Have people been telling you to build your website – whether for a small business, a community group, or even just for you – using WordPress?
- If not, read my reasons for recommending WordPress – particularly for non-technical people.
- If yes, I want to take the WordPress discussion a step further…
Two types of WordPress
It is important to understand that WordPress is effectively available in two ‘flavours’:
- The downloadable, self-hosted version accessed via WordPress.org
- The version hosted at WordPress.com.
It’s worth reading a detailed explanation of the difference between WordPress.com and WordPress.org. I’m always speaking to people who are confused about the distinction.
WordPress.com
If you’re just after a simple website – and often that’s the best option for a small business – there are five good reasons to consider starting with WordPress.com.
1. It’s much easier to get started
Unlike the WordPress.org-based version, WordPress.com has nothing to download, there’s no separate web server space to rent, and there’s no software to work out how to install.
2. It’s more cost-effective
Because it’s so much easier to get started with, you don’t need to pay an IT consultant to do all the download and installation work.
3. It’s less risky
With the .org version, you (or your IT consultant) is responsible for keep your website secure and backed up. With WordPress.com, that’s all taken care of for you. So, as well as the additional time and cost savings, the risk of irretrievably losing your website is reduced.
4. The trade-off is worth it
There’s no question – the .org version of WordPress provides a lot more flexibility and control than WordPress.com. That said, when you’re building your first website, you’re often unclear on what you actually need. In my experience, it really is a case of less is more. Forsaking some bells and whistles often makes it much easier for your audience to understand what you’re offering.
5. It’s easy to upgrade
If and when you do reach the point where you decide your site needs an online store, a job-board, or whatever else whiz-bang feature, it’s easy to move. WordPress.com has an option called Guided Transfer which – for a fee – automagically migrates your existing website to a self-hosted WordPress.org-based version. After that, the options for extending your site are limited only by your imagination.
Photo by BeautifulFreaks.
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