress also has an option for websites to be viewed in “mobile view” for themes that aren’t responsive.
It Loves Multimedia
Websites with the lowest bounce rates have plenty of multimedia. WordPress lets you easily integrate video either by uploading your own, or by adding embeddable HTML areas. You can also add audio files, images, and other forms of media to keep people interested and browsing your site.
It Integrates Fully with Many Platforms
WordPress integrates with many popular 3rd-party platforms to make your website more modern. There are plenty of plugins that let you easily send out email campaigns and newsletters. There are plugins for just about every kind of function you want to add to your site. If you’re using WordPress to run a commercial website, there is an abundance of ecommerce solutions available.
It’s Constantly Improving
Thanks to WordPress’ open-source coding and innovative developers, it keeps improving over time. Every year adds new features, new plugins, or other options to customize your site for a better user experience.
Do you use WordPress for your small business website? What is your favorite plug-in or most-used feature? Why has it become your favorite? Share your opinions in the comments below.
And, if you would like help building a WordPress site, drop us a line here.