Why WordPress remains the preferred website CMS

WordPress was developed in 2003 and close to two decades later it remains the preferred and most widely used CMS platform in the world, with more than 43% of all websites using WordPress.

You may recall 2003 – many of us were using DVD players to watch our favourite films, communicating via MSN Messenger, listening to music on an iPod, or playing Pokemon on a Gameboy.

Yet unlike those mediums, WordPress has stood the test of time even through many changes in technology. Let’s explore why it remains the preferred choice for many website developers.

What is WordPress?

WordPress is a content management system (CMS) that is used to create and manage websites. Its open-source platform is based on PHP, the world’s most popular scripting language and the database management system MySQL.

It was founded with the mission to “democratise publishing”, and through the help of contributors from around the globe, many would argue that the goal has been achieved.

Today, WordPress is used to create everything from simple blogs to complex e-commerce sites.

A user-friendly platform for those with limited technical experience, it can be used straight out of the box or easily customised by more advanced users.

The people and brands that use WordPress are some of the most recognisable in the world – Sony Music, Vogue, Ariana Grande, Walt Disney, Time Magazine and Hypebeast are just a handful of examples.

Why WordPress?

Many platforms have come and gone, but WordPress remains the preferred CMS for business owners, multinational companies, and celebrities for several reasons.

1. Easy to use, learn and manage

WordPress comes with a simple, intuitive dashboard with different menu items accessible from the sidebar, allowing even beginners to make simple content and design changes quickly.

Ongoing maintenance and updates can also be managed easily from within your dashboard.

2. Open-source and free (somewhat)

WordPress is open-source, which refers to software that people can modify and share because its design is publicly accessible. Read more about it at Opensource.com

Because it’s always been open-source, many people have contributed to its ongoing development which helps to keep it fresh and up to date.

WordPress is free for anyone to download from the repository with hundreds of free plugins and themes also readily available.

However there are costs to getting a website live such as hosting, speciality plugins, employing website designers and ongoing maintenance.

3. Elevation of optimisation

WordPress prioritises Search Engine Optimisation (SEO).

Built-in WordPress features like changing website visibility, the ability to change permalinks, availability of SEO-friendly themes, and the use of tags and/or categories are all designed to help you prioritise your search engine presence.

Furthermore, plugins such as Yoast ensue you satisfy you SEO requirements with keyword focused meta titles, meta descriptions and page content.

Most importantly however, WordPress websites aim to deliver a good user experience. If users have a better experience when visiting your website, they will spend more time on site which is rewarded with better rankings by Google.

4. Full control 

WordPress enables you to have full control over your website, which means managers can make simple updates without waiting for a developer to become available.

Text changes, image changes, uploading news articles, or creating new pages are intuitive and easy to learn for any of your team members.

5. There’s a plugin for everything

It’s true, the WordPress Plugin Directory features over 55,000 plugins.

For those unfamiliar, plugins are packages of code that extend the core functionality of WordPress.

Whatever additional functionality your website requires, it’s highly likely that someone else requires it too and a solution has been developed. Plugins allow the fulfilment of that need without having to write any additional code.

6. Safe and secure

WordPress is a safe and secure CMS, although it is always important to adhere to best practice and be alert for threats when it comes to cyber safety.

WordPress is the most widely used CMS but that can also make it a popular target for cyber attacks.  However, taking simple steps such as updating passwords, keep components up to date, using a secure web host, and employ security plugins such as WordFence help reduce vulnerabilities.

7. Test of time

And lastly, WordPress is trialled and tested.

Its usability and advantages have only strengthened over the last decade, and being open-source allows the platform to remain agile, incorporating new features and technologies.

When WordPress might not be the preferred option?

However, that’s not to suggest it is the only option available or it is always the best option.

For dedicated e-commerce websites, Shopify may be a better solution. Shopify is the leader in e-commerce websites and has the second-largest market share behind WordPress.

Its capabilities are far more powerful than in its early days and it offers a huge range of out-of-the-box templates to get you started quickly.

For those seeking a single page to promote an event, Squarespace, Wix, Maglr, Unbounce, or Mailchimp Landing Pages may also be simpler and faster to implement.

Factors such as budget, technical experience and business objectives are all factors that will help determine the best CMS to deliver business goals.

Purple will help a business assess the available options and there are circumstances where you might be better suited to an alternative solution to WordPress.

Purple and WordPress Development

Purple has extensive experience delivering WordPress websites for clients on time and on budget, and when WordPress isn’t the best solution, we can help you investigate the alterative CMS options and recommend a solution best suited to your organisational needs.

Our trialled and tested 5-step process provides the framework for us to deliver functional, modern, responsive, conversion-optimised websites time and time again.

To learn more about our 5-step website development process or to discuss your CMS needs, get in touch with our team of experts today.