If you’ve ever considered blogging, you’ve likely heard of WordPress. As of 2013, WordPress is the backbone of 18.9% of websites according to founder Matt Mullenberg. When it began in 2003, the simple tool was designed to help Internet users create a home for their thoughts. By working with the community and giving them the ability to help develop WordPress, the self-hosted blogging platform took off and has become the giant that millions use everyday.
More Than A Blog
WordPress may have started as a basic blogging platform, but it evolved into a full-fledged website solution and content management system. Both individuals and businesses use WordPress to create powerful websites by using customized themes and plug-ins. Of course, you can still create a blog, but you can also develop your entire website using a single solution.
Self-Hosted
The term “WordPress” is sometimes confusing. WordPress is actually two different platforms. For those who don’t have hosting and don’t wish to create a commercial site can use WordPress.com. While you still have access to powerful features, you are limited in what you can do. Your site remains on WordPress servers.
The solution that millions use to create their websites, especially businesses, is WordPress.org. You download the WordPress.org package and upload to the web host of your choice. Due to the popularity, most reputable web hosts support WordPress. Both options are free, but if you want full control over your site with no limits, WordPress.org is the best solution.
A Community Project
WordPress is truly a community project. If you’re a programmer, you can develop your own plug-ins and themes to fully customize your own WordPress site. Hundreds of themes are created every year that are easy to implement. Thousands of plug-ins are developed yearly and approved for official WordPress use. In 2013 alone, 6,758 plug-ins were approved and the WordPress library currently offers 26,000. When you use WordPress, you know it’s a solution that will continuously improve and will always be supported.
Easy To Use
The hardest part of using WordPress is the initial installation on your host. Some hosts over-complicate the issue while some actually have WordPress built-in. After this, all you have to do is customize your site. Most people prefer to install an easy to use drag-and-drop style theme. The intuitive content management system makes it easy to make updates and keep your site looking great. Basically, after the initial setup and customization, almost anyone can manage a WordPress site.
Related Articles:
- WordPress Do-It-Yourself Basics (Part 1) – Requirements and Getting Started
- WordPress Do-It-Yourself Basics (Part 2) – How to Install a Self-hosted WordPress Website
- WordPress Do-It-Yourself Basics (Part 3) – Settings, Themes and More
- WordPress Do-It-Yourself Basics (Part 4) – Creating Posts & Pages
- How to Use WordPress Effectively