When people hear WordPress, they immediately think of blogs. And while WordPress remains an ideal platform for blogging, there is so much more that it can do in terms of content management.
WordPress now offers the capability to become the backbone of major websites, including Samsung, Forbes, and CNN. These companies all rely on WordPress functionality, so it only makes sense that it would become one of the best content management systems for 2014.
WordPress is increasingly popular among a variety of websites, and in recent years it has gone above and beyond the world of blogging. The benefits of using WordPress as a content management system are vast, but here are a few reasons you should consider WordPress as 2014’s premiere CMS.
Inexpensive to Get Started
Because WordPress is open source software, you don’t have to pay for a specific license to use it. Many plugins for the platform are free, and even if you opt to add a hosting package or use a premium theme, the amount of money necessary to develop a quality WordPress site is fairly minimal when compared to other content management systems such as, Joomla and Drupal.
Standard Features are Built In
WordPress is known for its functionality and ease of use, which it has maintained throughout the years. The one thing that has changed, is the amount of available features built right into the software package.
This inclusive and extensive list of features has helped WordPress skyrocket from a basic blogging platform to a content management system for a variety of websites.
Highly user friendly admin section
As a WordPress administrator to your own site, it’s very simple to create new posts, add media and links, manage members and comments, and other functionality. Even if you’ve never built and maintained a site before, WordPress makes it easy to perform simple tasks without stress.
As you learn the WordPress platform, more and more functionality opens up, and you can find more complex options as you see fit.
Easy SEO
With features designed to make the process of SEO easier for WordPress users, specific plug-ins takes the guesswork out of search engine rankings. WordPress has the ability to generate optimized URLS, and with the addition of optional plugins like Google XML Site Map and an all-inclusive SEO pack, the process of managing your search engine optimization is significantly simpler.
There’s a Plug-in for That
No matter what type of functionality you’d want your website to have, chances are, there is a plug-in for it. Many are free, easy to download and can be utilized in just a few moments time. Most plug-ins offered conform to the standard ease of use set forth by WordPress’s overall design, so creating a quality site is easier than ever.
Many Themes to Choose From
WordPress offers thousands of themes, many which are available completely free of charge. Premium themes are also an option, and many are simple to customize and make it look exactly as you want. Some premium themes act just like a construction set for web design, and allow you to create outstanding and professional sites for a fraction of traditional web design cost.
Easily make it Your Own
One click is all it takes to change a theme, which can take a standard site and transform it into something that is unique and easily customizable. Once a theme is downloaded into WordPress, it is again activated with only a single click. Most themes offer customizable options such as fonts, colors, and images.
For users with a deeper understanding of HTML, JavaScript and CSS you can make adjustments to any page on your WordPress site. As WordPress is an open source package, you are granted access to every piece of source code to the site.
Excellent Community
WordPress has resources dedicated to delivering outstanding support, and there’s a whole community of third party forums and support. Users are active and engaged, and chances are any question you may have is probably already answered.
Constant Updates Stay on Track
Because WordPress is increasing in popularity, the platform is updating regularly to bring top of the line functionality in a world that is always evolving.
It may seem like the software updates too frequently, but in all actuality, with the ever changing world of technology, WordPress stays right on point. New features, themes, functions, and plug-ins are being added all the time, which only makes for an even better user experience.