WordPress is one of the leading Content Management Systems (CMS) available online. According to W3Techs, a web technology survey website, WordPress powers more than 30% of the websites on the internet. This is quite a remarkable achievement for WordPress, given the number of webpages using its platform to develop their digital presence worldwide. It is just another way of saying that 1/3rd of the internet is being powered by WordPress’s development platform.
WordPress initially started off as an online blogging platform for aspiring writers and bloggers. It was developed and launched in 2003. Over the years, this platform gained immense popularity among its users over the web and many corporate giants such as Walt Disney, BBC, and Bloomberg turned towards it to build their websites. Consequently, WordPress turned into a massive website building platform turned an e-commerce site as well, though it retained its basic stature as a blogging platform too.
WordPress Domains
WordPress users have two domains they can use to host their sites from;wordpress.org and wordpress.com. Whichever the platform users choose, there is a little ($4/month) or no amount of money needed to start at all. Users can simply sign up and start using their services.
The Reasons for WordPress’s Constant Growth
WordPress’s constant growth and a steady user base can be attributed to many factors. Some of these are elaborated below:
1. WordPress is an Open Source Community
The first factor which contributes to WordPress’s immense success as a website building platform is the wonderful community of users it has. So many WordPress users have voluntarily committed to helping it grow by constantly contributing to its expansion in their personal capacities. Some have helped with its translation in other languages, others in the development of plug-ins and themes. This communal environment with a shared fervor for the development of this blogging has led to its mammoth growth.
2. The versatility of WordPress Users
The second most important factor which has contributed to WordPress’s growth over the years is the fact that it can be used by anyone to build their website, be it freelancers and personal blogging webpages to medium-sized businesses. WordPress’s users don’t just fall strictly into the two-mentioned categories. In fact, they include online shopping websites, industry giants such as Sony and Mercedes-Benz, newspaper agencies, and fashion magazines. Almost anyone around the globe with any purpose can start using WordPress to build their web presence and put content out there in the world without hesitation.
3. Ability to Cope With Challenges of the Dynamic Business Environment
The challenges for businesses existing in this digital age are not just driving traffic to their web pages but capturing attention, making users engage with their content and convert these leads into sales. WordPress helps businesses to do just that. Its Content Management Systems consist of all sorts of utilities needed to generate awesome online content. From captivating themes to impressive video content, high-resolution images to a plethora of Plug-ins to download and enhance the functionality of the website, WordPress caters to almost all the needs of modern-day businesses.
4. Easy to Use Features, Customization Options, and Scalability
The fourth and last reason on the list for why WordPress is being used by one-third of the internet population as their powering digital platform is because of its easy to use features. WordPress has a dedicated blog and hundreds of tutorials available online on how to use this platform and make the most out of efficiently.
Additionally, it offers various customization options to website developers which help personalize the website as per the business’s or individual’s requirements and reflect their truest essence or purpose of being on the internet.
Last but not least, WordPress allows website owners to upgrade the scale of their websites anytime without having to make any extra payments. They can do it with simple clicks and upgrade the profile of their web existence as they wish.
Downsides of WordPress
It is a well-known fact that WordPress’s platform is very easy to break. This means that any data uploaded, content created and website material stored can easily be hacked and stolen. Thus, causing intellectual theft, which would consequently result in distress to the organization or entity who owns it.
For this reason, websites that requires making online payments or transactions such as online gaming, live betting, and gambling websites get reluctant in using WordPress’s platform to develop their web page. Websites such as 888 poker which is a safe and secure place for online games prefer avoiding this platform altogether.
How WordPress Deals With the Downsides?
In an effort to fix the faults, the WordPress development community started offering incentives to WordPress users who pointed out flaws and loopholes in the platform’s systems. Additionally, the community also tried working on the security problems by creating and installing anti-hacking software plugin into the WordPress systems. This software was introduced to the users by the name HackerOne.
Since the software has been recently developed and installed, it is too soon to assume that it will benefit the platform in the longer run. Thus, the threat of personal data and monetary theft still hangs like a double-edged sword on the heads of management of online gaming platforms.
These platforms assume full responsibility of creating theft-free secure gaming zones online. This is what makes their players entrust their personal details with them. Hence, in order to keep providing their services without the breach of trust or privacy, online gaming websites still prefer to use other Content Management Systems as their website building platforms.
All in all, the upsides of WordPress outweigh the downsides, which is evident by the fact that why more than 30% of the websites using WordPress. WordPress can serve as a very good base for people with personal blogs and freelancers who just need a platform to organize their thoughts and do not involve hefty payments, etc.
