When it comes to web design, there are a million and one ways to go about it. From concept to completion, a designer/developer/programmer could take any number of various routes to achieve a sophisticated, well-designed website. At the end of the day, it all starts with HTML (HyperText Markup Language). That is where web design began (in the early 90s) and it remains foundational to the development of websites today. And so, when I began building websites 18+ years ago, that is where I exactly started. Please don’t try to figure out how old I am based on those numbers.
Although it is still commonly known as a blogging tool (and that’s how it started in 2001), WordPress has grown to include a myriad of tools for web functionality and interactivity. Utilizing PHP (another scripting language well-suited to web development) and MySQL (an online database management tool), alongside the building blocks of HTML and CSS (Cascading Style Sheets), WordPress can be used to create beautiful and powerful websites. There is a certain philological elegance to these acronyms, wouldn’t you agree?
“But in non-geek speak, it’s probably the easiest and most powerful blogging and website content management system (or CMS) in existence today.” Source
So, that’s a roundabout summary of WordPress, but it doesn’t really answer the question of why I work with it, or the reasons why that is important for my existing or potential clients. A lot of it comes down to time and money (that’s just what you want to hear!).
First of all, WordPress is OPEN SOURCE.
This means that with any standard online hosting plan, the WordPress software can be downloaded and installed at no additional cost. So you’re not paying extra to use this tool powerful, and that’s a good thing. Because WordPress is open source, it is constantly being updated and improved by developers around the world. It is not a static software, there is consistent support available, and considering that 74,652,825+ websites around the world are using WordPress, I don’t see it going out of style any time soon.
It is extremely USER FRIENDLY.
As a Content Management System (CMS), WordPress offers designers like me and end-users like you a wide range of tools for viewing, editing and updating websites. As a part of my web design services, I can offer either on-call management of your site (I will make updates and additions to your site as needed for a prescribed period of time), or I will provide training (remote or on-site) for you and your team members to be able to manage the site yourself. Or, I can provide a combination of the two. Web design shouldn’t be a “hit and run”, so you will never have to worry about me building a site and then leaving you to fend for yourself. As user-friendly as WordPress is, you don’t have to manage your own website if you don’t want to. But, if you do, WordPress is the perfect tool to do so!
Finally, from a design perspective, WordPress aligns well with my AESTHETIC, both functionally and visually.
Every good designer knows that content dictates design, and a successful project is a seamless conjunction of form and function. In order to accomplish this, your business goals and message must ultimately be communicated via the design of your site. WordPress allows the flexibility and power to accommodate a wide range of business types and styles. More importantly, the various functions required by your business — from simple forms to ecommerce functionality or complex member access tools — are not limited by the capabilities of WordPress, and therefore the design possibilities are endless. So, no matter what the end design, you can rest assured that the building blocks of your site will support its function over time.
In summary, I use WordPress as a web-building tool because it offers functions I believe are key to the design process and the end result. That’s not to say there aren’t other equally functional development tools out there (in fact, there are…several!), but I have chosen to specialize in WordPress and I am confident that this tool offers everything you need to have an attractive and interactive website that will help your business thrive.
Interested in learning more about building your website in WordPress? Contact me today!
