What is WordPress and how to use it?” is a common question for beginners who want to establish their online presence and attract more visitors. WordPress is a free, open-source content management system that allows users to create, manage, and publish content on the internet. It is one of the most popular website platforms in the world, powering over 40% of all websites on the internet. Whether you are a blogger, business owner, or developer, WP has something to offer.
Includes a robust built-in customizer that makes it easy to create and modify website designs quickly. Whether you want to build an eCommerce website, a personal blog, or a business site. Even if you’re new to website building, you don’t need any coding knowledge to create a professional-looking website.
Moreover, if you’re concerned about how your website design stacks up against modern trends. You can easily check your theme to ensure that your website design is up-to-date.
While this is just a brief overview of WordPress, let’s explore the world of WordPress to learn more about what it is, how to build a website using it, and the benefits it can bring to your online presence.
Check out our other related posts, such as an overview of WooCommerce and an introduction to Shopify.
What is WordPress?
WordPress is a popular and user-friendly software for building websites and blogs. It is a free content management system (CMS) created using PHP and integrated with either the MariaDB or MySQL database. Its primary features include a plugin structure and a template design, known as themes in WP.
To understand what is WP better and use it efficiently, let’s take a quick overview of its history and functions.
A Brief History of WordPress
WordPress is a free, open-source (CMS) application that has become one of the most popular website platforms in the world. But how did it all begin? Let’s take a brief look at the history of WordPress.
First launched in 2003 as a blogging platform. It was created by two developers, Matt Mullenweg and Mike Littlex, and released under the GNU General Public License (GPLv2 or later) to allow anyone to use, modify, and distribute the software freely.
Initially, WP was designed for bloggers who wanted an easy way to publish content online. However, it quickly evolved into a full-fledged CMS that could be used to create a variety of websites, from personal blogs to business websites and eCommerce stores.
One of the reasons for WordPress’s success is its strong community of developers and users. The platform is open-source, which means that anyone can contribute to its development and improvement. Over time, has become more user-friendly, with a range of customizable themes and plugins that can be easily installed to enhance website functionality.
As of today, powers over 40% of all websites on the internet, with over 450 new websites created daily. Its popularity and versatility have made it the go-to choice for individuals and businesses alike who want to establish their online presence and attract more visitors.
It is worth noting that Automattic is the official owner of WordPress.
Difference of Types:
If you’re a newbie and want to get started, it’s important to understand the difference between WordPress.com and WordPress.org.
Let’s take a closer look at each one.
WordPress.com is a hosted version of WordPress. Which means that your website is hosted on their servers, and you don’t have to worry about managing the server, updates, or backups. It is an easy-to-use platform that is best for bloggers, personal websites, and small businesses that don’t require advanced customization or social networking features. Has a free plan with limited features and a premium plan with more features and customization options.
WordPress.org, is a self-hosted solution that requires users to download and install the software on their own hosting. This gives users complete control over their website, including the ability to install custom themes and plugins, modify the code, and access the site’s database directly. Best suited for businesses, developers, and advanced users who require more flexibility and control over their website.
Why is WordPress Popular? Reasons to Switch
In this definition article, I will discuss some of the inspiring reasons why WP has become widely popular and famous.
- WordPress is user-friendly, even for those with limited technical knowledge. Its intuitive interface allows users to create and manage content without extensive coding or web development skills.
- With thousands of themes and plugins available, users can easily customize their website to fit their specific needs and preferences. This means that the possibilities for design and functionality are virtually endless.
- Designed with SEO in mind, making it easy for search engines to crawl and index your website. Also, there are numerous SEO plugins available to help optimize your content and improve your website’s ranking.
- Come with open-source license, which means that the software is freely available for anyone to use, modify, and distribute. This has resulted in a strong community of developers and users who have contributed to its ongoing development and improvement.
- WordPress can be used for websites of any size, from personal blogs to large-scale e-commerce sites. It can handle high traffic and complex functions with ease, making it a versatile and scalable platform.
WordPress is the safest and most reliable CMS platform globally. Provides many features to secure the site, such as signing out idle users and two-factor authentication. Contributor team frequently releases new security updates and bug and errors fixes.
Top and Popular Websites Powered by WP
Now that you have an overview of what WordPress is and its capabilities. It’s worth noting that it is used in various domains ranging from government and company websites to online stores, blogs, and portfolios. In fact, WordPress is ubiquitous on the web.
To give you some examples, let’s take a look at the percentage of websites that use it.
The White House
The official website of the American White House, the primary property of the United States government, was launched in October 1994. It is an association created by Bill Clinton himself, and its content is free to use or licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license. The White House, home to the President of the United States and his First Family, is also known as the People’s House. Where all Americans feel welcome and included. Surprisingly, the White House website is built using WordPress.
Bitly
Bitly is a New York City-based URL shortening service and link management platform that was founded in 2008 by Bitly, Inc. It shortens around 600 million links per month that are used in social media, text messaging, and email. Bitly generates revenue by charging for access to additional data produced by users who utilize shortened URLs. Notably, Bitly uses WordPress to power its website.
California State Portal
Ca.gov is the official website of the state of California in the United States. Provides information and services related to various government departments and agencies. As well as information about living, working, and doing business in California. Thanks to WordPress.org.
Microsoft blogs
Microsoft blogs powered by WordPress, an expanded section of the official Microsoft official website. The blogs cover a wide range of topics related to Microsoft’s products, services, and initiatives, such as software development, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, gaming, and cyber security. The company uses its blogs to share news, updates, insights, and opinions with its customers, partners, and the general public. Microsoft Blogs also serve as a platform for community engagement and feedback. Hope this examples helping for understanding WP.
Flickr Blog
Flickr is a popular image and video hosting service based in the United States and Canada. It was founded in 2004 by Ludicorp and later acquired by Yahoo and SmugMug. Used by both amateur and professional photographers as a platform to share and host high-resolution images. Users can register for a free account and upload their photos to the platform. With its user-friendly interface and various features, Flickr has become a go-to choice for many photographers and artists.
Forbes
Forbes is a well-known American business magazine covering finance, technology, leadership, and more. It uses WordPress to manage its online platform, enabling easy publishing of new content, customization of its appearance, and managing its online presence.
Zillow
Zillow is the leading real estate and rental website, providing consumers with information and resources for all aspects of homeownership and living, including buying, selling, renting, financing, and remodeling. With an extensive database of over 110 million homes in the United States, Zillow offers listings for sale, rent, and off-market properties.
Digicert
DigiCert is a leading provider of public key infrastructure (PKI) and validation services, serving as a certificate authority (CA) and trusted third party. Digital certificates issued by DigiCert help verify the trustworthiness and authenticity of websites, and are commonly used to secure email communications and sign electronic documents. SSL certificates issued by DigiCert are accepted by all major browsers, mail systems, operating systems, and mobile devices. Also, DigiCert is a fan of WordPress and recommends its use.
While this list highlights some of the biggest brands. It’s worth noting that WordPress can be used for almost any type of website, from fashion and eyewear to diet and nutrition, snow activities, crafts, and more. For a broader view of the types of websites that use WordPress, check out this link for more examples.
How Can You Get Started
Writing about what is WordPress without including how to get started would be incomplete. Getting started is easy and can be done in a few steps.
- You will need a web hosting service to install WP on your website. Look for a hosting provider that offers one-click installation, good uptime, and fast loading speed.
- Once you have a hosting provider, you can install by logging into your hosting account and clicking on the WordPress icon. Follow the installation wizard, and WP will be installed on your website in a matter of minutes.
- A theme determines the look and feel of your website. You can choose from thousands of free and paid themes available on WordPress.org, ThemeForest or from third-party marketplaces.
- Plugins add extra functionality to your website. install plugins to add features like contact forms, social media integration, security, and SEO optimization.
- After setting up your website, you can create various types of content such as blog posts, pages, and media. You can use the built-in editor to format your content, add images, and videos. Also, enhance your web page design with third-party visual editors like Elementor, WPBakery, Gutenberg, and Divi.
Overall, getting started with WordPress is easy and straightforward, and there are many resources available online to help you along the way.
Some of the Top Competitors
To provide a better understanding, it’s important to be aware of the competitors or alternatives of WordPress. Here are some of the top competitors:
- Wix: A cloud-based website building platform that offers a drag-and-drop interface and a variety of templates.
- Squarespace: A website builder that offers professionally designed templates and a drag-and-drop editor.
- Shopify: An e_commerce platform that allows users to create online stores and sell products.
- Joomla: An open-source content management system that is more complex than WordPress but offers more advanced features.
- Drupal: Another open-source content management system that is more developer-focused and suitable for large, complex websites.
Some of the Best Themes and Plugins
In an overview of WordPress, it’s important to note some of the popular themes and plugins that have contributed to its popularity.
Themes: Kadence, OceanWP, Storefront, Avada, Flatsome, Astra and more.
Plugins: WooCommerce, Yoast SEO, Jetpack, W3 Total Cache, BuddyPress, Contact Form 7 and more.
Summary
If you’re looking for a fast and easy way to build a website, WordPress is the perfect choice. With its user-friendly interface, anyone can create a professional-looking site in no time.
One of the best things about WordPress is the huge selection of themes and plugins available. Whether you’re looking for a simple blog or a complex e-commerce site, you can find the perfect tools to make your vision a reality.
And if you have any feedback or suggestions, we’d love to hear from you. Be sure to check back for more helpful and informative articles in the future!
