Why WordPress

Why WordPress? Exactly What is WordPress Used For?

Don’t be afraid! This introduction to WordPress is virtually painless. And, Exactly what is WordPress used for. Is this a dumb question? No, web design beginners need some basic knowledge before jumping in. This WordPress tutorial will help you get started.

Yes, creating websites or WP blogs can be intimidating to newcomers who’ve never tried their hand at web design. Excited? Let’s go!

Reasons to Consider WordPress for Your Website or Blog

First of all, I plan to put up a series of posts about using WordPress so you don’t have to search all over for instructions.

Now, let’s take a look at some questions you might have..

Are You Starting Your First Website or Blog? WordPress Could Be Your Ticket!

Starting your first blog or website is an exciting idea.

You’re going to make your presence known to the world. And, you’ll have an avenue for…

  • expressing your thoughts and opinions
  • giving information on a subject you know
  • writing stories about places you’ve been
  • helping others to learn about new innovations in your niche
  • Or, promote products or services on your new WordPress website.

There are lots more. In fact, I listed 100 personal website ideas to get your creative juices flowing. And, the ones on business will help if that’s your plan.

Not the ONLY One – But…

No, WordPress is not the only website builder. You can design from scratch with Dreamweaver & other programs. Or,with a quick search, you’ll find plenty of platforms to build your blog on.

However, in this post, you’ll discover why you should consider a self-hosted WordPress blog.

Most people I know from Internet marketers to bloggers use this format. In fact, I did a quick look over at WordPress.org and they said:

33% of the web uses WordPress, from hobby blogs to the biggest news sites online.

With WordPress sites, you can find hundreds, or thousands of great niche site templates to work with.

These website templates give you the advantage of looking professional, even if you’re a web design beginner!

And, at the time of this post, over 54,000 plugins are available (although I only recommend a select few) so you can…

  • Add an online store
  • put up picture galleries
  • create mailing lists
  • forums
  • Get day by day analytics
  • and much more!

So, you are not alone. This format does just about everything you need to create a beautiful, and functional website.

Don’t stop here. Make sure you choose the right one..

WordPress Has Two Faces

Before we begin, let me just clarify that WordPress.org and WordPress.com are not the same.

WordPress.com is a blog hosting service which gives you very limited options.

On the other hand, WordPress.org lets you download the WordPress software to install on your own web hosting.

While this may sound intimidating, it’s really not. Many commercial web hosts offer 1-click install for WordPress which means you can get your blog up in just a few minutes!

Keep Control of Your Own Website

Running your blog on the self-hosted version of WordPress means you have full control over your website.

You own it. And, you can..

  • design it any way you want
  • publish any kind of content you want
  • and so much more.

WordPress Themes & Plugins

The core WordPress software is already powerful on its own, and it even comes pre-installed with a few themes and plugins. If you’re not sure what plugins are, I’ll cover them in a later post.

With themes, you have thousands of free and premium themes to choose from. And, you can make your site look as unique as you want.

Then, when you add some WP plugins, you can totally change your website’s functionality!

Okay, you might just want to blog for now. But, if you ever decide you want to add an online store to your blog later on, you can do that with WordPress.

WP lets you create sales and landing pages. Or, you can add a forum to your site. You can even sell memberships or courses on it!

In short, WordPress plugins are awesome.

So, Why WordPress?

Mainly because, other platforms don’t come near the number of themes and plugins available on WordPress. This is why it’s remained such a popular choice for bloggers and website owners alike through the years.

Is WordPress Difficult to Learn?

As with most website platforms, WordPress does come with a bit of a learning curve.

However, once you understand the basics, you can easily build many different kinds of sites.

And, WordPress has an active global community behind it, so you’ll never run out of tips and ideas to customize your website.

All in all, I’d rate WordPress toward the top of the list. I’ve used it for years and can set up sites without much support.

I do sometimes go over to Bing or YouTube to find solutions when I get stumped. So, no need to be anxious about using it.

Get Your Site Up & Running!

Now that you’ve learned a bit about why you should use WP to create your site, it’s time to “get your feet wet“. So, get your hosting & domain name to create a stunning website using the WordPress themes.

Look for more web design tips for using WordPress in the future.

I hope you enjoyed this post and will stop in often to learn more about designing websites. – Bob

WordPress web design