WordPress has been around for decades, serving the market as one of the most trustworthy website development platforms online. While initially it was dedicated to blogging sites, WordPress expanded and became a versatile interface that allows users and developers to create seamless and high-quality websites of all kinds - including eCommerce platforms!
The countless extensions and plug-ins facilitate the addition of all kinds of unique website features, and the stock is continually growing, thanks to the efforts of open-source devs.
With unlimited customization, incredible convenience of use, and a powerful backing of community support - WordPress is definitely the right choice for website development, especially for your business!
Checklist
What kind of projects is WordPress used for?
You might have heard that WordPress is a blogging platform but it’s a common misconception. WordPress can be used for any type of project and its dynamic features have popularized its use amongst website developers. At one point in time, WordPress was developed as a blogging platform, but that has changed drastically with the various new releases over the years.
In fact, WordPress is at an advantage due to its blogging roots. It’s by far one of the cleanest, fastest ways to write and publish blog posts, and that’s all included right from the start. Some website building tools think about design and apps first, then the blogging interface comes in as an afterthought.
That’s not the case with WordPress, so you can create a beautiful eCommerce site and know that the blog is an integral part of the development process.
The list is endless, but here’s a taste of the types of websites you can make with WordPress:
- Blogs
- Business Websites
- Website Portfolios
- Forums
- eCommerce sites
- eLearning Platform
- Job Boards
- Business Directories
- Headless CMS
- Custom Design
Blogs
The example below is a personal blog site. Kaberi Gayen, is a writer, a critical thinker, an activist, and above all – a human being. Kaberi Gayen is a Bengali academic, author, and social activist known for her outspoken views on the oppression of minorities and gender inequality in Bangladesh. This website is built with a theme, customized with many plugins like Elementor, contact form 7, Wordfrence Security, Wp Rocket, etc.
Real Estate Website with Custom Design
WordPress can make a beautiful Real Estate Website With Custom Design. For example, the website for JCX Developments Ltd., a reputable real estate company in Bangladesh, was created using WordPress to showcase their contemporary designs of large-scale Residential, Commercial, and Condominium projects in Bangladesh.
Headless CMS
A headless CMS, also known as headless software or headless system, is any type of back-end content management system where the content repository, the “body,” is separated or decoupled from the presentation layer, the “head.” What this means is that a headless CMS allows you to manage content in one place and still be able to deploy that content across any front end you choose. This is key to omnichannel strategies because it lets you integrate content into any system, software, or website just by calling the APIs the Headless CMS exposes.
We can use WordPress as a Headless CMS. For Example Shanta LifeStyle, a concern of Shanta Holdings used the Headless CMS to create a user-friendly aesthetic website.
What are the Benefits of WordPress to Create a Stunning Website
WordPress is a Content Management System (CMS) and was originally designed for blog websites two decades ago. Over time, its flexibility and ease of use have made it a popular choice for building and modifying websites amounting to almost 40% of the online platform.
Let’s have a look at some features of WordPress that help to create stunning business websites.
Building a website has never been easier. By using the right platform, you’ll get access to functionality that can make the process much simpler.
Free and Open Source
Open-source software is free, which means you can use it for any type of project you want, be it commercial or otherwise. wordpress.com and wordpress.org both are completely free to use. But it’s important to know the differences between WordPress.org and WordPress.com
Functionality – WordPress.com vs. WordPress.org
WordPress.com is a service that helps you to build a website using WordPress software with managed hosting, while WordPress.org is the source where you can download the software itself, which you can use to build and maintain a website on your own. At WordPress.org you can:
- Download a free copy of the open-source WordPress Software.
- Learn about WordPress.
- Get involved and contribute to the development of WordPress.
- Meet other WordPress users and participate in the WordPress Community.
Accessibility
There are millions of websites out there, and WordPress powers more than 40% of them, with over 500+ new sites using WordPress being created everyday, and those numbers are only getting larger.
With such a massive user base, you can be sure that WordPress developers aren’t going to stop developing it any time soon. That means choosing this CMS ensures you’ll always have access to updates that make your site more secure and add new features to it. Plus, there’s a robust community of developers working within the WordPress ecosystem. For example, there are more than 55,000 plugins you can access for free at WordPress.org
Likewise, there are thousands of themes to choose from, which gives you full control over your site’s style. That doesn’t even include premium plugins and themes, of which there are plenty as well if you don’t mind investing.
Ease of Use
WordPress is quite easy to use for beginners. It comes with a simple dashboard with different menu options listed in the sidebar. You can easily create pages and posts, customize your website design and menu, and make your themes and plugins.
WordPress makes it easy for absolute beginners to maintain their websites without any technical hiccups. First, there are updates. WordPress regularly releases core WordPress updates that you can install with the click of a button. The same goes for WordPress plugins and themes which release their updates.
For backups, there are excellent WordPress backup plugins (many of them are free). They allow you to set up automatic backups and store them on a remote location like Google Drive or Dropbox.
Finally, there is security. With some basic WordPress security best practices, you can make your website even more secure which we will discuss further down in this article.
SEO Friendly
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is all about making sure your website gets the traffic it deserves from the likes of Google, Bing, Yandex, etc. WordPress is known for having SEO built into the platform. WordPress automatically generates title tags and meta descriptions for all of your pages and posts. This lets search engines know about your content, and it will get you indexed and potentially moved up in the rankings. As with everything in WordPress, there are also more advanced features offered by plugins and online tools. Here are some SEO favorites to consider:
With WordPress, you get access to a lot of powerful SEO plugins, such as Yoast SEO, All in One SEO Pack, The SEO Framework, and more.
You don’t need to use an SEO plugin, but in our experience, they help a lot when it comes to making sure you’re not missing anything.
Community Network
We already talked about just how popular WordPress is in numbers. However, it’s also worth mentioning that there’s a thriving community of people who use the platform (and not just developers).
To give you an idea of what’s out there, take a look at WordCamps. These are worldwide events where you can sign up to network with other WordPress enthusiasts, and listen to some of the most experienced people in the field.
Likewise, a quick search will reveal thousands of online communities built around WordPress itself. That means if you ever have a question on any aspect of using the CMS, you’ll have plenty of people you can turn to for answers.
Dynamic Features
A major reason people use WordPress is that you can extend the functionality to make it an extremely advanced site that does all sorts of cool things. Or, you can add just a few things to make it simple. Additionally, you can do this by installing WordPress plugins. These tools let even beginners build the website of their dreams!
WordPress comes with access to an extensive gallery of free themes that users can choose from at any time to set or change the look and functionality of a site. Beyond that, anyone can buy and install a custom WordPress theme created by designers from all over the world.
WordPress can also be tailored for a variety of additional functions with a long list of plugins that add features, such as online storefronts, magazine layouts, and galleries to a basic WordPress theme. WordPress Plugins can also be purchased from third-party developers and installed through the site’s WordPress dashboard. Site owners can mix and match plugins to fine-tune the site and extend its features, and even inexperienced users can install and start using with only a few clicks.
Woocommerce Integration Option
If you’re building an eCommerce website to sell things online, you can easily convert your website into a store with a simple WooCommerce plugin.
A popular choice for many online store owners is WooCommerce. This explains why WordPress is so popular for eCommerce websites: WordPress integrates perfectly with WooCommerce, as it was built with a WordPress foundation!
Endless Options for Design and Customization
Another reason to consider using WordPress for your small business website is the number of different WordPress themes out there.
A WordPress theme will help change what your website looks like. Picking and tweaking a theme to your liking is one of the most exciting parts of building a website.
It’s great because you get to put your brand and personality into the design and make it your own. And of course, many WordPress themes make it easy for even non-technical people to change the look of their websites.
Scalability
One of the most challenging aspects of running a website is scaling it. The more content you publish and the more traffic you get, the bigger the strain becomes on your CMS.
Choosing a quality web host is key to scaling your website and making sure it always feels fast. However, the CMS you use also plays a significant role. WordPress, for example, powers some of the most popular sites on the web, so you know in advance that scaling won’t be an issue.
Keep in mind, though — if you want to keep your website blazing fast, you’ll need more than the right web host and CMS. You’ll also have to do some maintenance work, but the results are well worth the effort.
Security
No CMS or website is 100% secure. New security threats are always popping up, so it’s essential to use a platform that takes online safety seriously.
If you want to run a tight ship, the single best thing you can do is make sure WordPress is always up to date. That includes the CMS itself, as well as any additional components you use (such as themes and plugins).
WordPress is always pushing out new updates and security patches, so by updating your site, you’ll be a step ahead of everyone else. If you want to secure your website even further, you can look into using a web host that takes security seriously.
There are a lot of additional steps you can take to secure your site as well, including enforcing strong passwords and implementing Two-Factor Authentication (2FA). However, all that effort might go to waste if you use a platform that’s not secure out of the box.
In general, WordPress is a safe and secure platform. But it doesn’t mean you’re completely vulnerable to malicious attacks, hackers, and malware on your website.
Fortunately, WordPress makes it easy for you to enhance your site’s security with features like password protection for folder contents.
Keeping your WordPress version up to date will also fight off bugs and potential security threats.
It’s also easy to enable an SSL certificate for your WordPress site. Most of the time you can just get this from your web hosting service.
This is a simple and effective way to enhance your WordPress website security.
Furthermore, there are additional steps you can take to beef up your site’s security. We’d recommend installing a WordPress security plugin.
Adding one of these to your site is like building a moat around your house. Sure, doors might be locked, but the added layer will make it even harder for intruders to break through your walls.
You can also take proactive steps by installing a WordPress backup plugin.
In the event your site is somehow compromised, you don’t want to lose all of your content and data. A plugin will make it easy for you to recover your website if something goes wrong.
Content Management
WordPress has a lot going for it. Currently, this CMS powers over 40% of the web, and it keeps picking up new users. In many cases, people choose WordPress because it’s an easy platform to use if you’re new to web development.
However, WordPress also has a lot to offer if you have experience building websites. It’s entirely customizable, and its plugin and theme systems can enable you to build almost any type of site you’d like.
If you’re ready to give WordPress a go, you’ll want to pick the right hosting provider to make sure you get the most out of this CMS. Fortunately, DreamHost offers a great selection of web hosting plans that are tailored to WordPress users!
Universal Dashboard
The WordPress dashboard helps make it easy to learn and gets rid of extra confusion. That’s because the WordPress dashboard is universal and looks the same to everyone. Even when you add other plugins and change the available menu options (where you go to access a lot of your plugins). And it’s great because it’s flexible.
You can customize your dashboard to prioritize the details you want to see when you sign in to the backend of your website. For example, you can see daily stats, new posts, recent comments, and more.
This dashboard lets you keep track of what’s happening with your WordPress website.
Rest API
Most of what we talked about has been geared toward WordPress beginners. But the platform has plenty of advanced features as well.
If you’re a developer, you’ll be happy to know that WordPress has a REST API, which allows you to build apps using the platform.
For example, you could create a custom plugin for a new administrative dashboard experience. Or maybe you want to make changes to the front end.
With the WordPress REST API, you’re not forced to write apps in PHP. You can use any programming language that can make HTTP requests.
Even if you have no idea what I’m talking about here, it may be something that you learn or become interested in down the road. Or maybe you’ll eventually work with a developer to create an application. Either way, it’s nice to know that this is an option at your disposal if you use WordPress.
Speed Optimization
Slow websites are useless. WordPress knows this, so it has specific features and elements that you can take advantage of that will speed up your website.
For example, you can install a lightweight theme that won’t weigh down your code. You could add a plugin to reduce the size of your image files.
Take advantage of options for Gzip compression, advanced caching, and minifying CSS and JS files.
If you use tools like the examples I just gave, you can drastically reduce your website page loading speed. This will ultimately reduce your bounce rates, improve the user experience, and increase conversions to your WordPress site.
Wrap Up
Building a website has never been easier but using WordPress, you’ll get access to functionality that can make the process much simpler.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How much does it cost to develop a website using WordPress?
The cost of WordPress development varies greatly depending on the situation. If you are planning to make it yourself, it can cost as low as $100. However, if you hire professionals to make a stunning and complex website, it can cost up to and beyond $3,000.
How long does it take to develop a website using WordPress?
Building a website on WordPress is super easy. It can take as little as 24 hours to set up a basic website! However, if you want a powerful website, you need to give it some time.
How to buy hosting services if I make a website myself on WordPress?
The length to complete a WordPress website development varies on multiple factors containing the complexity of your project and the scope of work mentioned in the agreement.