Are you unsure whether WordPress is the best platform for your first website? Here’s some help on the popular platform.

Since the very beginning, I have used WordPress. Since 2003, WordPress has evolved beyond a simple blogging platform. It’s not a secret that I set up new clients using WordPress.

This guide will dive into the details of how to use WordPress for your first website.

The Pros and cons of WordPress for your first website

Let’s first establish a baseline. What are the Pros and Cons of WordPress as a single-page website or a traditional website?

Pros

  • Content Management System (CMS) that is easy to use
  • Customization options are extensive
  • Great for SEO

You can also find out more about the Cons

  • Updates required regularly
  • Beginners may find it difficult to understand.
  • There may be security vulnerabilities.

You’re still there… let’s go deeper.

Why WordPress? Why WordPress?

Have you ever wondered why WordPress is always popping up when researching website platforms?

Popularity and Community

WordPress is the big fish in the big pond. According to W3Techs statistics, WordPress is powering 43.1% of all websites on the Internet as of 2023. Why is that such a big deal? This means that a large community of developers and users is always improving the platform.

Customization Galore

Consider the WordPress backend admin as your toolbox. There are many themes and plugins available. You can customize your site to look good and function smoothly.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

SEO was once a manual process. WordPress comes with some basic SEO features.

Plugins can make it easier to climb the Google ladder. SEO press, for example, gives you a quick read of your SEO score with each content change.

WordPress Worries: Potential Pitfalls

Even the best tools have quirks. Consider these potential cons when using WordPress for your first website.

Regular Updates

It can be like running a race to keep up with WordPress. It is a blessing and a curse that the platform is always evolving. Every day, I check and update all of our client’s websites.

The most difficult part of managing WordPress updates is updating the software. What can happen if you fail to keep up with updates?

Security Concerns

WordPress is vulnerable to cyber-attacks despite efforts to improve security. Install plugins only after doing thorough research. There are many security plugins available to minimize security concerns.

Simple for beginners

Remember how I described WordPress as a user-friendly CMS? It’s not a lie that WordPress takes some time to learn, especially if it’s your first website. Once you get past the learning phase with some practice, things become much easier. It takes patience to learn WordPress.

The World vs. The World

What is the WordPress score against its rivals? Let’s see how they compare!

WordPress vs. Wix

  • Ease Of Use: This round, Wix could win. WordPress is a little difficult to use at first, but it becomes easier.
  • CustomizationWordPress is the winner here, with its endless themes and plug-ins.

Squarespace vs. WordPress

  • Ability To Change Host Providers Squarespace forces you to use their proprietary system. WordPress allows you to use any host in the world.
  • Design: Squarespace offers some elegant templates. WordPress has more options.
  • SEO: Both WordPress and are SEO-friendly platforms, but WordPress offers more advanced tools.

Shopify vs. WordPress

E-commerce: Shopify, the leader in e-commerce is forced to use its proprietary system. WordPress has several e-commerce plug-ins, with WooCommerce as one of the more popular ones.

You’ll probably have some questions.

Is WordPress good for beginners? Absolutely! Although it may seem difficult at first, the learning curve isn’t. You can find a lot of resources to learn (such as YouTube).

Is it possible to build a website professionally with WordPress? Sure! WordPress allows you to create anything from blogs to e-commerce sites.

These popular WordPress websites are a great example of how WordPress can be used to create a website.

  • The Rolling Stones
  • The Obama Foundation
  • The Walt Disney Company
  • Bloomberg Professional
  • Sony Music
  • Microsoft News Center
  • LA Lakers

Does WordPress cost anything? But here’s the twist. While WordPress.org offers theiritsware free of charge, you will have to pay for hosting your website and a domain name. Hosting providers will typically charge around $200 per year.

You will get cheap hosting if you choose a low-cost provider. Siteground is my recommendation for all WordPress websites. They offer a great rate for the first 12 months and then the hosting prices are very reasonable.

Does WordPress help with SEO?

It is. SEO plugins such as SEOPress and Yoast can help you optimize your website for search engines.

What is the best WordPress theme for a single-page website?

WordPress can be used for single-page websites. It is easy to customize and offers a variety of design options, which will help you create a beautiful single-page site.

It might be too much for a super simple site because it has so many features. WordPress also requires frequent maintenance and updates which may be too much for a one-page website.

Is WordPress a coding-based platform?

It doesn’t. Knowing a little CSS or PHP will help you customize your website more, but it is fine for most people.

Who should not use WordPress on their website?

This platform requires a little time, patience and willingness to learn.

WordPress can become a pain in the side if you don’t check for updates at least 3 times per week. It requires an owner that is prepared to get dirty and do a lot of maintenance.

WordPress can be a foreign world if you are allergic to technology or dread learning new tools. It requires some tech knowledge and the willingness to learn.

WordPress websites are safe.

WordPress sites are safe as long as you update them regularly and use reputable security plugins.

Wrapping it Up

Should you use WordPress to build your first website or not?

It depends on how willing you are to learn to use the software and your commitment to regularly check for security and plugin updates.

There are cons to everything, but they often outweigh the pros.

I am running a beta test for a new program that I’m creating. If you are a solopreneur and want to create a one-page website, but don’t mind working with WordPress, then I can help. If you are up for the WordPress Challenge, apply to be one of our beta testers.