We have acquired a name for ourselves in that we’re not WordPress fans. This has mainly been due to a few of our previous blog articles (click here for a few).
This article is to set the record straight, in that we don’t always dismiss WordPress and in some situations it is a good solution. What we’re saying is that is not always a good solution.
Unlike many web agencies we are ‘whole of market’ and can create and maintain websites using many platforms including WordPress, Joomla, Drupal, Magento, or custom builds. We can use PHP and .NET languages and work on various frameworks such as Laravel and Zend. In non-techie terms this essentially means that we will fit the best product to our clients, rather than fit our clients in to our product. (What is the best website platform?)
We do, and have created websites in WordPress, and have taken over and manage many for our clients. It is a skillset that we have, just not necessarily one that we widely publicise. Our objective is to speak to our clients and create a strategy and website that makes them money, not necessarily sell them a website built on any specific platform.
So with the formalities out of the way, why would someone use WordPress?
Low initial cost – You can get a lot of website fairly quickly, especially if you want use a standard theme (design). You do quite often pay for what you get, compromises are made, and there may be increased expense in the future, but the point is you can get a lot of website made quickly and therefore cheaply. This is why it appeals to so many.
Small learning curve – You don’t need to be a carpenter to assemble one of Ikea’s cupboards, and similarly you don’t need to know the ins and outs of web design to create a website in WordPress. I wouldn’t suggest that anyone can do it, and more advanced sites do take more skill, but creating a basic website in WordPress isn’t difficult.
Well-supported – Due to this small learning curve there are a lot of companies that support WordPress; ranging from large agencies down to bedroom-based businesses. This means that you’re likely to find someone to maintain your site fairly easily, and the pricing can be competitive. Be careful though; although there are a lot of decent WordPress agencies around, but many more that just ‘talk the talk’.
Plugins – If you want some standard functionality, such as a booking system or calendar, it’s likely that someone will have created a plugin to offer this, meaning you can expand your website with a few clicks. This isn’t always as rosy as it seems, especially with issues associated with updates or compatibility between plugins; but if you want a little extra functionality it can often be done very simply.
From our experience I’d suggest that the situations where WordPress would be a contender would be when budgets are tight, a plugin can be used to provide additional functionality, nothing ground-breaking is required, and the website will not need to be expanded a lot in the future.
The best analogy I can think of would be again, Ikea furniture. It certainly isn’t comparable to hand-made solid oak, but you do get a lot of product for your budget, and if you’re happy with something that isn’t ground-breaking, and has a shorter shelf-life, it’s often a good choice.
If you’re unsure on whether WordPress is the best solution or not, please feel free to get in touch and we can discuss your requirements and advise accordingly.
We are Webbed Feet, we are (sometimes) WordPress web designers
10 reasons why web developers should not use WordPress
The hidden costs of WordPress and Joomla websites
Why WordPress is ridiculous
All of our WordPress articles