WordPress is an open-source content management system (CMS) that allows you to easily build websites and publish content online. Although it was first introduced as a platform for building blogs, it has since grown to become a CMS capable of powering various types of websites.
Since its launch in 2003, WordPress has empowered millions of individuals, businesses, and organizations to create and manage their websites. Its popularity can be attributed to its open-source nature, which has attracted a global community of developers and enthusiasts.
WordPress has become a go-to solution for individuals and businesses alike, offering a scalable and versatile platform to establish a robust online presence.
What is WordPress Used For?
WordPress is a versatile platform that empowers small businesses to build and manage their websites efficiently. It’s a user-friendly content management system (CMS) offering customizable templates and themes. You can create every type of website, from informative blogs to eCommerce stores. With its intuitive interface, you can easily add, edit, and organize content without technical eperience.
WordPress allows easy integration of plugins, enhancing functionality for contact forms, SEO, social media sharing, and so much more. It’s a cost-effective solution to establish your online presence, giving you the opportunity to showcase products, share insights, and engage with your audience.
What Websites Can You Build with WordPress?
Known for its versatility, WordPress is an effective platform to create various types of websites. Whether you’re starting a blog, an online store, a business website, or any other kind of web presence, WordPress offers a range of features and themes to accommodate different website needs.
So, it’s not a mystery why even prominent entities, such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Daily Telegraph, and Forbes, also create and manage their content on WordPress. This just goes to show that WordPress can do much more than just publish blog posts.
Other types of websites you can build in WordPress include:
- eCommerce stores: With plugins like WooCommerce, WordPress has become a robust platform for building online stores. You can add products, manage inventory, process payments, and handle shipping, providing a complete eCommerce solution.
- Portfolio websites: Artists, photographers, designers, and creative professionals can use WordPress to create stunning portfolio websites. It allows you to showcase your work in visually appealing galleries and customize the design to match your artistic style.
- Nonprofit websites: WordPress is an excellent choice for nonprofit organizations to create informational websites, raise awareness, and collect donations. You can highlight your mission, showcase projects, and integrate donation forms.
- Educational websites: WordPress can power educational websites for schools, colleges, and online learning platforms. You can create courses, manage student registrations, facilitate discussions, and share educational resources.
- Community forums: Using plugins like bbPress or BuddyPress, you can transform WordPress into a community forum or a social networking platform. This is ideal for building online communities, discussion boards, or niche-specific forums.
- News and magazine websites: WordPress offers features like categories, tags, and editorial workflows, making it suitable for news outlets, online magazines, and publishing platforms.
Why is WordPress Popular
Today, WordPress powers 43% of all websites on the internet. If we consider the websites that were made using other CMSs, WordPress stands out even more, powering a remarkable 63.6% of them. In comparison, Shopify, the closest competitor, is far behind in second place, with only 5.7% of the sampled sites using it as their CMS.
But why do people prefer WordPress? Here are a few reasons why:
User-friendly interface
Despite being a flexible and versatile platform, WordPress is quite easy to use for beginners. It offers a user-friendly interface that makes it easy to create and manage websites without technical hiccups. It provides a straightforward and intuitive dashboard where you can edit content, publish blog posts, and customize site elements.
Open-source nature
WordPress is an open-source platform, which means its source code is freely available for anyone to view, modify, and enhance. This open nature has attracted a large and dedicated community of users, developers, and designers that contribute to its continuous improvement, security enhancements, and new feature development.
Large community and support
As WordPress became more popular, its fan base grew bigger and stronger. Today, it boasts one of the largest and most supportive communities in the world, with thousands of forums, message boards, and events dedicated to WordPress.
Flexible and customizable
WordPress offers a vast array of themes, templates, and plugins that allow you to customize your website to suit your specific needs and preferences. For example, you can create a landing page for a product launch with a call-to-action section and a signup form for email subscriptions. You can also build a membership site where users can access exclusive content. The best thing about these themes, templates, and plugins is that many of them are free and can be installed with one click.
Scalable
WordPress is highly scalable, meaning it can accommodate websites of any size, from small blogs to large eCommerce sites with thousands of products. As your business expands, you can leverage plugins and various functionalities within WordPress to address the growing needs of your website.
Search engine friendly
WordPress is designed with search engine optimization (SEO) in mind. Meaning it’s built in a way that makes it easier for search engines like Google to discover, crawl, and understand the content on your website. That’s why Google and other search engines love WordPress. It offers features and plugins that help optimize your website for better search engine visibility, improving the chances of higher rankings in search results and attracting more organic traffic.
Cost-effective
WordPress is free to use and download. This makes it a cost-effective solution for businesses and individuals looking to establish an online presence without significant upfront expenses. While some premium themes and plugins may have associated costs, there are plenty of free options available.
Different Ways to Set Up WordPress
When you search for WordPress on search engines, you’ll see two websites: WordPress.com and WordPress.org. For starters, this can be confusing because both sites have similar names and branding but offer a unique set of features and functionality. Here’s where they differ:
WordPress.com
WordPress.com is a fully featured hosted solution that helps you build a website using the WordPress software.
With the free version of WordPress.com, you can create a website, but there are limitations. You can’t upload custom themes or plugins, and you will have a WordPress subdomain. However, you can choose to pay for premium upgrades to get more features, such as the ability to use custom themes and plugins.
WordPress.org
Meanwhile, WordPress.org is a self-hosted CMS, which means you need to download and install the software on your computer and find your own WordPress hosting provider. It’s the more advanced version of WordPress because it gives you more freedom to customize your website. However, you’re responsible for managing updates, backups, and security measures.
Ultimately, the best platform for you will depend on your needs and preferences. If you want more control over your website, then WordPress.org is a better choice.
Who Should Use WordPress?
The great thing about WordPress is that it’s accessible to everyone. Whether you’re a small business, a freelancer, or an online store owner looking to grow, you can create a professional and effective website that meets your specific needs. It’s suitable for both tech-savvy and beginners.
Learn more about how to use WordPress!
Get Your Business Online with WordPress
With its open-source code, supportive global community, and beginner-friendly platform, it’s no wonder WordPress is the most widely used content management system in the world. Its versatility makes it suitable for bloggers, small businesses, large enterprises, and virtually anyone looking to establish an online presence with ease.
When you’re ready to build a WordPress website, you’ll want to consider getting the right hosting provider to make sure you get the most out of the CMS. Fortunately, Web.com’s WordPress hosting provides servers and resources that are specifically optimized for WordPress websites. For more information, you can always check out our Guide to Getting Started With WordPress.
