Last Updated on by Michael Brockbank
Over the years, I’ve dealt with a variety of content management systems. Out of everything I’ve ever used, I have grown to be an ardent fan of WordPress blogging. I wouldn’t say I’m a “fan boy,” but there are many reasons why I prefer this system over others.
Back in 2008, I was a strong proponent of Joomla. Everything I developed centered around it. After experimenting with WordPress for a past client, I’ve grown to love the platform and now use it almost exclusively.
[adrotate banner=”8″]
It’s All About Personal Preference
I can’t say that WordPress is the best system out there. It’s all relevant to a person’s point of view. For example, I know a lot of people who love Drupal – although I despise that CMS.
With that being said, the following is based purely on personal experience of 10 years and the many things I’ve done to help clients. You may or may not have a similar experience.
What Makes WordPress Blogging Ideal for Me?
In the world stage, WordPress holds nearly 60% of the market share for content management systems. Considering how there are more than 90 different CMS platforms you can use, this is quite an accomplishment.
Everyone has their cup of tea when it comes to setting up a website. For the longest time, I was a purist and had to code everything manually. Today, it’s simply faster to use a CMS as opposed to typing in lines and lines of code.
At any rate, here are the finer points of WordPress blogging for myself.
1. Easy to Operate and Maintain
For many of my clients, WordPress is simply an easier system to use. Anyone from a novice developer to a seasoned coder can turn it into virtually anything online.
If you don’t like how a theme appears, you can change it with three clicks of the mouse. Want to move a widget’s position in the sidebar? It’s all about the drag-and-drop.
It seems most programmers and developers for WordPress and it’s plugins and themes understand simplicity matters. If my aging father is capable of using the system to create his only little slice of the Internet, they must be doing something right.
2. Versatility and Flexibility
Thanks to various plugins and themes, it’s also easy to change from a simple blog to an eCommerce powerhouse. Create landing pages for products or services. You can even establish a social hub or build an amazing dating site.
If you don’t like the plugins that are available, you can modify code yourself or hire one of many developers to build a tool specifically for your cause.
A WordPress blog is as basic or as elaborate as you want. As long as your visitors like the modifications, that’s all that really matters.
3. Vast Amount of Support
One of the biggest reasons WordPress blogging is ideal for me is the extensive support on the Internet. And I’m not just talking about WordPress.org or its forum.
Thousands of websites around the globe offer detailed tutorials, 3rd-party themes and other functions. This is mostly due to the fact that it’s an extremely popular CMS.
Also, there are more than 54,000 plugins and themes available from WordPress.org to build almost any kind of site you can think of. This doesn’t include the premium-only tools offered by developers on other sites.
4. Easily Integrated with Other Systems
Integration is a mandatory element in today’s world. It’s all about creating efficiency and reducing down-time. WordPress has this in spades.
For example, I have a plugin that automatically backs up my website to my Dropbox Cloud storage folder. This means I have a backup of the site on all my work computers as well as online.
Social media, RSS feeds, Google fonts and more are easily connected to WordPress. Anytime I take a picture with Instagram, it’s instantly added to one of my blogs as a post and published automatically.
5. Easy to Customize
Themes and plugins are only part of the customization process in WordPress. Most have even deeper options to create a completely different experience. Some of the more elaborate themes also come with tools and options to further fine-tune the layout.
And if you don’t like what’s available, again, take to coding. The system isn’t locked away and you can virtually make any adjustments you want as long as you know PHP, CSS and/or JavaScript.
With the options available, it’s easy to set up something that is specific to your goals. All it takes is a bit of time to make adjustments to build something perfect for your needs.
6. Understandable Terminology
One of the things that frustrates me about many other systems is the terminology. Some platforms just seem to be far more advanced than they really need to be. This is OK, if you’re an experienced programmer.
But not everyone has a background in web development who wants a website. Me, I went to school for graphic design.
With WordPress, it’s easy to understand the tools and know right away what they do. It’s not as confusing, and coders often include tutorials that are quite easy to follow.
This point specifically is why one of my past clients preferred using WordPress over Joomla. It was simply easier for him to follow and make modifications himself. And this was from a very computer-illiterate individual.
How Do I Use WordPress?
Personally, I prefer to use the WordPress CMS on a hosting plan from Hostgator. While the free version on WordPress.com does have its merits, I simply prefer to have absolute control. I’ve had this service since 2008 and the company has treated me exceptionally well.
Using a hosting platform also gives me the ability to launch an unlimited number of websites. Currently, I have three primary blogs all running from shared servers on Hostgator.
Don’t get me wrong, free accounts on WordPress.com are nice and can get you started. But there is far more you can do once you pay for your own hosting and domain name.
Is it Worth the Yearly Expense?
I pay about $180 per year between hosting fees and domain names. Between the money from AdSense, affiliates and marketing, it’s an investment that is worth it to me.
Just keep in mind that WordPress blogging doesn’t mean you’ll replace a full-time income instantly. It takes a lot of work, determination and content to really make a financial difference.
Find What Drives Creativity within Yourself
I’m not saying WordPress blogging is for everyone. You should find the best system that works for what you’re trying to accomplish. These are just the finer points of why I use the system.
Create something that stands out for yourself no matter what CMS you choose to maintain.
- An Evening with Drea Talley on After Hours - September 16, 2024
- An Evening with Maddi Bluhme on After Hours - September 9, 2024
- An Evening with Ian Thomas Healy on After Hours - August 22, 2024