When people hear the word “WordPress” they either cringe and sprint in the opposite direction or they nod their head with an appreciation of the powerful tool at their disposal. WordPress is easily the most versatile and powerful content management system (CMS) I have worked with. Not all websites will fit into the mold but portfolios, blogs, basic e-commerce, and informational websites CAN use WordPress.
So, when is WordPress the right fit?
WordPress has so many developers, individuals, and teams working diligently to improve the options and user experience of WordPress. Most basic sites add features from themes and/or plugins to utilize functionality for a contact form, slideshow, galleries, accordion menus, and more.
Why use WordPress for basic websites too? It is a platform that allows the ower of the website to easily manage, edit, and modify the content. Although there are other CMS options available, it is better to have room to grow, then build a website from scratch to get by but have to move your website to WordPress at a later date.
The only limitation of WordPress is if you have an extremely complex or very niche requirements. This would force the developer to customize (AKA: hack) the selected theme and plugin to make it fulfill your needs. The more the base theme and plugin code is tinkered with, the greater the chance of mistakes, errors for your customers, and a stressful situation. If this sounds like your project, contact me and we can discuss a custom option for you.
WordPress themes and plugins
The list of themes and plugins are daunting when you first glance at them because there are so many to choose from. How do you pick a good one, the right one? Some cost money to use and other ones are free.
Themes
WordPress themes are a great place for people to start because it gives you a foundation to your website. General styles, layouts, and features can be (and are) built into themes. For example, a theme will provide a styled header to place your logo in a usable place along with building a menu to display the webpages. Professional WordPress developers take into consideration current trends and web standards, provide support, and constantly update the core files when needed!
Plugins
WordPress plugins provide specialized options outside of what a theme offers. A few examples include a contact form, SEO assistance, and WooCommerce (for selling a product).
Still hesitant about WordPress?
If you are still worried whether or not WordPress is the right fit for your project, let’s chat! I would be more than happy to answer any questions you have and even show you the dashboard of a WordPress site to help you understand some of the nuts and bolts.