You might not be aware, but WordPress powers over 30 percent of the total websites all over the globe. Remarkable, isn’t it?
More interesting is that it powers everything from multi-tiered, complex websites of big organisations (such as NBC, Time Inc, Sony, and more) to small personal blogs. And do you want to know the best thing about using WordPress for creating websites? It is the only website developer and CMS platform that is entirely free for download and use! We know all of it sounds too good to be true, but believe it or not, it’s real.
But it’s not all a bed of roses. WordPress might be widely used globally for web development, but it does have its good share of shortcomings.
So, if you are wondering whether you should use WordPress or not, you have come to the right place for all the right answers. In this in depth WordPress review, we’ll look at everything you need to know about this platform, from what it is to its pros and cons.
So, without any more delays, let’s begin.
What Is WordPress?
Simply put, WordPress is a website builder used widely all over the world. Although it launched as a simple blogging platform over two decades ago in 2003, it has grown tremendously and evolved into a content management platform today.
Additionally, the platform can be used to create different kinds and sizes of websites for various purposes. Another thing to note is that when you create a site through WordPress, it can’t be suspended by anybody due to censorship or terms of service violation. Similarly, the website can easily (and freely) be customised to meet your requirements without any form of limitations.
Pros & Cons of Using WordPress for Web Development
To help you make an informed decision, in this WordPress review, we have decided to highlight both the good and the bad of this widely used platform.
Benefits of Using WordPress
High flexibility and versatility
Even though WordPress was initially launched to promote small blogging pursuits, but since its inception, it has come a long way and now powers a plethora of sites with versatile purposes.
The platform can be used to create and run a website for blogging enthusiasts, medium enterprises, and giant conglomerates. In addition to this, the platform enables users to showcase their product portfolio, create social groups, host podcasts, and even eCommerce stores.
Countless theme options
Another significant benefit of WordPress is that it offers multiple theme templates to website developers, irrespective of their experience. Website developers can choose from a myriad of themes to perfect the appearance and functionality of their new pages.
Please note that most of these themes can be instantly downloaded through the platform’s theme directory. Nonetheless, there are several more options available through third-party designers and design marketplaces for a minimal fee.
Easy website upgrades
This is probably one of the major factors behind WordPress’s budding popularity. For years, web developers have sought a platform that allows easy site upgrades. WordPress finally heard their plea and offered a solution. Once a site is designed and developed on this platform, it’s almost effortless to add new images, posts, web pages, and more.
In-built content optimisation
Unlike most web developing platforms, WordPress offers an in-built search and SEO (search engine optimisation) feature to its users. For those of you who don’t know much about SEO, just know that searchability and SEO play a massive role in making sites rank high on search engine result pages.
Due to this unrivalled feature, websites created via WordPress tend to rank higher on Google largely because it continually updates keywords and involves several plug-ins and tools for search and content optimisation.
Drawbacks of Using WordPress
Just like everything else in this world, WordPress also has some shortcomings. Here are some of them:
- As it’s “open source,” the websites made through this platform can be vulnerable to hackers and face security issues.
- If the site updates on WordPress are not appropriately done, the site could crash and stop working indefinitely.
- If you seek additional features, you will need many plug-ins, which can be a bit of a hassle.
- It has a slow page speed, considering all the oversaturated codebases/databases and added plug-ins.
- WordPress websites can go down without any prior notice.
Should You Use WordPress for Web Development?
We won’t be mincing words anymore.
But if you ask us, WordPress is a decent platform to create a website, especially if you are new to the task.
Here are some of the good reasons to use WordPress for web development:
- It is entirely free to use.
- It is super simple to use.
- It offers numerous plug-ins that can come in handy for specialised use.
- It can easily be customised to meet every user’s unique needs and requirements.
- It has a directory of a plethora of theme templates (mostly for free).
- It has in-built tools for content and search engine optimisation
- It allows for effortless website upgrades.
- And most importantly, anyone can develop a unique website through it with little to no prior knowledge about programming and codes.
On the other hand, we can’t deny that these pros come along with many drawbacks mentioned earlier. So it is best to consider what you need the most and what you are willing to sacrifice before making a choice.
WordPress Review: Conclusion
WordPress is indeed an incredible and empowering platform to create, launch and manage websites of all sizes. Moreover, it’s not only extremely easy to use and navigate, but it also offers excellent flexibility that can enable users to expand and enrich their website as their business thrives. But we can’t deny that the benefits come with some drawbacks as well. So, be wise and think deeply before making a final decision.
