Of course, you are familiar with a website, to build a website the developer uses a platform called WordPress. WordPress was launched in 2003 and has powered more than 60 million websites to date.
So,
What Is WordPress?
WordPress is an open-source content management system (CMS). This is a popular tool for individuals without any coding experience who want to build websites and blogs. This software does not cost anything. Anyone can install, use, and modify it for free.
Here are two important things needed to have a working WordPress backend on your website:
- WordPress Core
The WordPress core consists of files and code required for WordPress installation. Without WordPress core, your website will not work. This needs to be installed before anything else. - Databases
There needs to be a database that supports your website too. Luckily, most good hosting providers, like SiteGround or Cloudways, come with a one-click WordPress installation. During this installation, they automatically generate a database for your website.
Why Use WordPress?
In fact, more than 40% of all online websites use WordPress. Here are a few reasons why WordPress is so popular:
- WordPress is open source. This means that anyone can modify the source code and redistribute the software. It is designed so that people can contribute their ideas to improve the platform. There is an open-source community that helps make WordPress better.
- WordPress is easy to use for beginners. WordPress users don’t need a computer engineering degree. This is actually made for non-technical people. The user interface is intuitive and friendly. To add a new design to your website, you can simply download the theme. If you need to add new functionality, such as a contact form, just install a plugin. Web development tasks that would normally take hours to complete can be completed in minutes.
- WordPress is SEO-friendly. Just building a WordPress site is not enough. You want people to find and visit your website through search engine optimization. With an SEO plugin, like Yoast SEO, you can improve your rankings with internal link suggestions and meta description templates.
- WordPress supports all media types. WordPress does not limit any major media types. So, you can use any combination of text, images, and videos on your website. it’s good to know that this platform gives you creative freedom.
- WordPress is safe. Security is a major concern for businesses. With so many data breaches occurring every year, you want peace of mind that your data (and your customers’ data) will be protected. As long as you keep your plugins updated and your passwords remain safe, WordPress is one of the safest and most secure CMS platforms. The platform offers several features to protect your website, such as logging out idle users and adding two-factor authentication.
- WordPress is free to use. WordPress is completely free. It doesn’t cost you anything to use this software. However, you will have to pay a third-party hosting provider to make your website available online
WordPress.org vs. WordPress.com
Even though they both come from the same source, they have some notable differences. But in short, WordPress.com is completely separate from WordPress.org. This is a hosting plan provided by the creators of WordPress.org, Automatic, and is a suitable solution for beginner bloggers. WordPress.com is much more limited than WordPress.org, with more rules for ad placement, themes, plugins, and more.
WordPress.org, however, refers to the open-source WordPress software that you can install on any website you create, regardless of the hosting provider you choose. You also own the website and its data, and you can easily transfer it to another host if you want. It is the most widely used content management system (CMS) in the world and is highly customizable.
What Kind of Websites Can You Build With WordPress?
Let’s go through some of the most popular options WordPress is used for.
Business
A business website gets more out of WordPress, in many cases having more pages and posts than the average blog or personal site and requiring additional functionality.
You can choose the website theme that best suits what you want to achieve and then customize it according to your brand. Page builders like Elementor and Divi make the layout process even easier. With plugins for SEO, lead capture, analytics, and more, you’ll be able to integrate and grow your business using WordPress.
E-commerce
WordPress is great for creating online stores. With an e-commerce plugin like WooCommerce, you can manage products, payments, and shipping on the back end while your visitors have a great shopping experience on the front end.
Blogs
When WordPress was introduced in the early 2000s, it was primarily a blogging platform. Therefore, it is an excellent platform to communicate your message. You can write and publish posts in minutes and easily share them on your social media platforms for greater exposure. While there are other blogging platforms, such as Blogger and Medium, none of them are as customizable.
Portfolios
Using WordPress to showcase your work is a great choice if you are a photographer, graphic designer, or web developer. WP allows you to embed videos, image galleries, and other media, so creating a portfolio website is a breeze. You can use a general WordPress theme to display your work or a portfolio theme.
Membership Sites
WordPress is a great choice if you want to build a membership site. Through a membership plugin like MemberPress, you can create membership levels, assign content to those levels, and make money.”You’ll be able to manage payments, set member levels, and monitor signups.
There are many more things we need to discuss about WordPress, starting from hosting and the resources that build your WordPress. We will explain them one by one in each subsequent post. The conclusion is that WordPress is an easy and free platform that anyone can use to build their website.
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