Published - Tue, 09-Jul-2024

Why should you use WordPress to Build a Website in South Africa?

Why should you use WordPress to Build a Website in South Africa?

If you have used website builders like Wix or Weebly, you may have come across WordPress. WordPress is a completely free-to-use website builder supported by thousands of plugins and themes and an active developer community. In this article, let's explore the reasons why you should be using WordPress to build a website in South Africa.

What is WordPress?

WordPress is a website builder; an open-source content management system (CMS). You can create and use a basic WordPress website for free as long as the plugins and themes you use are free. It is a popular tool amongst many as you do not require any coding knowledge or experience to build a website and blog.

If you were a blogger in the last decade, there's a high chance you must have used WordPress. WordPress was primarily developed to create blogs, such as news blogs, lifestyle blogs, hobby blogs, informative blogs, and so on. And now, WordPress is capable of making a full-fledged website within hours for any purpose. So, should you be using WordPress in 2024? The answer is absolutely yes, you should. It is a free-to-use website builder with thousands of free plugins and themes. Too good of an opportunity to pass on!

But wait, why does it say I have to pay for WordPress?

When it comes to WordPress, there are two distinct websites: WordPress.org and WordPress.com. Despite the word 'WordPress' in the domain, the WordPress.com website/service is owned and operated by Automattic, Inc. They provide a modified version of the WordPress software with premium plans to eliminate the hassle of building a website and hosting a domain. The only free thing on WordPress.com is free blog hosting.

On the other hand, the WordPress.org domain is owned by the WordPress Foundation. According to their website,

"The WordPress Foundation is a charitable organization founded by Matt Mullenweg to further the mission of the WordPress open source project: to democratize publishing through Open Source, GPL software."

WordPress.org allows you to build a website as you wish. You have the absolute control over the web design aspect. You are also free to host your WordPress website with whichever domain provider you see fit. So, if you are looking for a free WordPress experience, WordPress.org is the way to go.

Why Should I Use WordPress to Build a Website in South Africa?

According to WPZOOM, WordPress powers about 43.4% of all websites internationally and dominates the CMS market with a 62.7% share. Why?

WordPress is Open-Source

Open-source software refers to the software's code being available to the public. This means you can modify the source code as you wish and redistribute the software. The open-source idea survives on the basis of people contributing to the software to make it better. And thankfully, WordPress is blessed by thousands of developers and contributors who made WordPress the better CMS platform it is today.

Beginner-Friendly

As established previously, WordPress requires no coding knowledge or any engineering degree. WordPress CMS aimed to simplify website building and designing and has succeeded so far. WordPress is designed for non-technical people. Its user interface is intuitive and friendly.

WordPress itself is just a blank canvas with a backend where you can manage your website settings. To add designs to your website, you simply have to download a theme. Furthermore, you can also add functionalities to your website by installing WordPress plugins.

SEO-Friendliness

Search Engine Optimisation is important if you want to make your website visible on a search engine like Google and attract organic traffic. Thanks to the simplicity of WordPress CMS, SEO optimisation on a WordPress website is simple. You can even get plugins like Yoast! SEO to help you optimise SEO for your website.

Security

WordPress consistently upgrades its platform, patching security loopholes, improving performance, or adding new features. You must update WordPress every time there's an update available. Once an update is available, you will get a notification about it on your website's backend. You want your website to be secure amidst numerous data breaches or hijacks happening everywhere. The consistent updates to the platform and plugins and active community keep the platform up-to-date, making it one of the safest and most secure CMS platforms.

Supports all Media Types

A WordPress website allows you to load all sorts of web-compatible media files. That means you can put different kinds of images, videos, and text to make your website more appealing towards your audience. The flexible support allows for unlimited customisations, thus helping you make your website uniquely enticing.

Conclusion

WordPress is a great free website builder in South Africa that allows for immense website customisations at almost no cost. The only real financial aspect you will have to worry about is paying for a website host. The cost-effectiveness and ease of use are exactly why we would recommend using WordPress to build your dream website in South Africa.

Skill Space is currently developing a full-fledged course on developing a WordPress website. The course will be out soon, so stay tuned. If you have any questions or require any guidance related to WordPress, kindly let us know by contacting us.

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