WordPress is a CMS (a content management system) that allows you to manage your website with relative ease and security.
WordPress is the most popular and powerful website building tool and content management system on the Internet. It is easy to use, has an active community, and let’s you work on your website with any device. At Alpine Web Media, we have based our Vermont web design on WordPress after testing and working with other open source platforms such as Drupal, etc.
WordPress was designed for personal use but due to its many features and their flexibility it has become one of the most popular website builders, both for individuals and organizations. WordPress has a long history of being safe, well-maintained, and backed by an active community of developers.
Their are two different versions to be aware of. One of them is the free option provided by WordPress.com which originally began as a blog (and is still a good choice to use as an independent blog, etc.). It is still free to use but there are many more limitations that make it a less than effective choice for a business website. If you’re really serious about your business you’ll want to go with the full version at WordPress.org. It’s free to download and because it’s open sourced, you have full access to plug-ins and functionality that the .com version does not allow.
Is WordPress easy to use?
Yes. It’s actually one of the first and best website content management tools available. With WordPress versions being constantly updated, a nearly infinite number of functionality plugins (many of which are free to use) and the availability of tutorials and learning resources, it’s no wonder that it’s the most popular content management system (CMS) available.
WordPress is an open-source and free content management system. This means that it is free to download and use and you can also modify it however you want. WordPress has a very user-friendly interface and the CMS requires less technical knowledge than some other platforms on the market. It also lacks the steep learning curve that some other platforms on the market have.
How does WordPress work?
WordPress is installed on your choice of web hosting platform (most of which support WordPress), configured to your specifications and setup to complement your visual and functional needs.
The WordPress platform is made up of three main components:
1. The database, which stores all the content and other related information,
2. The web server, which displays website content to visitors, and
3. The PHP program that inserts the database’s data into the web page that’s being served to visitors.
The database stores all data and information about your site including posts, pages, comments etc., the server displays this data on a webpage for you and PHP inserts your database’s data into a webpage which is then displayed through your browser for you to see.
Website design with WordPress
The really powerful advantage of WordPress is the vast number of “themes” that are available to give your business the look and functionality that you need. You also have the ability to custom design the layout to match your visual preferences and design appeal. That’s what makes WordPress the prefect choice for your website design.
WordPress has many features that are very easy to use. Plus there are thousands of plugins available for WordPress which you can use to customize your site for specific needs such as e-commerce shopping carts, photo galleries, email list builders, social media integration and just about anything you could want or need.
WordPress Wiki
You will find a wealth of information about WordPress at the WordPress Wiki website. It will go into detail about the origin, history, WordPress versions, vulnerabilities and much more.
WordPress 101 Learning Resources
If you’re a do-it-yourself type of person and want to find out how to build and work with a WordPress website, you’ll find tons of tutorials on YouTube and websites such Udemy with courses starting from just $13.99.
Why Alpine Web Media Customer’s Prefer WordPress
Number one would be cost. Many of our smaller business clients do not want to pay thousands of dollars for a website. They are also too busy trying to run their businesses and do not have time to learn to manage a website or maintain it. With our web hosting plan, we take on the responsibility of WordPress updates, plugin updates, security firewall management and backups so that our clients can focus on what they do best, managing their businesses.
For those who like to make minor changes, updates, etc. we provide a walk through video of their WordPress website admin area, once the site has been built. This allows or customers to make quick and easy changes or additions on their own. Yet, we’re still here to do the “heavy lifting” and assist with the more advanced updates, etc.
Also, our web hosting customers get their choice of a premium WordPress theme, under our licensing, at no charge for as long as they are with us. With all that in mind, it’s no wonder that most of our clients have been with us for 25 years! Check out our latest promotion for more info and get started today.
