I have used WordPress for more than 15 years. Here is my experience

  • My first blog thewineandfoodreview.com was built on WordPress.
  • This blog is built on WordPress.
  • My fulltime job involves me using WordPress.

If you’re looking to build a website, whether it’s a personal blog, an online store, or a business website, you’ve likely come across WordPress. As the most popular Content Management System (CMS) in the world, WordPress powers over 40% of all websites on the internet. But why is WordPress the go-to choice for millions of users?

In this blog post, I’ll express why, as a Head of Marketing, I choose WordPress as the best CMS and why you should choose it for your website.

1. WordPress is free and open-source

One of the biggest advantages of WordPress is that it is completely free to use. You can download it from WordPress.org, install it on your web hosting, and start building your site without paying a dime.

Additionally, WordPress is open-source, meaning developers worldwide contribute to its improvement. This results in a constantly evolving platform with new features, updates, and security enhancements.

I used WordPress for free for years before I decided to go on a self hosted site.

2. Ease of use for Beginners

WordPress is known for its user-friendly interface, making it accessible to beginners without technical knowledge. The dashboard is intuitive, allowing users to create posts, add pages, install plugins, and customize their site without writing any code.

Moreover, the famous “What You See Is What You Get” (WYSIWYG) editor allows users to format their content effortlessly, similar to a word processor like Microsoft Word or Google Docs.

3. Highly customizable with themes and plugins

With thousands of free and premium themes available, WordPress enables you to design a website that suits your style and needs. Themes control the appearance and layout of your site, and they can be easily installed and customized.

In addition, WordPress boasts an extensive library of plugins, which add functionalities such as SEO optimization, security enhancements, contact forms, social media integration, and e-commerce capabilities. With over 50,000 plugins available, you can tailor your site exactly the way you want it.

4. SEO-Friendly for higher rankings

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is essential for driving traffic to your website, and WordPress is designed with SEO in mind. It generates clean code, has customizable permalinks, and supports SEO-friendly practices such as title tags, meta descriptions, and alt text for images.

Additionally, there are powerful SEO plugins like Yoast SEO and Rank Math, which help optimize your site further, ensuring you rank higher on search engines like Google.

5. Mobile responsiveness and compatibility

With a growing number of users accessing the internet via mobile devices, having a mobile-friendly website is crucial. Most WordPress themes are designed to be responsive, meaning they automatically adjust to different screen sizes for optimal viewing.

Additionally, you can use plugins like WPtouch to ensure a seamless mobile experience for your visitors.

6. Strong security features

Security is a top concern for website owners, and WordPress takes security seriously. With frequent updates, a strong development community, and security plugins like Wordfence and Sucuri Security, you can protect your website from cyber threats, malware, and hacking attempts.

While no platform is 100% secure, following best practices like using strong passwords, updating themes/plugins, and enabling two-factor authentication can keep your WordPress site safe.

7. Scalability for any type of website

Whether you’re starting with a small blog or planning to run a large e-commerce store, WordPress can scale with your needs. Many top websites, including TechCrunch, BBC America, and The New Yorker, run on WordPress, proving its ability to handle high traffic and complex functionalities.

As your website grows, you can upgrade hosting, use caching solutions, and integrate Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) to maintain fast performance and reliability.

8. E-commerce capabilities with WooCommerce

If you’re looking to sell products or services online, WordPress is an excellent choice, thanks to WooCommerce. This powerful e-commerce plugin transforms your site into a fully functional online store, allowing you to sell physical and digital products, manage inventory, process payments, and more.

With numerous WooCommerce extensions, you can customize your store, integrate multiple payment gateways, and optimize it for conversions.

9. Large and supportive community

I am part of WordPress community and one of WordPress’s greatest strengths is its vast community. Whether you need help troubleshooting an issue, finding a new theme, or optimizing your site, thousands of forums, tutorials, and WordPress groups are available to assist you.

The official WordPress Support Forums, YouTube tutorials, and developer communities ensure that you never feel stuck while working on your website.

10. Regular updates and continuous improvement

WordPress receives regular updates to improve security, fix bugs, and introduce new features. These updates ensure your site stays secure and functional with the latest web standards.

Additionally, many plugins and themes also receive frequent updates, providing new features and better compatibility with the latest WordPress version.

11. Flexibility for different types of websites

WordPress is not just for blogging! You can use it to create various types of websites, including:

  • Business websites
  • Online stores (eCommerce)
  • Portfolio websites
  • Membership sites
  • Forums
  • Learning management systems (LMS)
  • Non-profit and charity websites
  • And much more!

With the right plugins and themes, WordPress can adapt to almost any type of website requirement.

12. Multilingual capabilities

If you want to reach a global audience, WordPress supports multilingual websites. Plugins like WPML and Polylang allow you to translate your content into multiple languages, ensuring your site is accessible to users worldwide.

13. Easy content management

Managing content on WordPress is a breeze. You can schedule posts, create drafts, edit content easily, and organize articles using categories and tags.

The Gutenberg Block Editor, introduced in recent versions of WordPress, makes content creation even more flexible by allowing users to build pages using drag-and-drop blocks.

14. Cost-effective solution

Compared to hiring a web developer or using proprietary website-building platforms with monthly fees, WordPress offers a cost-effective solution. While you may invest in premium themes, plugins, or hosting, the overall cost is often lower than using other website builders with restrictive pricing models.

15. Ownership and control over your Wwebsite

With WordPress, you have full ownership and control over your website and data. Unlike website builders such as Wix or Squarespace, which host your site on their platform, WordPress allows you to choose your hosting provider, migrate your site freely, and make any modifications you want.

Conclusion

WordPress is the ultimate CMS, offering flexibility, ease of use, scalability, and extensive customization options. Whether you’re a beginner looking to start a blog or a business owner building a professional website, WordPress provides the tools and support you need to succeed.

With its vast community, robust security, and SEO-friendly features, WordPress continues to be the best choice for website creation. So, if you’re planning to start a website, there’s no better time to choose WordPress and experience its power firsthand.

Do you already use WordPress, or are you planning to start? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below.