Best practise web design starts with a thorough understanding of design software. There’s a common misconception that WordPress is entry-level software that anyone can use. This isn’t quite true.
WordPress is actually split into two different options. WordPress.com allows users to set up a website hosted on their servers. WordPress.org has a lot more freedom, but doesn’t include a third party hosting service. The best way to create a business website with all the bells and whistles is to use WordPress.org. However, this requires a wide range of skills to build and maintain. On the other hand, WordPress.com websites are much simpler to use, but have limited customisation options. They can also be more expensive to run, as you’re tied to the contracts that WordPress offer.
For the sake of this article, when we refer to WordPress, we’re talking about WordPress.org.
How WordPress Works
At its core, WordPress is a content management system. This means that you can use it to produce, edit and publish content. There’s a lot more to it than that, but the usefulness comes from its efficiency.
You don’t necessarily need complex technical knowledge to make an attractive, basic website with WordPress. However, you will be very limited with what features you can have without proper training. There’s also a lot of things that should be tested and tweaked to ensure that your website works. Your site needs to be mobile responsive, clear of errors and able to carry out the functions that you need it to. If you’re not able to put together a booking platform or contact form, you’ll need the help of a professional. Otherwise, you risk losing out on gaining new customers from your website.
There’s two parts to how WordPress websites work. There’s the ‘back end’, which is the dashboard where you can make changes from. There’s also the ‘front end’, which is what users see. Only people who can log into the admin portal will be able to see your website’s ‘back end’.
Building A WordPress Website
There are many different ways to build websites with WordPress. You can use a number of plugins and themes to get the look you want, with CSS and PHP code for further adjustments. If you have enough knowledge of coding languages, the opportunities with WordPress are pretty much limitless. However, it’s very important that plugins and themes are regularly updated. Missing out on this vital step could cause issues with your website, or worse, pose a security risk.
WordPress is great for building a number of different websites, from portfolios to blogs, to business websites to ecommerce stores. You can even build forums and social networks! If you can come up with the idea, you can bring it to life with the right skills on WordPress.
Do I Need A Web Designer For WordPress?
This depends on what your goals are, how much time you can dedicate to the project and how skilled you are.
If you’re able to put together a decent website but can’t commit enough time to building and maintaining it, you’ll need the help of a web designer just as much as someone with no skills would. Building a website is not something that can be carried out and then forgotten about. Websites require frequent updates and maintenance, otherwise you risk alienating users with errors and pages that don’t work. This is where expert web designers come in.
A WordPress web designer’s job is a lot more thorough than you might think. They have to keep in mind user experience, visual design, responsiveness, dark mode, technical elements and much more. These aspects apply to every detail of a website, from each new page to the footer menu. Unless you are experienced or technically minded, maintaining a website will not be easy without the help of a web designer.
Who Uses WordPress?
The answer to this can be surprising. There are actually a huge amount of websites that are created using WordPress. The figure is around 43.1% of all websites. That’s well over a third! With that figure in mind, it may not surprise you that these big names use WordPress for their websites:
Of course, there are many more significant brands that use WordPress – far too many to list here! The point we are making is that WordPress is a trusted platform that offers benefits to a range of important industries.
That’s not to say that WordPress is exclusively useful to large corporations. Many local businesses and SMEs see huge success with websites that have been created with WordPress.
How To Get A Business Website
If you’re looking for a website for your business, look no further than Search4Local. Our web design team have a wealth of experience. We’ve created successful websites for SME’s across a range of industries. The team at Search4Local always use best practise and industry-leading techniques. As well as this, by managing your website through us you can be sure that you’re up-to-date with maintenance, updates and new developments. This means that your website is attractive, secure and effective. Contact us today to start your journey with us.
