Choosing a platform and content management system to base your site from can be something of a daunting prospect, but your web designer should be able to point you towards a platform that will offer you the flexibility and functionality that you need.
There are a number of options out there, but the chances are you’ll have heard of WordPress, even if you haven’t used it yourself. Actually, you’re almost certainly to have used it, if not directly: the truth is that WordPress has quickly become the platform of choice for thinking designers such as those we have here at Westcountry Media. So how and why has it become to the go-to choice?
1. Free and open-source
There is no software to buy and no exclusivity. WordPress is designed on open-source, which is exactly what it sounds like – the code is freely available and not subject to copyright. This makes it very popular with developers, leading to a large client base and therefore further shared development – a rare example of that happy thing, a virtuous circle.
2. Massive market share
Taking on a site built with WordPress puts you in good company; Sony, CNN, BBC Top Gear and Pepsi are among the brands that have built their sites on this platform. The market share for WordPress in terms of content management systems is bobbing around the 60% mark. The opensource aspect, and the amount of shared documentation that is in the public sphere, makes WordPress a real community.
3. Design flexibility
While you want your site to look cohesive and coherent, and be fully fluent in the online shorthand that most web users take for granted these days, you also need to be distinctive. WordPress offers full freedom with design creativity and there are thousands of templates that can be modified and adapted for your exact needs.
4. Huge amount of plug-ins
There are, literally, hundreds of thousands of plug-ins for WordPress, and many of them are free. This means everything from your email campaigns to an online shop to SEO and analytics can all be fully integrated into your content management system, and seamlessly into your website too.
5. You aren’t tied to one particular developer
A good web designer should be able to understand your company’s needs and make your site work for you, but if you feel that you aren’t being understood then a WordPress site can easily be looked at by someone else. It’s simple and intuitive, meaning that you can take charge of content yourself, knowing that your web developer will be on hand to guide you if need be.
If your interested in discussing the advantages of using WordPress for your website development, feel free to get in touch today!