When it comes to content management systems, WordPress is often touted as the gold standard. Founded as a blogging platform in 2003, this open source CMS currently powers a full 26% of the web. Every day, hundreds of new WordPress sites are created, and the platform hosts some of the biggest players in the publishing world. The New York Times, People Magazine, Forbes, and National Geographic all have websites powered by WordPress.
If you go into a forum or a subreddit and ask about how to go about creating a website for your business, a lot of people will strongly recommend WordPress. It does have a learning curve, but it’s something that even non-technical users can learn. Plus, it’s so popular that there’s a wealth of information available for it. There are plugins for almost any function you can imagine, along with a menagerie of visually appealing themes. Plus, many web development shops specialize in it. If you don’t have the time or the inclination to take a DIY approach, it’s not hard at all to find someone to do it for you at a reasonable price.
But for all its strengths and advantages, is WordPress really the best choice for every situation? WordPress is far from the only option. You can also hire web developers to create a custom-made, bespoke website. In some cases, you might even be able to get away with a static site that’s little more than HTML and CSS.
In this post, we’re going to take a look at a few of the reasons you might want to consider something other than a WordPress site.
You’re nontechnical, you’re on a bootstrap budget, and you just need something basic.
There’s a lot of content out there on the web that highlights WordPress’s advantages over competitors like Squarespace and Wix. Squarespace and similar platforms use a “(WYSIWYG) what you see is what you get” interface that makes it easy for even a complete novice to customize their web design. Similar capabilities are available for WordPress in the form of plugins, but part of the appeal of Squarespace and Wix is that most of the technical stuff is already taken care of for you. All you have to do is choose colors and fonts, add content, and set up pages.
Most people who work with websites, whether they’re SEO specialists or developers, will recommend WordPress over these alternatives. But there are certainly some use cases where a Squarespace site will work just fine. If you want a website for your brick and mortar business, but you don’t aspire or expect to bring in customers primarily through your site or through SEO, Squarespace can work very well. If you’re a freelance writer who brings in clients mostly through word of mouth, but you want a nice portfolio site you can link people to, the same applies. Squarespace and Wix aren’t as customizable as WordPress when it comes to technical SEO, but it’s certainly possible to setup a great looking site when SEO isn’t a major concern for you.
Photographers and other creatives often earn business on the merit of their work. This means that a simple DIY web editor can be an excellent choice, as long as it is able to properly showcase a portfolio of work.
You Need Something Static & Simple
WordPress is capable of building dynamic websites, which have interactive elements like contact forms or comment sections. But what if you don’t need those things? If you need a small three to five page website that’s essentially just a “brochure” for your business, a static website might be the easiest and most cost-effective option for you.
A web developer can build a customized static site for you using HTML, CSS, and Javascript. Once it’s live, it won’t need regular maintenance or updates, which WordPress does require. Static sites can also run on cheaper servers, as they don’t require MyPHP or SQL.
The disadvantage to static sites is that if you decide you want to add something, like an online store or a blog, things get pretty complicated, and you might just find yourself moving over to WordPress after all.
You’re Selling Stuff in an Online Store
Ecommerce is certainly compatible with WordPress, but many people also opt to go with Shopify instead. Shopify is a “one stop shop” for building an online store, whether it’s very small or very large. The platform takes care of ecommerce-specific technical tasks and concerns for you, leaving you to focus on your products.
WordPress Isn’t The Only Option
WordPress is the gold standard for many reasons, and for a wide variety of use cases, it’s the best choice. It’s highly customizable and SEO-friendly, and you can choose from a massive selection of themes and plugins. But in a handful of cases, WordPress might not be the platform that’s best suited for building your website. It’s worth looking into alternatives as well — after all, the internet doesn’t begin and end with WordPress, and there are other options out there for creating your site.
To know more about your options and decide which option suits you best, get in touch with us
