When you are considering how to “get your website on the internet”, there are several factors that you should consider:
- What kind of website will I have? (Static, Blog, CMS, eCommerce, or other) …
- How much experience do I have building websites? (Could be little, some, or none).
- What kind of options do I need on my website:
- Do I need a portfolio / gallery page to showcase my products.
- Do I need a blog page?
- Will I need a ‘contact me’ page, an ‘about me’ page, etc.?
- Will I need a shopping cart?
- Do I need ‘landing pages’, affiliate pages, etc.?
- Will I need to change / update my site frequently?
I am admittedly biased when asked which software platform is the best for creating your website. WordPress in some form is the choice of over 78 million users for blogging and creating websites. I use it daily on each and everyone of my websites, and I think you should too!
WordPress can be used for…
WordPress as a blog:
WordPress started as a blogging platform and has become one of the most widely used blogging systems in the world. WordPress combines ease of use with nearly unlimited customization. Creating posts, approving comments, and customizing your look and feel are all easy with WordPress. The customization opportunities are endless and the huge number of available plugins and themes make it easy to achieve the look and function you want.WordPress as a website:
WordPress can do more than just blogging. With the built in Pages feature you can create standalone/static pages for your website in addition to your blog posts. Again the ability to customize themes makes your design possibilities limitless. Many websites you visit on a daily basis are powered by WordPress. The content management features built into WordPress make it easy to create pages and child pages, embed video, manage your media assets, and more.WordPress as a blog and website:
The best of both worlds. Out of the box WordPress lets users create website pages, and posts. It is extremely commonplace now to have a corporate blog running besides a corporate website. Multiple permission levels and the easy nature of publishing make WordPress ideal for any manner of websites.Why I chose WordPress:
Choosing WordPress for me is a no-brainer… literally. I am in no way a “full-time” programmer nor do I have the level of experience (especially relating to security issues), that are required to run and/or operate some other web publishing software such as Drupal or Joomla. Don’t get me wrong, these software packages are extremely powerful and they are both very well established in the web industry as leaders in their own fields, however, I am not at the “level of expertise” that is required to setup, run, and operate this type of CMS software on a daily basis.Remember Your Focus
You should always remember this: “Why did you want to start your website in the first place?”
- Did you want to earn an additional income for your or your family
- Did you want to start a blog to talk about your family or your personal life
- … or did you want to learn additional programming skills and teach yourself how to be a programmer
Unless you were after the last choice from the list above, you should definitely choose WordPress! If you want to get your site setup quickly and effortlessly, and get on with the business of making money for your and/or your family, then why not choose a software package that is free, has a HUGE community on the internet to help support you, and that will get you up and running quickly?
Please consider each of the ideas and pointers that I have given you here when you are considering your website software choices. Also, please continue reading my future posts in this category (Site Building) by signing up for my newsletter or subscribing to my RSS feed to learn more about setting up WordPress and using it to build your website quickly and easily.
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