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As a website designer, I get asked quite often which of the blogging platforms I would recommend. WordPress is always my answer.
Why blog with WordPress?
Here’s the answer: WordPress, like it or not, is very well known, has a pretty good reputation, and for all intents and purposes, it’s king as far as blogging platforms go for businesses and individuals alike. For our blogging tips and tutorials series, I’m going to share the five reasons I love blogging with WordPress.
Why I Love Blogging With WordPress
1. Wordpress software is free and easy to install
I know many people feel overwhelmed when thinking of WordPress and using it in the beginning, but to be honest, I have to tell you that not only is WordPress software FREE, but it is pretty simple to upload to a new site, as well.
True if you are self hosting with WordPress, you will need to pay for the domain name and the actual hosting, but the WordPress software, itself is indeed free. It only takes ONE click to upload the FREE WordPress files to your hosting account for your domain name.
2. WordPress Themes allow for awesome design options
Once you have WordPress installed, you have unlimited choices as far as design elements are concerned with WordPress Themes. I usually recommend the Genesis framework, which then allows use of the many different and varying Genesis child themes available out there.
Why do I recommend Genesis?
One big reason is because Genesis is automatically mobile responsive, which is now what Google search engines prefer when indexing websites.
3. Plugins, so many plugins
If you have installed WordPress and have a theme setup, you will then want to further customize your site.
This is where WordPress plugins come into play.
WordPress has almost 10,000 plugins available.
There are plugins for anything and everything you could imagine or may need to use to optimize your website and make it user friendly.
Trust me, if there is something you are looking to do, chances are there is a plugin available for it on WordPress.
4. WordPress makes you SEO friendly with Yoast SEO
As I quickly mentioned in #2, a big plus with WordPress is that it is Google-search friendly. To dive further into this, WordPress is SEO friendly on many levels – not just for mobile optimization.
A huge reason for this is because WordPress has a plugin that helps make this possible.
The plugin that allows for this is called, WordPress SEO by Yoast. To find out more about WordPress SEO and all it has to offer you can read this tutorial to learn about it’s search engine capabilities.
5. WordPress is easy to keep secure
Another huge benefit of WordPress is that it helps keep your site secure from hackers.
There are plugins that allow for this such as, Akismet to help keep spam commenting down, backup plugins so that you can easily backup your site daily or weekly, and Wordfence to keep hackers from signing into your site remotely.
Hackers do exist, but it is nice to know that the WordPress platform and software has some failsafes to keep your site secure.
There you have it, some great reasons I love blogging with WordPress and if you still are unsure, please feel free to contact me to ask any lingering questions you may have.
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Janine,
Thank you for all the GREAT advice! I am a new blogger and am using WordPress. I am still trying to get the hang of things but so far so good! I am going to click over to your “SEO for Dummies” article as soon as I am done here!
I have been so very happy with Blogger … and continue to be.
But, Janine, I have to admit that I have wondered if I am up to the challenge of WordPress and if I would like it better.
All that to say…I am managing my brother’s social media now and his web designer is using WP. Soon as it is set up, she will be turning it over to me. We plan on updating photos and adding blog posts, etc so I will be gaining on-the-job experience with WP. Guess who is on my mind to be my “go to” person as I am in the learnin curve, dear friend????? Yes, YOU! LOL
I am a of WordPress and Genesis and use them on all of my self hosted sites too.
Love that you do, too Jack 😉
Great tips, Janine! I switched to WordPress a few years ago and am so glad I made the switch. The plugins totally make it worth it! I’m currently using All In One WP Security, and am not sure I like it. Have you heard anything about it, and how it would compare to something like Wordfence?
Gina, glad you do love WordPress and to be honest I usually use Wordfence Security over All in One WP Security for myself and clients as it has always worked beautifully for myself and no issues here. Hope that helps and would say give it a try to see for yourself.
Great post and reading more about YOAST!
Thanks Kristen and if you have any questions, you know you can feel free to ask me 😉
I can’t thank you enough for all the help you have given me and my site as I have adjusted to WordPress. I agree with you, there are so many things to love about it, and it really is not nearly as scary as I thought it was. Great piece!
Always my pleasure, Kathy and seriously so glad I could help you transfer over to WordPress back when I did. Hugs and thank you!! 🙂
Great post Janine. I have, on many occasions contemplated about moving over to WordPress, however I’m not a fan of change. I like to consider myself a loyal customer (so to speak), and I have only ever known Blogger. I guess I still need to be convinced that it will be the best thing for me and my blog. oh the decisions and choices we have to make in life!
I know this is a big decision if you have only blogged on Blogger and completely get that. Some are completely content staying on Blogger and also get that, as well. It boils down to what you are wanting to be able to do in the end with your blog that usually makes the decision for so many that I have seen in the long run.
Im also using WordPress but I feel I miss the simplicity of blogger, which I used before.
Janine, This is GREAT advice and so helpful! I so appreciate that you share such useful and pertinent information that we can all benefit from; you are amazingly generous. Carrie, A Mother’s Shadow
Totally My pleasure, Carrie and thank you too always 😉
Janine,
Every day I learn something new about blogging and I have been blogging almost 4 years. Thanks for sharing about the plugins to backup WordPress. I had no idea. I use BlueHost to backup my site by never new I should be backing it up my self.
Thanks so very much for sharing!
Diane Roark
You are so welcome, Diane and there are quite a few plugins for backups out there, but if you need any help or advice, please feel free to ask as I would always help you if I could 😉
I am really glad that you switched over my site to word press and set it all up for me. I never regretted it…such an easy site to use and glad I did the self-hosted site as well.
Karen, was totally my pleasure and so glad you still are loving your WordPress site after all this time still! 😉