The Pros & Cons Of Using WordPress CMS For Your Website

By Neil Kilgallon on Friday, 17 November 2023

WordPress, renowned as the most widely used content management system worldwide, powers over 45% of all websites in 2024. Does that statistic alone mean it is the right platform for your website? In this article, we explore the strengths and weaknesses of WordPress, discuss the types of websites that are best suited for it, and challenge the notion that popularity always equates to superiority.

To provide some context, ID Studio is a WordPress web design agency that has worked with the platform since its inception as a blogging platform over two decades ago. Our team of web designers and developers have extensive experience building websites on this platform, giving us a deep understanding of its advantages and drawbacks.

Understanding WordPress

At its core, WordPress is a Content Management System (CMS) that offers an open-source framework, which means it's accessible to all and can be customised according to individual needs. It began as a tool for bloggers but has since evolved into a full-fledged website management platform. The main benefit of WordPress lies in its simplicity, yet it's powerful enough for seasoned developers to build complex websites.

What sets WordPress apart is its modular ecosystem that allows for customisation and flexibility. Whether we want to create a simple marketing website or construct a complex eCommerce site using the WooCommerce plugin, WordPress has the tools and resources to make it happen. With thousands of plugins at your disposal, we can quickly and efficiently add additional functionality with reduced resources and costs. Moreover, being an open-source platform, it boasts a vibrant community of users and developers who are constantly innovating and pushing the boundaries of what WordPress can do.

Why Use WordPress for Web Design and Development?

We've discussed how WordPress is an immensely popular content management system. This, by nature, means that many marketing professionals and departments are familiar with how to maintain websites that are based on the WordPress platform. This in itself is justification for many clients.

The Pros of Using WordPress

There are many benefits to using WordPress, which we discuss below.

Ease Of Use

One of the standout advantages of WordPress is its intuitive and user-friendly interface. You don't have to be a developer or technically aware to navigate your way around this platform. Its dashboard is straightforward and simple to understand, making it easy for anyone to create and update content, add new sections or pages, add images, or install plugins. The beauty of WordPress lies in its simplicity, opening up the world of website maintenance to individuals and businesses alike, regardless of their tech know-how.

Open Source

Many commercial content management systems come with significant upfront onboarding, training and annual license costs that can be in the tens and hundreds of thousands. You are also restricted by the confines of the product ecosystem. WordPress, on the other hand, is free and open source. There are no upfront or ongoing fees for the base system. It can be likened to a communal toolbox that is freely available for use and improvement, fostering an ecosystem of innovation and continuous growth. The open-source philosophy at the core of WordPress ensures many creative minds contribute to its advancement, continuously enhancing features and refining functionality. This results in a platform that is perpetually evolving, offering a wide range of plugins to customise websites according to individual needs.

Highly Customisable

WordPress's open-source framework allows for direct code manipulation, opening the door to truly bespoke website design. All websites designed by ID Studio are completely unique and tailored to the individual client's specific needs and website goals. This makes WordPress not just a content management system but a platform that caters to the specific needs and vision of most clients.

Strong Community Support

The strength of WordPress extends beyond its features and lies within its robust community. This vibrant and collaborative group comprises developers, users, and enthusiasts who continually contribute to the platform's growth and improvement. Members actively discuss, share insights, and resolve issues through various forums and online communities. The abundant resources available, including tutorials, guides, and blogs, also serve as a testament to the comprehensive support system that WordPress offers. This collective insight ensures that virtually any challenge you encounter while using WordPress can be addressed promptly.

Third-Party Plugins

One of the most compelling features of WordPress is its extensive library of third-party plugins. These plugins, crafted by independent developers worldwide, significantly enhance the platform's functionality. Whether you wish to optimise your site for search engines, enhance security, or even integrate e-commerce capabilities, there's a plugin to cater to your every need. The benefit of these plugins is their ease of installation and use, often requiring just a few clicks to transform the capabilities of your site.

SEO Friendly

WordPress is inherently SEO-friendly, providing a solid foundation for driving organic traffic to your website. The platform's wide range of SEO plugins, such as Yoast SEO and All in One SEO Pack, further enhance its SEO capabilities. These plugins guide you in optimising your content and settings, making SEO accessible even for beginners. Additionally, WordPress is built with responsive design in mind, ensuring your site performs well on all devices — a factor that search engines increasingly consider when ranking sites.

WooCommerce

WooCommerce is a comprehensive eCommerce solution that seamlessly integrates with WordPress, powering nearly 30% of all online stores globally. It's an open-source plugin that allows businesses to convert their WordPress site into a fully functional online store. The main benefit of WooCommerce is its flexibility; it caters to businesses of all sizes, whether you are a small start-up or a large-scale enterprise. With an extensive array of customisable features and hundreds of free and premium extensions, WooCommerce provides the flexibility to tailor your online store to meet your brand's specific needs. Its intuitive interface simplifies management tasks such as inventory management, tax calculations, and secure payment processing. WooCommerce is built with SEO in mind, providing your online store with a solid foundation for maximising visibility and driving organic traffic.

The Cons of Using WordPress

Whilst WordPress is a very popular content management system, it's definitely not the right platform for every type of website.

Vulnerability to Security Threats

WordPress, while boasting extensive features, is unfortunately not immune to security threats. Its popularity is a double-edged sword, attracting many hackers and malicious entities. As an open-source platform, the code is readily available for anyone to scrutinise, including those with ill intentions, leaving sites prone to potential attacks. Frequent threats include SQL injections, cross-site scripting, and malware. Moreover, the abundance of third-party plugins, while beneficial for customisation, can introduce security vulnerabilities if not regularly updated or sourced from reputable developers. Hence, WordPress site owners must be diligent in maintaining regular updates, employing robust security measures, and ensuring responsible plugin usage. ID Studio offers an ongoing support and maintenance package for all WordPress websites that allocates time each month to ensure your WordPress installation stays updated, patched and secure.

Poorly Coded And Maintained Third-Party Plugins

While third-party plugins considerably enhance WordPress's versatility, they also carry potential risks, particularly if they're poorly coded or inadequately maintained. Such plugins can not only hamper your website's performance but also expose it to various security threats, reflecting negatively on both your user experience and search engine rankings. Therefore, it's crucial to exercise caution when choosing plugins for your WordPress site. Ensure plugins are sourced from reliable developers, check for regular updates, and read reviews from other users. ID Studio only uses established, tried and tested plugins on our WordPress websites to ensure that they do not pose a potential security threat.

Performance Issues

Performance issues can arise in WordPress if the site is not correctly coded or optimised. Poorly written code can significantly affect your website's speed and responsiveness, leading to sluggish loading times and a less-than-ideal user experience. Furthermore, excessive use of plugins and bulky, unoptimised images can also contribute to performance degradation. Over time, such issues could potentially cause visitors to abandon your site in favour of faster, more efficient alternatives. Therefore, it is essential to adhere to coding best practices, optimise images before uploading, and only use necessary and well-coded plugins to ensure your WordPress site operates at its peak performance.

Frequent Updates

WordPress is known for its frequent updates, a feature that's generally lauded for enhancing security and functionality. However, these updates, particularly the major ones, can sometimes cause issues with your website. Major updates often introduce new features and significant changes to the WordPress core, which can lead to compatibility issues with existing layouts or plugins on your website. This can cause elements of your website to malfunction or even the entire site to crash if not addressed promptly. Moreover, the process of constantly updating the system can become a time-consuming task for support teams. Consequently, whilst updates are a necessary aspect of maintaining a secure and functional website, they also demand careful management to ensure that they don't disrupt your site's performance or user experience.

Comparing WordPress to Other Content Management Systems

We look at how WordPress and WooCommerce stack up against other content management systems and eCommerce platforms.

ProcessWire

ProcessWire, while less renowned compared to WordPress, brings its own set of unique advantages to the table. As an open-source content management system, ProcessWire values flexibility and ease of use, and it shines when it comes to customisation. Unlike WordPress, which often necessitates multiple plugins to achieve specific functionalities, ProcessWire's application programming interface (API) allows developers to tailor the site according to bespoke requirements without any additional baggage. This gives ProcessWire an edge in terms of performance, as the absence of excessive plugins reduces bloat, leading to a more streamlined, efficient website.

Shopify

Shopify, a globally recognised e-commerce platform, contrasts with WordPress and WooCommerce in several ways. Its main draw is its all-in-one solution that eliminates the need for extensive customisation or additional plugins, unlike WordPress and WooCommerce, which often require multiple plugins for enhanced functionality. Shopify provides a user-friendly platform with integrated eCommerce features, which makes it a popular choice for businesses seeking a simple eCommerce solution. However, this simplicity may restrict businesses that require more complex customisation options, an area where WordPress and WooCommerce stand out. Furthermore, Shopify's subscription-based model may prove more costly in the long term compared to the flexibility of WordPress and WooCommerce, which are free to use, with costs only arising from bespoke design, development and customisation.

Bespoke CMS Development Using Laravel

For bespoke CMS development, the Laravel framework stands in a class of its own, especially for larger, more custom-built websites. Unlike WordPress, which is a prebuilt CMS and often relies heavily on plugins for extended functionalities, Laravel offers a clean slate, allowing developers unparalleled flexibility in crafting unique, tailored solutions. This granular control can lead to more secure websites, as developers can scrutinise and modify every aspect of the code - a luxury not always afforded by WordPress due to its reliance on third-party plugins.

Moreover, Laravel's robustness truly shines in managing complex data relationships, making it a superior choice for large-scale, customised websites that require intricate functionalities. Its elegant and expressive syntax, backed by a supportive community and rich ecosystem of tools, empowers developers to build maintainable and scalable applications with ease. While WordPress undoubtedly has its merits, it can struggle with performance issues as the site grows, a concern mitigated by Laravel’s inherent scalability. However, Laravel's benefits do come with a steeper learning curve, demanding more expertise and time investment, which may be a consideration for projects with tighter budgets or timelines. Nonetheless, for businesses prioritising uniqueness, intricate customisation, and scalability, Laravel shines brightly as the framework of choice.

Who Should Consider Using WordPress?

WordPress is an excellent choice for many different types of websites due to its flexibility and user-friendly nature. It is an ideal platform for small start-up showcases or marketing sites that are looking for a cost-effective solution. Small to medium-sized businesses can also benefit from WordPress's versatility to establish an online presence. Non-profit organisations and educational institutions can use the platform to disseminate information and connect with their communities.

However, it's crucial to note while WordPress is capable of supporting large-scale e-commerce, highly bespoke or enterprise sites, these cases might be better suited to an alternative system or bespoke development.

Conclusion: Weighing the Pros and Cons of WordPress

In conclusion, WordPress stands as an adaptable and versatile platform, making it a favourable choice for a wide array of websites. Its user-friendly nature and extensive customisation options are major selling points, particularly for small to medium-sized businesses looking to establish an online presence. However, while it excels in many areas, the frequent updates and potential for bloat from excessive plugins can pose challenges. More complex, large-scale, or bespoke websites may find greater value in alternatives like ProcessWire, Shopify or even a custom solution built using Laravel. Ultimately, the choice of platform depends heavily on your specific needs, budget, and long-term goals. Balancing these factors will guide you in selecting the most suitable platform for creating a website that not only aligns with your vision but also provides an optimal user experience.