In today’s digital world, every business benefits from an online presence. But not every business needs a WordPress website. Before I explain why WordPress might not be the right choice for your business, we need to cover some background information.
What is WordPress?
First, it’s important to know what Worpdress is. WordPress is an open source content management system [CMS]. Let’s explore what those keywords mean exactly.
What is a CMS?
A CMS is software designed to be an interface between you and your website. It is created so that there is no need for a user to understand or write html, css, php or javascript code. The interface enables anyone to edit, update and style their website.
What is Open Source Software?
Open source refers to software that is created in a manner where the code is designed to be publicly accessible—anyone can see, modify, and distribute the code as they see fit. This has many pros and cons.
Open Source Drawbacks
Pros of open source software:
- Initial cost – FREE!
- Reliability – thousands of developers are constantly improving and updating the code while hundreds of thousands of users are implementing the software so that any bugs or issues are quickly identified and resolved.
- Longevity – continual evolution is available because the software is not tied to the success of a specific business, and anyone in the community of users can continue to develop and publish updates and new versions.
- Security – bugs and security holes are usually identified and patched quickly
- Flexibility – open sources gives developers the freedom to modify the software in a way that suits a clients/business/users needs.
Cons of open sources software:
- Long term costs – users who do not take certain precautions (like automatic backups or malware scanning) will incur costs down the road if their site breaks or is hacked since resolving those issues is entirely up to the user.
- Support – there is no dedicated customer support, you can access help from online support communities, but there is no guarantee your issue will be addressed or resolved.
- Security – since everyone has access to the source code, hackers can study it to find and exploit security vulnerabilities. Additionally, although the chances are slim, it’s possible that a developer could slip malicious code into the repository/source code.
Who is and isn’t a good candidate for a WordPress website.
According to Kinsta:
WordPress is the world’s most popular content management system powering 34% of all websites on the internet. On top of that:
WordPress has a 60.8% market share in the CMS market
With stats like that, it’s no wonder WordPress so popular! Although Worpdress is highly regarded and used, it’s not always a good choice for everyone. For example, clients who regret building a WordPress site typically can be described as:
- Busy, short on time or have demanding commitments (work, life, family)
- Running/launching a business by themselves
- No dedicated, full time, office staff
- Not ‘web savvy’ or ‘tech savvy’
Another thing to consider – if you’re main method of client acquisition is word of mouth, WordPress is probably not the most cost-effective online presence for you. A static html website will be more secure and budget friendly.
Who IS a good candidate for a WordpPress website?
If you own/run a small business that is poised to grow and you want to utilize the internet to gain more clients, then WordPress might be a good choice, for example:
- You plan to use Pay-per-click marketing
- You want to utilize SEO rankings
- You want to conduct business online: ex- sell products or book appointments
- You have dedicated staff that can updated/manage the website
- You have the time/bandwidth to manage the site yourself
- You are familiar with web design/development / coding
As I mentioned, it’s essential that all business have an online presence, but WordPress is not always the right solution. For businesses who gain new clients primarily by word of mouth, you really only need an online brochure.
You can have a beautiful, responsive website without WordPress, here are a few examples:
Need an online presence?
If you need an online presence and you’re not sure if WorpdPress is the right choice for you, give me shout. I won’t sell you something you don’t need. I will take into consideration your business goals along with your personal availability, capabilities, and employees to help you determine the most effect and budget friendly option for your business.