Here is a copy of the article I wrote as an Internet column in Business Fraser Valley called “Reasons to use WordPress.”
BFV Aug 09 – Reasons to use WordPress
You can also see the article in the full page as it was published in the paper:
Here is the text of the article before it was edited to fit in the column space by the paper:
WordPress the ultimate: 6 reasons to use the content management system (CMS)
WordPress is a system that has been around for about a decade, developed as a free, open-source content management system (CMS). The outside can look like a regular Web site, not necessarily a blog. The back end allows changes easily – as if using a word processor or checking e-mail. But don’t be fooled. The power of WordPress is demonstrated by majors who use it, such as CNN, Samsung, Wall Street Journal and General Electric. This is not to mention the many universities and celebrities who take advantage of its capabilities, (even New Kids on the Block and Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen!).
Here’s why WordPress is great for a business:
1) Changes can be made, pronto. You always have access to the back end for adding photos, writing posts or making edits, without having to know computer code. This is cost-effective because it eliminates the need to pay a Web developer every time changes are necessary. It also saves the time and hassle of sending instructions to an on-board techie.
2) It comes with a blog AND static pages. You can write “posts”, and also have static info about your company on “pages”. Having a blog is essential for search engine optimization (SEO). If you don’t update your site AT LEAST once a week, you can expect Google meta spiders will stop indexing your site. The best is to have the blog inside the Web site, so your whole site gets good rankings.
3) It’s customizable. Your WordPress site doesn’t have to look like everyone else’s. Branding and layout are as adjustable as any other type of site.
4) It’s super powerful. It can be as functional as you need it to be. There are thousands of “plug-ins” available to install automatically. These include shopping carts, image and video galleries, widget changers (for the info on your sidebars), site-map generators and SEO packs that automatically insert meta-tags for Google and other search engines to read. The list is endless!
5) It sends out pings. What are pings? They are SEO-friendly notifications sent to the Internet every time you write a post. They get you noticed before you know it!
6) It’s constantly updated. The people who work on WordPress are always improving the software. This means your CMS will stay up-to-date with the latest trends in technology.