In this article, we’ll be asking whether “WordPress for Startups” is a good idea. Having a website is now considered a vital tool for any businesses to establish their reputation and build trust with their clients, even if they are just starting out. A website makes it so much easier for people to find your business.
Is WordPress a good option for startups?
When I first came across WordPress, back in about 2005, it was nothing like it is today. It was an excellent choice if you wanted to use it as a blogging platform, but not as a conventional website. However, today, it is SO different, and very, very popular. According to w3techs, and at the time of writing, WordPress is used by over 43% of all websites on the Internet! Compared to squarespace (1.8%) and wix (1.9%), it’s clearly out in front and the most popular CMS (Content Management System) on the planet.
WordPress is an ideal choice for businesses of ALL sizes. It can easily be used for a simple, single page website, maybe for launching a new business, or can be scaled to huge businesses with huge websites (e.g. Sony Music).
WordPress is free
There are many reasons WordPress is so popular. One of them is that its free. Free, in this case, means that you don’t have to pay to use it. You’ll still need to by a domain name and have your website hosted somewhere, but the software is licensed under the GPL License, that means anyone can use it without charge. That’s because it’s developed and supported by a community of thousands of professional coders, testers, developers, artists, translators, etc. People just like you and me.
WordPress is adaptable
One of the best things ever to happen to WordPress, was when the platform was opened up to third party plugins. Plugins allow you to add functionality to your site by adding specific software to expand what it couldn’t do on its own. This might be to add a fancy gallery or slide show, add eCommerce functionality or have the ability to control your site’s SEO.
At the time of writing, there are almost 60,000 plugins in the WordPress repository. Not all of them will be good, but it gives you a good idea about how well supported this platform is.
Many of these plugins are free (GPL). However, if you need something really specialized, you can usually find a premium (paid for) plugin that will do the job you’re looking for. Even if you can’t find something that’s already been written, you can hire a developer to write it for you (or write it yourself if you have the skills).
WordPress is scalable
As a startup, you may be unsure of your future growth at first. However, if your idea takes off, you’ll need to be able to scale and expand. WordPress is an excellent fit for this, since it allows you to start small and then build up to a large enterprise spanning several nations, languages and continents. For instance, the Walt Disney Company uses WordPress to power their websites. WordPress can be installed on practically any server, from a low-cost hosting accounts to a high-end dedicated server. It works equally well for tiny blog sites and large corporations.
WordPress is User Friendly
Being user friendly isn’t limited to WordPress, many Content Management Service’s, as well as online website builders, can boast user friendliness. So, you should find its interface easy to create content without having to understand how to code.
Using WordPress is as simple as using any other word processor. But, if you know some basic code and CSS, so much the better, especially when troubleshooting. Because of its popularity, you’ll find thousands of online courses, training videos, podcasts, and blogs to assist you.
WordPress is a do-it-yourself powerhouse. Content can be created by novices and experienced content producers without issue. Furthermore, WordPress supports photos, audios, and videos, as well as successfully managing media assets. Third-party content, such as YouTube and Vimeo, can also be embedded.
You’re not locked-in with WordPress
When you host your own WordPress website, your data belongs to you (as it should do) and it’s easy to migrate away to another hosting company, onto a completely new website or onto a completely new platform, should you want to move away from WordPress. The same cannot be said about other commercial website builders you may have seen advertising. With those, there’s no easy way to migrate away from them – I know, I’ve tried for several of my clients.
Summary
We think that WordPress for startups is a great idea and if you spend a little time learning about design, there’s no reason why you can’t create something half decent for your business. A word of warning though, good web design is so much more than just choosing a good looking template, regardless of which platform you decide to use. But here’s my advice. I you’re starting a business, or even if you’re already running a successful one, I would argue that your time would be better spent doing exactly that, running your business, and employ an expert to design and develop your website. If you’d like to work with us in doing that, we look forward to hearing from you.
Further reading
We hope this article has been helpful in providing you with a comprehensive guide to creating a successful business website. If you’re interested in learning more about website design and development, we encourage you to check out some of our related articles below. With these additional resources, you’ll be well on your way to creating a website that truly represents your business and connects with your target audience.
About the author
Based in Brighton on the south coast, Neil Hart’s extensive earlier career in automotive engineering reflects how he helps his clients today.
Neil is an expert in business website design, and would be an excellent choice for anyone looking to create a successful business website. His web design and development business, needs a sharp focus and attention to detail, which he has in great abundance. He takes great pride in creating websites for discerning clients, helping them get noticed!
Feel free to contact Neil here, to discuss your next website project.
Our services
If any of this has been of interest and you’d like to learn what we can do for your business, have a browse through some of our services below. We’d be happy to discuss the benefits of working together.
DESIGN
I will design you a beautiful, responsive website that you and your customers can be proud of.
LOGO
A logo, is part of your brand. It doesn’t have to be fancy. In fact, a good word logo, is better than a poor graphic logo.
CONTENT
Having a great looking website, is… well, great. But you’ll also need great content as well, to keep your visitors interested.
SEO
There’s little point having a great site, with great content, if nobody finds you. Let my SEO service help you.