It seems like everyone comes to the table with preconceived notions about WordPress. And whether it's right or wrong, it can be difficult to change your mind once you've formed them.
There are certain misconceptions that rise to the top again and again. They're ubiquitous, continually stopping savvy entrepreneurs who know WordPress is a good CMS but have received enough wrong information to pause them. This is really a shame because it can prevent individuals and companies from moving forward in building a web presence. And as we all know, creating a possible web presence is one of the most important things a company can do these days.
Today, we're going to set the record straight on 5 of the most commonly perpetuated lies about WordPress and do our best to discredit them for good.
Lie # 1: You have to buy a WordPress theme
When managing a WordPress site for your business, it is important to have a distinctive style and design. You want your site to stand out from the rest, especially from your competitors. Many people achieve this by purchasing a premium theme. In their minds, this guarantees the individuality of your site.
Unfortunately, your move is wrong. For starters, many people can buy the same premium themes. And if you keep the theme with all its default settings, chances are there are several other sites with the exact same appearance.
All I'm saying is that buying a premium theme will not guarantee you an original 100% site. It just won't happen. At the same time, many people are under the impression that premium themes automatically come with developer support, but this is not always the case. I don't want to discourage you from purchasing a premium theme (as they are generally better than the free options - just take a look at some of the premium WordPress themes created here at R Marketing Digital), but you should do so with the understanding that it does not guarantee the individuality.
It sure looks sexy (the theme, not Frank), but it could definitely benefit from a personal touch.
Whether you choose a premium option or stick with a free theme option, know this: Personalization is your friend. Free themes don't offer as many customization options as premium ones, but they can still be made to look and feel the way you want. So if all you need is a very simple site, you just need to invest in custom graphics and you should be good to go.
Lie # 2: Only certain industries can use WordPress
I bet you've heard this before: WordPress is for bloggers only. And for bloggers, the person who says this repeated phrase says it in a semi-derogatory way. It is derogatory. And although WordPress definitely it is A blogging platform at the same time is capable of much more. In fact, it can (and has been) adapted to meet the needs of almost any industry (in fact, Freddy just wrote a post about some of the big brands that use WordPress).
You can add subscription pages and sales pages directly from a single WordPress installation, add an entire store, and select from a wide range of themes. You can either hire someone to design a site for you from scratch or use a pre-made theme and customize it to suit your purposes. The sky is the limit.
That brings me to another point: a lot of people seem to think that the available themes only suit the blogging style of content presentation, but that's not true. You can find a perfect theme for any company in any industry, from manufacturing to real estate to legal and apparel. If you can't find a pre-made theme, you can at the same time create an absolutely custom one or make one for yourself. There are no limitations.
Lie # 3: Can't run an eCommerce site on WordPress
This is completely untrue. Absolutely can Running an eCommerce site on WordPress and it's pretty easy to do. There are so many plugins available that make it easy to create a new store or incorporate an existing one with the WordPress platform. And, for the most part, product management, analytics tools, and more will be accessible from the WordPress dashboard.
Just adjust a few settings and you're ready to go full SSL, multi-currency support, multiple payment options, and more. There is a great tutorial at Tuts + on this very topic using the WP e-Commerce plugin, but that's far from your only option. Other great options include Easy Digital Downloads and WooCommerce.
You always have to do your due diligence before downloading and installing new plugins of any kind, not just the ones related to e-commerce. First, make sure that what you have selected is right for your specific needs. And pay close attention to the security settings. Since you will be responsible for keeping other people's personal and financial information secure, has to make this a priority.
Lie No. # 4: you can't customize your site
So this is related to the first two lies, but it stands out on its own for a very good reason - some people seem to think that WordPress is so easy and so simple that it can't be customized for any truly meaningful purpose. It is an informal blogging platform, nothing more.
Again, this is simply not true. You can customize a WordPress site down to the last detail. Depending on your knowledge of the web, you can modify and manipulate your heart's content. You can code a theme from scratch or add all the conveniences you want to an existing theme. Basically, you can go crazy.
The best way to do the latter is to create a child theme and build your customization at the same time. You can even change the dashboard or customize the WordPress admin UI to reflect your company's branding, so that everyone involved in your organization gets a complete branding experience when they log in.
Anyone who says that WordPress cannot be customized is either misinformed or ignorant. Either way, you shouldn't listen to them.
Lie # 5: You have to be a web developer to use WordPress
On the other hand, many people at the same time seem to have a misconception that WordPress is too complicated. Funny how these two opinions can coexist, huh? Still, this lie is as ubiquitous as any other, and it alienates many people from the CMS.
The fact is, WordPress is extremely easy to use. It's just harder, and offers more advanced features, if you want. Therefore, web developers and beginner bloggers can get a lot out of it at the same time. That's the beauty and the reason I'm such a staunch WordPress evangelist - it can be used for almost any purpose.
If you're a WordPress newbie, you can install it, upload a free theme, go through the basic customization options, and finish it. Basically no one tells you to have to make it complicated. Unless you want to. Understood?
WordPress is surrounded by misinformation and prejudice, but hopefully you now have a clearer understanding of what this CMS has to offer. It is truly versatile and as long as you know what you want to get out of it, you can achieve what you want. Create a simple blog to recount your cat's adventures or create a completely personalized e-commerce site. It's up to you, and that's the whole point, don't you think?
Have you avoided using WordPress for one of the reasons above? If you are currently using it, what convinced you to take the plunge? At the same time we are interested in knowing what other misconceptions people have heard about WordPress. Please ring in the comments. As always, we would love to hear what you think.
