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1. Introduction
At some point, users may have a query regarding their issues. WordPress is the perfect idea because there is a built-in feature that permits the user to post a question that will go undoubtedly to the company using the website. This feature is called comments and it will be sent via email, informing the website owner that there is a question that needs to be solved. This is very beneficial to the user and company. The comments resolution will be saved next to the question and there will be no chance of misinterpretation of the question.
WordPress is ideal because it is so easy to use. If a company does not have a technical person in their company, it is very easy to teach somebody new to maintain and update a WordPress website. This ease of use is possible because of the graphic interface that WordPress offers. With just a few easy steps, a person can upload a picture, document, video, etc. without adding any HTML or FTP. This is a lot easier than adding material to other website platforms. With WordPress, the information posted will be uploaded the exact way it was presented and nothing will alter. This is very valuable to the user because the quality and representation of what is posted is always maintained.
Development of a website is very vital these days. Nearly everyone has an online website and it may be for individual or professional intentions. By developing a good, easy-to-avail website, even individuals who are not technical smart can develop a website. Because of so many choices of platforms to construct a website, WordPress is a perfect choice for most people.
1.1 Easy to Use
WordPress has created a revolution in the realm of easy website creation. It is a healthy and dynamic system that anyone can use to create a stunning website. It is visibly one of the easiest and most influential tools that ensures a striking and appealing way of presenting websites. WordPress is simple and user-friendly, often leaving people puzzled about whether or not it is more than just a site engine. However, WordPress is widely used and is known as a web software called CMS (Content Management System).
WordPress is written in PHP and is backed by a MySQL database. It is used to manage and modify content, making it widely used in businesses. WordPress allows for easy navigation and is highly customizable, giving it an extra advantage. This means that even beginners can quickly and efficiently use the site.
1.2 Wide Range of Themes and Plugins
WordPress offers an extensive range of free as well as premium themes and plugins which help the users to align their website to their ideal preferences. Using these themes and plugins, there is no need to change the content of the website. Instead, these themes and plugins help to achieve the preferred view without any code alterations. The absence of altering the backend code prevents the developer from making a mistake which could pose an adverse effect on the website. The use of plugins also helps to extend the functionality of a website as there might be something the user wants to add, but there is no need to reinvent the wheel.
An example could be adding a date and time picker to a form. By using a plugin, the developer can save time by not needing to code from scratch and there is no need to troubleshoot for errors which could potentially occur during the development phase. With the saved time and risk prevention, it actually helps the developer to save costs. Combined, this allows websites built on WordPress to be highly flexible and customizable. This is a very important element for a website owner as it lets them make their website special and unique to others in order to attract more visitors and retain the existing ones. A unique website will give a good advantage in any type of competition.
1.3 Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Friendly
For too long, WordPress has had a reputation for producing SEO friendly websites. The long and short of it is that this perception is a reality. A well-configured WordPress site can give you an unparalleled opportunity to rank well in the search engines.
SEO is the practice of improving and promoting a website in order to increase the number of visitors the site receives from search engines. There are many aspects to SEO, from the words on your page to the way other sites link to you on the web. Sometimes SEO is a matter of making sure your site is structured in a way that search engines understand.
Search engine optimization (SEO) is considered to be the foundation of success for any website in today’s competitive online business environment. In the highly competitive world of the web, where every website is trying to rank well in the SERP, building a website that is SEO friendly makes it easier for the website to climb up the Google ranking.
2. Customization and Flexibility
There are many themes in the WordPress database, and there are many websites out there that offer custom themes. You can also upload themes to WordPress that are not in the database. One of the main benefits of using WordPress is the number of choices available to you when it comes to blog design. It doesn’t matter what you’re looking for, you’re sure to find a theme for you. You can also easily modify themes, coming up with a design of your own with no prior HTML or CSS knowledge.
Themes are extremely customizable, and a simple Google search will show you just how many free themes are available along with the ones that sell for a price. If you decide to move web hosts, a WordPress blog can be easily ported over to a new server. WordPress blogs are highly scalable. You can have hundreds of thousands of pages or blog posts on your site, and the performance of the site will not be compromised. In other words, you can have a small, basic site and work on it in your spare time that will one day be the next Facebook or Amazon. WordPress is used in many different ways, from simple websites to blogs to complex CMS websites. WordPress is not always used as a stand-alone site.
2.1 Customizable Designs
Sometimes when you hear about a tool that’s free to use, you might think, “Great, but what will I be missing out on?” Fortunately, that is not the case with WordPress. WordPress is all about functionality and customization, which is why it is so popular. Add on a theme like Thesis or a framework from WooThemes, and the options that you have for your design are now limitless. Take a look at the ControlPad section of DailyBlogTips, which offers free WordPress themes. These are simple themes that anyone could use, and the ControlPad shows how different the theme can look with a little knowledge and some effort. This is just a small example of what can be done. With the right knowledge and coding, it is possible to create a theme from scratch – the possibilities are truly endless. Add in the fact that changing your design is so easy to do, whether you decide to do it yourself or purchase a premium theme or service to do it for you – you can be confident that you won’t be stuck with the same design for the lifespan of your site. This would be hard to do with a website or blog that you have paid a designer to create with a platform other than WordPress.
2.2 Scalability and Expansion
Scalability is a significant factor considering the fast-paced changes in technology. In a fast-changing environment, businesses have to make sure that their websites are able to keep up with the times. Using WordPress’ built-in functionalities, adding new pages, blog posts, images, etc. on a regular basis is made possible. Because of this type of system, clients are able to make small changes on their own without having to go to the developer. If a client is using WordPress as a CMS and wishes to have a part of their site redone, it will save them a tremendous amount of time as they can redevelop the site using the existing design.
WordPress’ organized structure is also a great resource when it comes to determining what content is relevant to which page. In the long run, this makes it easier for clients to expand their website. If done right, the scalability aspect can have very positive effects on a company’s expansion. Owing to its simplicity and flexibility, WordPress is favored by the majority of web developers. No matter what the company size, whether for a small company, medium-sized company, or even for a large corporation, you will find an ideal solution to fit your needs. With WordPress’ wide array of features and offerings, it is definitely not just for small enterprises. Its scalability has attracted a large community of developers to create premium WordPress themes and plugins. Today, WordPress is used in so many different ways that it has surpassed the clients’ expectations of what a CMS should be.
2.3 Integration with Third-Party Tools
Most users of the WordPress platform are interested in the software because it offers the opportunity to run a website with minimal programming. Those who are not professional programmers, or who do not have any interest in becoming one, will find that WordPress is the perfect tool. Embracing the WordPress platform, website owners can easily access and administer the site, they can connect to the site from any internet access point, and save time on website maintenance. In comparison to other CMS and software options, maintenance time with WordPress is minimal.
This is largely because a developer is not required every time an edit is required to be made to the site. With the versatile nature of WordPress, it is simple to locate a plugin to achieve the same result, and in most cases, a user can do this without a requirement to understand how the plugin is functioning, saving time on potentially trying to decipher PHP functions at a later stage. The time saved may not seem significant at the time, however, over time the benefit becomes concrete. As a timeless piece of logic, time is money, saving time with website editing and maintenance will free up time to focus on the completion of more important tasks. This concept is perfect for small or medium-sized businesses seeking to move ahead in the competition with a higher quality website, and a cost-benefit analysis would surely show it to be a wise investment.
3. Cost-Effective Solution
Due to the system’s user-friendly interface and options to make real-time changes to a website, it will require less time and effort by developers when compared to hand coding a website. This ease of development and a vast amount of competition means that the cost of a custom WordPress website will be a similar price to that of a quality premium template! This point links closely to the next section of “3.2 Lower Development and Maintenance Costs”.
Owing to the success of WordPress, there are many web developers who have an excellent knowledge of the platform. This means that customers have the luxury of having many capable web developers and agencies to choose from – this competition drives down the cost of development. Furthermore, there are also many freelancers who solely specialize in WordPress development, which has no doubt led to its sustained growth and success. These freelancers often work from home and possess low overheads and, as a result, are willing to undertake similar development work to a WordPress agency at a lower cost.
From a financial perspective, one of the most significant benefits of WordPress is that it is cost-effective. WordPress is free to use and is an open-source content management system. This means users are able to make any changes to the source code to suit their requirements with no charge. Not only can WordPress be used totally free, it is a fully customizable web solution. As an open-source system, its framework and its myriad of plugins are free. These will, however, require to be installed by a knowledgeable web developer who may also be sourced at a relatively low cost. All these factors make it an extremely cost-effective solution for small to medium-sized enterprises.
3.1 Open Source and Free to Use
Open source is software that is built by a group of people, essentially meaning it is free and there is no license for the software. The code is available to modify to any user necessary. This is an advantage as it does not contain sensitive material for anyone that needs to install the software, and the public can gather all kinds of information. WordPress has a large scale of open source plugins available, which range from information to video display. Open source has a community based on its formation. The community is like the people behind the scenes, and with some big efforts and initiatives from its members, WordPress has been able to go far with the software. An open source community also means there is support for the software. All around, open source software is great, and its benefits are exemplified with WordPress.
The open source CMS is free, and the only cost incurred is for the domain and the web host. Even though you can always start with the bare minimum, a decent budget can get you a professional-looking WordPress website. It is also possible to convert your current website to a WordPress site. It might mean you hire people to do it, so that is your call. And it’s also possible to add onto your existing site with WordPress. This all really depends on your current situation. But with the cheaper costs, there really is nothing to lose to give WordPress a try. As can be seen in the spectrum, a simple personal website to a high-quality professional website, WordPress is at the top in terms of value.
3.2 Lower Development and Maintenance Costs
The maintenance expenses are minimized because the client can maintain it themselves in their own convenient time. Also, the administrative interface is solid in terms of smoothness and simplicity, which means it is very easy to navigate and get around. Usually, the client won’t have to contact the developer for small issues like adding a new page or editing an article. There are tons of resources available through which the client can easily do these. With the availability of a plethora of plugins, it is very convenient to add new features to the site. The client can even add new functionality without the help of a developer. This would not only save cost but also time.
Development costs for WordPress sites are relatively affordable compared to traditional websites. The reduced development cost is because of the easy-to-use and learn, user-friendly interface of WordPress. WordPress also offers the flexibility of hiring any PHP developer, whether a freelancer or a developer working for a company, to work on the website, which would cost less than other CMS development or even custom-built websites. Because the coding and technology are all open source, the availability of resources is immense. This also results in reduced maintenance costs, as the client is able to make small updates to the site without the need to hire a developer each time.
3.3 Access to a Large Community and Support
In addition to benefiting from WordPress being open source software and free to use, it also has a large community of developers and users who contribute to using the software, share WordPress tips, and help each other. When you get stuck and can’t find the answer, you just need to go to the forum and do a simple search, and you can find the answer you are looking for. When you can’t find the answer for your problem, you can also post the question to the forum. Members of the forum will gladly help you solve your problem. A large community also has many WordPress tutorials available free of charge and a service support where you can ask and hire someone to help you solve your problem. WordPress is often praised because of the large community that always gives support when someone faces a problem. In a community, of course, there are many people who have the same problem. This is what makes the benefits of using WordPress very efficient because with a problem that is not too specific, we can easily get the solution. This way of choosing a CMS can be a notable factor and also a consideration when someone has a problem in creating a website next time because the availability of support will greatly help the process of making a website.
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4. Security and Reliability
Outdated software is one of the most susceptible ways to create security breaches. This is dangerous as any developer around the world can corroborate. For developers, outdated software creates more security vulnerabilities and is often a leading reason as to why content management systems are hacked. The WordPress development team is constantly working to improve the software to make it less susceptible to attack. This remains a high priority for the WordPress development team. To actively combat security threats, they have built a security release into WordPress to deal with security issues. In most cases, their software is automatically updated securing the majority of WordPress users. Only with WordPress will you get an immediate fix it solution. Automated updates may not always be a good idea, especially when it comes to updating mission-critical web applications. However, the fact that WordPress is trying to make the web a safer place is a strong initiative to want to stay with them. The development team’s effort to strengthen security has been paying off. Over the last few years, WordPress has been more vigilant at identifying and resolving security issues. With the increase in popularity of WordPress, the software as a target has increased. WordPress is fully aware of this and has constructed a security team to address these new challenges.
4.1 Regular Updates and Security Patches
On the other hand, security patches are releases that are meant to fix security vulnerabilities and problems. This means that if you are informed about a security vulnerability on the system, you should always update your WordPress to the latest version. It is also wise to wait a week to see if any new problems emerge, because very rarely, a new update can introduce other problems. With that, it is also important to update the plugins to the latest version so that they will be compatible with the new WordPress version. Often, older plugins may not be compatible with the newer version of WordPress and as a result, may lead to the website malfunctioning. It may be wise to disable the plugin before updating, and then re-enable it after the plugins have been confirmed to be compatible. A method to locate the specifics on the security patches, updates and version compatibility for WordPress and its plugins is to visit the official site and documentation.
Firstly, regular updates are needed to maintain the security and reliability of the WordPress site. A WordPress site that is not updated is like a red flag to hackers and malicious software looking to infect your site. One of the reasons WordPress is targeted by attackers is because it has a large number of users. This makes it more important for the WordPress community to work together on improvements. In the past, we have seen that many websites powered by WordPress were attacked by worms and malware. These attacks can be prevented by ensuring the WordPress installation and plugin are always up to date. When a new version of WordPress is available, a notification will be shown at the top of the admin panel.
4.2 Backup and Restoration Options
Backing up and restoring the websites is simpler using WordPress. It can be done using tools provided by your hosting company or plugins provided by WordPress community. The popular plugins that can be used for backing up your website include WordPress Backup to Dropbox and BackUpWordPress. Both of them allow you to schedule regular backup for your website. Once you have successfully backed up your website, restoration of your website is also simple. Your website content can be restored using WordPress Importer. This is because when you back up your website, it creates .xml file that contains your website content. This .xml file can be easily imported to restore your website. In addition, you no longer need to send the .xml file to your web designer to restore your website if it is built with traditional HTML. This will save a lot of time, cost and increase the reliability of your website restoration.
4.3 Trusted and Used by Millions of Websites
There are more than 76.5 million weblogs out there in the World Wide Web, and if WordPress was an insignificant player, that number wouldn’t be so high. As it stands, the high number of sites utilizing WordPress also means that it is a more appealing target to hackers. In the past, when WordPress security was called into question, Matt Mullenweg, co-founder of WordPress, said “If a TV station gets hacked, no one blames the TV, they blame the security around the TV. That’s how I see the software, it’s a secure platform, but there will be people who try to exploit it, and we will constantly be closing the exploits.” This echoes the stance of many security professionals that no system will ever be completely secure, and it is not the vulnerability of an application that is the problem, but whether the developers of that application are taking the appropriate actions to identify and remedy security vulnerabilities. A system is only insecure if the developers neglect to take action, and that has never been the stance for the developers of WordPress. Throughout its history, they have consistently improved security, and have taken proactive measures to identify vulnerabilities before they become a problem. For example, the WordPress security team now includes more than 25 experts in different aspects of web security, and they work together to ensure that WordPress is as secure as it can be. This proactive approach to security is precisely what led to the recent partnerships with The HackerOne platform and the National University of Singapore, both of which aim to identify and address security issues. So long as WordPress continues to take security seriously, the platform will continue to be more secure than others which do not take security seriously, but that is not something that can be guaranteed indefinitely. Due to the nature of software and the internet, we cannot say what the future holds in terms of security, but as of now WordPress has a solid security track record.
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