It’s no secret that a key to small business success is a strong online presence. In order for a company to have an ounce of credibility no a days, they must exist on the internet. Luckily, there is no shortage of website building platforms that small businesses can use to create a stunning home base. Learn more with Ysais Austin SEO firm.
WordPress is the Most Popular Platform Today
Though it’s great to have options, it can be a bit overwhelming to choose which platform is right for your small business. WordPress is without a doubt the most customizable and most widely used option. Let’s take a look at some pros and cons to using this platform.
The Pros On Using WordPress
WordPress can be as simple or as complicated as you want it to be. The sites can be as simple as a well designed one page with basic company information, or it could be an in depth blog. It can also be used as an online store. With WordPress, you truly have full control over your website. You own your own files and data, which isn’t always true with other website building platforms.
Due To Its Popularity, There Are Endless Resources
WordPress is widely accepted and used by countless website builders and its also been around for a while. Because of its history, people have created plugins and add-ons which allow you to further customize your site. Similarly, there is an endless supply of WordPress themes, many of which are free, that you can upload to your dashboard and create the perfect look and feel for your site.
Communication with your Customers & Audience Is Important
Also due in part to the popularity, third-party email providers like Mailchimp have created tools to integrate with your WordPress theme. This allows you to really decide which method of email marketing works best for you business. Whether it be Mailchimp for subscribers or another email marketing platform, this is a feature that certainly shouldn’t be overlooked.
WordPress is Very User Friendly
It’s important to note that WordPress is very user friendly when it comes to engagement. You have full capability to reply to comments left on blog posts. Other blogging platforms like Wix do not have a reply feature which is very important when establishing engagement.
The Cons On Using WordPress
Site Security
Because you are responsible for your entire website, that means you are responsible for things like security. This is not an area to skimp on. Trust us, you want your data and contact information protected, otherwise you could risk having your information stolen. Similarly, you are also responsible for backing up your data in case of a system crash.
You’re also responsible for installing updates for plugins and extensions when they are released. Failure to do so can result in portions of your website crashing or not displaying properly.
No Drag and Drop website builder
Website building platforms like Wix are largely popular because of their drag and drop website building platform. It allows for easy customization. WordPress does not automatically come with this function. Though coding knowledge is not necessary, some basic codes could prove useful in the overall design of your site.
Also, worth noting, there are plugins like Beaver Builder which provide a drag and drop customization per page. They offer a “lite” version with basic modules and row designs and they also offer a “premium” paid version with just about every customization you can think of.
Conclusion
This breakdown is really just the tip of the iceberg in discussing the benefits and downsides to WordPress. However, from personal experience, WordPress truly is a fantastic option for small businesses looking to build a website. There’s endless online support, it’s SEO(Search engine optimization) compatible, easy to manage once you have it up and running, and with the right plugins and extensions, its quite safe and secure. WordPress is a time investment, but if your small business is looking for website longevity, WordPress is well worth it.
