The heart of any business is their website and every other online property supports this home base. Not only is it the first impression visitors have of your business, but it also serves a specific purpose for your target market.
In the past building a website was very expensive, and required hiring a professional developer who had extensive knowledge of code. Today the landscape has changed with different building platforms like Wix, Weebly, and custom templates provided by ISP’s. WordPress, which is a fully-customizable, is still one of the best resources to use in order to be able to attract more subscribers.
Tom Ewer of the Manage WP Blog wrote in a 2014 article that 18.9 percent of websites are self-hosted by WordPress making it the most popular platform for business.
There are two ways a website can be created on WordPress. One is through their WordPress.org extension, and is popular for bloggers. The second, which is recommended to brands and businesses, is to host a domain through WordPress. Not only is this more professional, but is also good for search results.
Does Your Website Need a Makeover?
Website styles change over the years, and we probably wouldn’t wear the same style clothing today that we did five years ago. Wouldn’t you like to change the look of your website just as easily as changing our garment’s? With WordPress, you can. Since all the data is stored in a database (think file cabinet), the themes are really the garments.
Once your business decides to either rebuild or create a new website it is important to understand what is available. WordPress is open for use with anyone, but there are both free and paid templates and plugins available that can be customized by those who are familiar with this platform. Out of the box a tech savvy individual should have no trouble getting started, but it is well worth the investment to work with a web developer with knowledge of Internet security and customization.
Here are a few key benefits to creating a self hosted WordPress website for your business:
● WordPress is a powerful content management system – Search engines are more likely to pick up on your blog posts due to the built-in meta-data features. When your content is written in a fresh, original, and non-spammy way this platform will help your website rank higher and attract more visitors.
● There’s a new WordPress download every second – This counter shows just how many people are installing the latest version of WordPress, and here is one quick snapshot that continues to grow:
● More control over design and functionality – Because WordPress is an open source platform it can be customized and tailored for your unique business branding. There are literally thousands of plugins available with amazing features, and hundreds of styles of templates from developers like StudioPress, Elegant Themes, Woo Themes Theme Forest, and more. Some of these companies offer a one-time fee for access to all of the templates, which is great if you’re hosting several domains.
● Professional email – With most hosting companies a self hosted WordPress website allows for a matching email of your domain, which is gives a more professional persona to your leads and customers.
One of the most significant benefits of a self hosted WordPress website is that your business has more control over your domain and online presence. Additionally, search engines are more apt to showcase your content as this platform is SEO ready. The setup and maintenance costs are fairly low without hidden fees with most ISP’s allowing for the free download of the latest version on their hosting packages.
Susan Gilbert
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