Here at Corporate Three Design, we build almost all new sites using WordPress. We found that it’s a robust, flexible Content Management System, and it addresses the vast majority of our clients’ needs.
In the past, we used a proprietary CMS to build sites. While that system worked well for us, over time we found WordPress was a more attractive choice. We learned many clients are familiar with WordPress but have misconceptions about it.
In this post, I’ll explain why we love WordPress and try to clear up some myths we hear a lot.
C3D loves WordPress.
Lots of easy-to-use features.
The main reason we chose to migrate to WordPress is how feature-rich it is out of the box. Without any additional installs, WordPress can handle 80-90% of what our clients need.
From a user-perspective, the controls for these features are well thought-out. They offer lots of quality of life improvements. The user interface makes training clients to use their new site a simple process.
Editing WordPress sites is easy and relatively worry-free. There are lots of fail-safes to protect editors when managing their content.
Delete a page by accident? No problem, we can pull it out of trash.
Accidentally make a disastrous edit? That’s ok, we can roll the page back to an earlier revision.
WordPress has a whole community of developers working on developing and improving it. We’ve found this means WordPress can address many of the small, everyday challenges our clients had managing their websites. It’s easier and more effective than a most custom solutions we could create.
Highly-developed ecosystem
The other great thing about WordPress, though, is how extendable it is. There is a rich array of themes and plugins to extend the capabilities of any WordPress site.
If there’s a feature you wish your site had, chances are there is a plugin or theme for that. If anything, the amount of options you have for customizing your site can be dizzying at times. We developed a knowledge base that allows us to build our client sites with the right plugins for the job.
Common misconceptions about WordPress:
Aren’t WordPress sites insecure?
This is the most common myth we hear about WordPress sites, and like many myths, there is a small grain of truth in it.
Many, many sites run on WordPress, and that makes it an attractive target for attacks. Like any piece of software, your WordPress site is as secure as it is maintained. Successfully attacked WordPress sites aren’t updated regularly and could be running outdated code.
WordPress is easier to update than ever before. There is a large ecosystem of developers who find, patch, and update security vulnerabilities for WordPress. Keeping your WordPress site up to date with the latest, most secure version is often as simple as pressing a button once a month. And here at Corporate Three Design, we’re here to help with any maintenance or update issues you might have!
Isn’t WordPress just a site-builder like Wix or Squarespace?
Sites like Squarespace or Wix allow people with little to no experience to set up sites. The tools use pre-built templates to build their site, and then the company’s servers host the sites.
Similarly WordPress requires a little experience to start. With WordPress.com, you can use pre-built themes, and you can host your site on WordPress.com. But in contrast, WordPress’s software is free and open-source. This means you can download, install, and host wherever you like.
If you’re starting your project or business, a pre-built theme or template might be great for you. Getting something online fast is more important than creating a custom solution.
But if you have specific requirements you want your website to fulfill, you’re going to need custom development which will fall outside the scope of pre-built templates.
Isn’t WordPress old news by now?
It’s true that WordPress has been around for a while. And it’s true that there are other, newer CMS solutions with their own advantages and disadvantages. But WordPress is constantly being updated and improved. WordPress recently rolled out major updates, including a new and improved content editor.
The fact that WordPress is an established and well-known tool is a benefit, not a downside. If you need to hire a new marketing or content person, finding one that has experience in WordPress isn’t an issue. Similarly, if you find a new service you need for your business that you want to integrate into your website, chances are there is an existing WordPress solution.
Isn’t WordPress just for Blogs?
WordPress is designed for content management. One of the ways it became popular was as an easy tool for anyone to create a blog. But these days, WordPress powers many large sites, not just one-person blogs.
Roughly 29% of all websites on the web use WordPress, including big name sites like The New York Times and Bloomberg. WordPress has a first-party e-commerce platform that is used by many trusted brands. Even companies with dedicated web apps that aren’t built on WordPress will often still use WordPress for their marketing sites, because WordPress is a trusted and effective tool for the job.
If WordPress is free, why should I pay someone to make a WordPress site for me?
WordPress is free and open-source software, which is a large part of its appeal. Without question, given enough time, anyone can learn how to become a WordPress master for free, but WordPress is a tool. Like any tool, it takes time to learn how to use effectively, and there are different levels of proficiency.
If someone gave you a block of marble and put a chisel in your hand, how beautiful of a statue could you create? Would you want to use that statue to advertise your business?
At Corporate Three Design, we have spent years perfecting our WordPress installs. We can offer a much more complete, integrated, and reliable solution than you’re going to get from bargain-bin themes and hosting solutions.
And we’re happy to share our knowledge! We train our clients on WordPress, so that they feel confident and proficient managing their sites. WordPress is a big world with lots of options; you want to have a guide to help you find the right path for your business.
WordPress is a flexible and robust solution.
Not every site can or should be built on WordPress. It’s not a one-size-fits-all solution, but it is extremely adaptable. It meets the needs of many of our clients, and is often a massive improvement over their existing sites.
Here at Corporate Three Design, we’re WordPress experts. We can build a custom WordPress marketing site for you from scratch, get you set up with a robust WordPress-powered e-commerce solution, or even help take over managing your existing WordPress site.
Are you looking to get set up with your own WordPress site?
Corporate Three Design can help get you started on the right path with a new WordPress site for your business!
We work with businesses that are not afraid to take the next step.
Let’s put your marketing and website to work.