The question always arises when starting a web project if using WordPress is our best option. These doubts usually revolve around the fact that we want an exclusive design, personalized functionalities, having an efficient and fast-loading site, that is responsive, etc.
In this article, we are going to delve a little into the use of WordPress for our developments. The first thing we must clarify before entering the subject is that although WordPress for many years was considered a platform for blogs, it has evolved to become a very complete CMS.
Due to this evolution of WordPress, the creation of web pages of large companies, news portals or online stores, among other options, has also been used for a long time.
There are two versions of WordPress available, the full version, WordPress.org, as downloadable software that is installed on hosting with its own domain; and the web-based version, free but with more limitations, WordPress.com.
Now, what is a CMS?
CMS is the acronym for Content Management System or Content Management System in Spanish. As its name indicates, it is a platform that allows us to manage the contents of our website. Therefore, a CMS is a tool with which to create, manage and publish all kinds of information on a web page or blog.
WordPress is the most popular option on the market, the king of CMS. WordPress is a simple and flexible platform with many possibilities. It is the favorite choice of many developers since it is easy to use and its learning curve is not as high as that of other CMS such as Magento, Drupal or self-developed content managers.
Advantages and disadvantages of WordPress CMS
Below, we will detail some of the advantages and disadvantages of WordPress:
Advantages of WordPress
Design and templates
WordPress has a wide range of customizable free and paid templates with which to design your website, which although they are a way to start your website, they are not the best option.
It is always recommended to hire the services of a company to create your own web template from scratch, with the design and functionality tailored to your needs.
Search engine optimization
In the SEO theme, WordPress is a highly recommended platform. You can install specific plugins such as the famous All in One SEO Pack or WordPress SEO by Yoast. Also, in the administration panel, you can configure the links for your content.
SEO also depends largely on the way your template is programmed, this is another reason why looking for a company to develop your template in compliance with established standards.
Programming
It is open-source software that allows web developers to create their own plugins or plugins to increase the functionality of the platform. The WordPress CMS is in continuous growth.
Plugins
Plugins are complements that allow you to increase the possibilities of your page as much as you want. WordPress has thousands of plugins with which you can, for example, install an online chat, integrate buttons to share content or create surveys. Although keep in mind that it is not good to abuse the use of plugins, excessive use makes the page slow.
Disadvantages of WordPress
On the other hand, like any platform, it also has its cons. Here are some of the disadvantages:
Resource consumption
WordPress can consume a large number of resources, the excessive use of plugins, or the use of templates (paid or free), usually cause many queries to the database and load many scripts on each page that is opened.
This will not be a problem if you choose a suitable hosting, and you have accounts with the experience of professionals in the development area who take care of the performance of your website.
Maintenance
Requires constant updating of the software version. Legacy maintenance-free plugins and installations can be turned into security holes, leaving the platform exposed to hacker attacks.
If you choose to create your website, you must ensure that updates are made automatically. On the other hand, it is advisable to make regular backups, with which you can recover our website if necessary.
WordPress as CMS: Main Features
By way of summary, we can say that the main features of WordPress are:
- It is a simple platform that any user can manage, regardless of their prior knowledge.
- No programming or web design knowledge is necessary to make a web page, although it is highly recommended to have the support of professionals in the area.
- Installation and configuration are very simple.
- They adapt to any type of web page.
- Includes the option to increase the capabilities and possibilities of your website through plugins.
- Maintenance and updates can be done by yourself, without resorting to third parties.
- This CMS has simple options to improve the position in search engines like Google.
If you have questions about using WordPress as a CMS for your next project, contact our Customer Service team.
Let’s co-create a wonderful project together!
