I’m tempted to start with a disclaimer. Something like, WordPress is great, but every content management system has its own pros and cons and special use cases, yada, yada, yada. But forget that. WordPress is great. Period.
It’s my favorite platform for posting content, updating the look of a site, and adding functionality. It’s the total package. Here’s why…
1 – It’s popular (really popular)
I know, just because everybody is using something doesn’t automatically make it’s good. Take McDonalds. However, in the case of technology platforms, popularity is incentive for talented people to build things that make it better. One big reason WordPress is such a versatile and useful platform is because so many people create cool themes and handy plug-ins for it. If you’re a developer, you go where the action’s at.
2 – The content editor is pretty good
Wow, did you say pretty good? I’m sold! Truth is, pretty good or not bad is still better than everything else I’ve used. WordPress has its quirks when it comes to getting content to show up exactly how you’d like it to, but overall it strikes a nice balance between simplicity and flexibility. Basically, that sums up how I feel about WordPress in general: easy enough considering how flexible it is.
3 – As much control as you want
If you really know what you’re doing and you’re building a website from scratch, WordPress allows for total customization. If you’re like me and you sort of know what you’re doing, WordPress makes it easy to slap on a theme and adjust as needed. If you’re a complete beginner, like, say, my mom, you can learn how to update your WP site in less time than it takes to bake lasagna, for example.
4 – It gets better with age
In addition to all the outside development going on for WordPress, their internal team is actively updating and improving the platform as well. Just today, I logged in to find a new feature called “distraction-free writing.” What that does is hide all the extra side buttons and boxes so you can focus on writing and writing alone. It feels like a stripped-down word processor, which I like. Point is, the people at WordPress have shown over time they’re committed to making their CMS the best.
5 – Plays well with others
Most content managers allow you to add collaborators and editors, but if you’re using a less common platform, you will need to train people on how it works. This goes back to the point about popularity. Since WordPress is the most commonly used CMS by a wide margin, odds are anyone you bring on as a contributor is already familiar with it, meaning fewer mistakes and less work for you.
In conclusion, WordPress rocks!