For something so popular, there certainly are a lot of myths surrounding WordPress, its uses, and its viability in certain situations.
If you’re searching for a website solution for your business, you’ve likely heard many stories—both pros and cons—about WordPress that have left you scratching your head in confusion. Here are some of the most common misconceptions, and what you really need to know.
Myth: WordPress is a Security Risk
Fans of static HTML sites like to drag this out as the reason for remaining stuck with difficult-to-manage sites. While WordPress is definitely less secure than HTML (that’s just the nature of php-driven websites) it is by no means the security risk some people would have you believe.
Fact: Good Security Practices Greatly Reduce Your Risk
Driving a car increases your risk of having an accident but that doesn’t mean you don’t drive. It just means you takes steps to reduce your risk. WordPress is no different. With a few security measures in place, your risk of being hacked is nearly non-existent. To start:
- Use strong passwords and change them often.
- Never use “admin” as your user name.
- Create user accounts for your staff and give them only the permissions they need. Don’t make them administrators if they don’t need to be.
- Choose a secure hosting environment.
- Keep your site and its plugins and themes up to date. We recommend weekly updates.
- Install a security plugin, such as WordFence.
Myth: WordPress is Difficult to Learn
Most often heard when discussing drag-and-drop website builders such as Wix, Squarespace, and Weebly, this myth is the one that keeps many people from even considering WordPress.
Fact: Every Website Builder has a Learning Curve
Yes, WordPress can be pretty overwhelming at first glance. But here’s the thing: any software that offers this much flexibility and versatility is bound to have a learning curve. And those other builders? They all have their own quirks and difficulties. The difference is that the WordPress community is huge and incredibly helpful. If you need to know how to do anything on about your site, simply spending 30 seconds on YouTube or Google will reveal the answer. Page-builder plugins, such as Thrive Architect, make is easier to create beautiful web pages that will captivate and engage you audience.
Myth: WordPress is Only for Blogging
While it’s true that WordPress was originally developed as a blog platform, changes over the past several years have made it the ideal choice for a variety of website needs.
Fact: Plugins and Themes Make WordPress Work for Nearly Every Application
Whether you want to build an ecommerce site, a business directory, a membership site, a sales page, or a simple “brochure” style website, WordPress is designed to handle it. Thousands of plugins and specialty themes exist that extend its basic blogging functionality to encompass nearly anything you can dream of.
WordPress is by far the most commonly used content management system online today. That alone should reassure you that these myths are just that…myths. But don’t take my word for it. Try it out for yourself and I think you’ll agree.
Over 60 million websites are built on WordPress. That’s 27.5% of all global websites! In fact, over 2600 of the top 10,000 websites use WordPress. With those numbers, you can take comfort in the fact that it is a sound platform for your website.
Need more help with your website? Check out these other blog posts:
Secure Your WordPress Website and Keep It Safe from Hackers
10 Ways to Supercharge Your Website for 2020
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