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With almost 75 million websites being powered by WordPress, including big names such as CNN and TechCrunch, the platform is easily the world’s most popular content management system. But does it suit the needs of your average modern marketer? The answer is a resounding Yes – and here are 7 reasons why.
Simple to Get Up and Running
While some developers and natural techies tend to drift towards complex solutions that allow users to get into the nitty gritty, that’s not something that you want as a marketer. You’re looking for an out-of-the-box solution that’s intuitive, not a minefield full of code that may as well be gibberish.
While WordPress is highly extendible, it’s doesn’t have a steep learning curve. It’s built for users that have very limited knowledge of code, with the very basics of XHTML and CSS enough to build a powerful website. And if you don’t want to, code can remain completely alien to you without negative effects.
Built for Monetisation
WordPress is the go-to option for most marketing professionals, which means that monetisation on the platform is mature and very well developed. If you’re starting from scratch or don’t want to invest in an expensive in-house solution, WordPress plugins and add-ons have already done the legwork for you.
Whether you’re looking for opt-in widgets, mailing list forms, ecommerce solutions, or a simple ad plugin – WordPress has a plethora of options. The other Content Management Systems? You’ll be lucky to find a handful of plugins geared towards monetisation.
Incredible Support
WordPress not only offers excellent support on its own website, but the community itself acts as a natural and helpful customer support system. If your site is down, there’s someone out there who’s experienced the same thing. Can’t figure out why your widget isn’t showing up? The answer has usually already been answered in the forums.
Plenty of Theme Choices
The default WordPress theme is easy on the eye, but it’s not exactly a good option for those looking to market products or encourage visitors to click on ads. But that’s not a problem with this CMS, as there’s more than just what comes packaged with the basic install.
WordPress not only comes with the built-in option of downloading thousands of free themes that are fit for business or personal use, but you also have the option of shelling out and going for a paid theme. Some companies even offer entire frameworks (e.g. Genesis and Thesis), giving you even more functionality.
Excellent Free and Paid Plugins
While most Content Management Systems offer decent features right from installation, it’s not always easy to upgrade to advanced functionality. Options such as Drupal are a little difficult to use, while others are either limited in choice or you’ve got to pay a hefty chunk of money for the right to use them.
WordPress, on the other hand, has a thriving plugin community where you can get your hands on development tools that would cost thousands to develop in-house for a grand total of 0 dollars. If the free library doesn’t quite cut it, there are thousands of paid plugins to choose from.
Developers Are Easy to Find
Remember how we mentioned that it’s the most popular Content Management System on the planet? Well, it’s for that very reason that web developers tend to make WordPress part of their core skill set. This is very handy as a website owner, as it means you always have someone to turn to should something break or if you need to add functionality to your site. It also means that it’s far cheaper due to the increased competition.
Keeps on Improving
When WordPress was launched way back in 2003, it was specifically geared towards bloggers. Fast-forward just over a decade and you’ve got the most sophisticated content management system on the planet. And it’s the constant innovation and investment into the product that’s put it where it is today.
WordPress is constantly improving, becoming more resilient, faster, and advanced. Developers from around the globe are working on the product on a daily basis, whether it’s on the core system or plugins, themes, and other add-ons. So if you are looking for a great CMS for a modern marketer like you, WordPress should be at the top of your list.