What the Heck Is WordPress?
What is WordPress?
By definition: WordPress is an open source CMS, often used as a blog publishing application powered by PHP and MySQL. It has many features including a plugin architecture and a templating system. Used by over 12% of the 1,000,000 biggest websites, WordPress is the most popular CMS in use today. Source here.
So, what does all of this mean?
WordPress is one of the most popular content management applications on the web today. It started in 2003 as a simple blog engine, but has developed into a fully customizable website creation tool used by millions around the world.
WordPress is free to download and can be installed anywhere as the basis for an entire website. It has gained popularity due to its many features, such as their templating system, workflow, search-engine friendly link structures, and content categorization.
WordPress.com VS wordpress.org
WordPress.com is a free blog you can use to post content and create an online presence. This option makes it very easy for anyone to publish content online. With wordpress.com, you only worry about posting content. Premium hosting, security, and backups are included. You can choose from hundreds of themes, and integrate your social media.
WordPress.org is a self hosted, get your hands dirty option. You can custom install themes, edit CSS, change your blog to a website that is e-commerce, portfolio based, or business. You can even add plugins which add tons of functionality.
Which option do I choose?
If you are looking for a full blown custom website for your business or product, wordpress.org is the way to go. You can hire developers and designers and create the website your business needs to succeed. This option has endless possibilities.
However, if you do not care about the details and do not need a custom site, a free wordpress.com blog site is the way to go. You could even start out with this, and as your business grows and you gain revenue, you can switch over to a custom site.
What are the benefits of using WordPress?
Their templating system allows users to easily customize content on their website without having to touch code. It makes managing a website much easier for those who don’t have a background in web development.
It is also super user friendly. You can use it with little to no training, and you can teach your employees how to use it as well. Logging into your site and being able to update content in real time is a feature you don’t get with a traditional website design.
It also has virtually unlimited options to enhance your website. There are thousands of plugins you can install to add social media integration, e-commerce functionality, image galleries, and so much more.
WordPress is no longer just about blogging. Nearly 70 million websites run WordPress and it’s hard to understate the impact that the software has had on the world of digital publishing. Hundreds of high-profile websites, including blogs from CNN, The New York Times and Reuters, all use WordPress.
WordPress may be the route you want to take for your new website or you may want to switch your existing site to WordPress. WordPress is a great way to get your website up and running so you can reach your market and get the customers you need.
-Stay Creative
