A content management system (CMS) is an application that allows you to edit text, images, forms, video, and/or any other media easily without a lot of technical knowledge. Web developers and designers use content management systems to make website management easier for a wide variety of clients.
There are many CMS’s out there, including Drupal, Joomla, concerte5, Expression Engine, and Magento. However, there is only one that powers nearly 28% of the entire Internet: WordPress. Released in 2003 by Matt Mullenweg and Mike Little, WordPress offers a user-friendly, easy-to-use experience for marketing teams with various levels of website management know-how.
Here are five reasons why I believe that WordPress is the ultimate content management system:
1. WordPress is open-source software
Open-source software allows you to use and edit without the hassle of licensing fees. You can easily download the latest version from WordPress. Most web hosts such as InMotion, GoDaddy, and HostGator now offer a 1-click website installation option, which makes it easy to get started.
2. Ease of Use/Customization
A major perk of using an open-source software platform is that anyone can see its original developer code and locate errors, unlike licensed software. WordPress was built with two widely used programming languages: PHP and MySQL. Approximately 50,000 plugins – such as testimonial sections, photo streams, and subscribe buttons — are available for install on your WordPress website. This allows you to customize your dream website without using difficult programming techniques.
3. SEO Friendly
Google and other search engines rank your website on a variety of criteria. SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is the process of configuring your website to rank highly within that criteria.
Here are some of the criteria WordPress handles:
- Fast Loading
- Good Coding Standard
- Sitemaps
- Navigation
- Image Optimization
- Social Media Integration
- User Experience
4. Large Troubleshooting Community
With any website errors and technical problems occur from time to time. WordPress contains a plethora of well-maintained support forums filled with millions of queries and solutions. Maybe that is why approximately 16 million websites are powered by WordPress. The WordPress community is available to offer a solution, whether you have a theme or plugin problem.
5. Security
Recently, WordPress has been called out for its lack of security. Hackers continuously look for loopholes to expose within the millions of WordPress websites. As with any software platform, staying on top of updates will effectively keep your website secure. There are even great plugins such as Sucuri and WordFence that can help enhance your security.
If you are ready to be a part of the nearly 28% of websites using WordPress, contact Heartbeat Websites to get started!