Episode 062: Should you use WordPress? Why or why not? What you need to know first

If you’re about to start building a website (or refresh the one you have), I expect you’ll be curious about all the different options out there. Squarespace, Shopify, and Wix are all highly popular choices! But one that gets talked about a lot, and is widely used by small businesses, is WordPress. But is WordPress the platform to use now? Why or why not?

Let me explain!

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Transcript:

Hi, and welcome, and welcome back if you’re a returning listener.

If you’ve ever googled what platform should I build my website on, and ended up with 17 open tabs and even more confusion, I see you.

There’s a lot of noise out there, and today I want to talk specifically about WordPress.

The platform a lot of people think they should use but aren’t always sure why.

My goal is to help you understand what WordPress actually does well, what it doesn’t, and whether it’s something that’s genuinely going to support your business, or become a bit of a burden.

This isn’t a sales pitch, it’s a gentle reality check with some encouragement thrown in.

What is WordPress?

So, what is WordPress, really?

Well, WordPress is a powerful website building platform.

It’s open source, meaning anyone can use it, adapt it, and build on it.

You’ve probably visited a WordPress website today without even realising it.

It powers everything from travel blogs to mum and dad’s little corner shop, government websites, and even big name media publications.

And it’s not new.

WordPress has been around for a long time, and I’ve been building WordPress websites professionally since 2011.

It’s robust, flexible, and incredibly versatile. You can really build anything you imagine.

Is WordPress a good platform for your website?

Here’s where WordPress shines.

It’s ideal for businesses that want to share a lot of useful content, think blogs, podcast episodes, resources, or articles that position you as an expert in your field.

It integrates beautifully with online booking calendars, mailing lists, and even custom-designed landing pages, which is great if you’re running workshops or offering opt-ins, situations where you need a page to send people to for a one-time thing.

In short, WordPress gives you creative and functional freedom, especially if your website is more than a digital business card.

But, and this is a big one, WordPress is not for everyone.

Who is WordPress not good for?

If you’re a solo practitioner or just starting out and you don’t have the time or headspace for learning a new platform, WordPress might not be the best choice.

There’s a huge myth that it’s easy to use, and I get why.

You see people online saying, “Just install a theme and you’re good to go.”

But in reality, most people go in unprepared.

They install a theme, maybe a few plugins, then things break. It starts to feel frustrating, overwhelming, or just too technical.

And then the platform gets blamed, when actually it was just the wrong fit for the stage of business.

So what if you just want something simple?

The uncomplicated alternative to WordPress

If you don’t plan on blogging or you just need a professional-looking brochure site to send people to, Squarespace is a really great option.

It’s more of a set-and-forget platform.

The hosting might cost a little more, but the trade-off is that you don’t need to worry about software updates, plugins, or backups. It’s all handled for you.

If your website just needs to sit there and look good, and you don’t plan to touch it often, that simplicity can be a big plus.

Can WordPress be used for shopping carts?

Alright, what about online shops?

What about eCommerce?

I generally don’t recommend WordPress for people who want to run a full online shop, especially not the sort where you’ve got lots of gifts, clothing, lots of categories, lots of product variations.

In that case, Shopify is generally a better choice for that.

That said, if you’re only selling a few digital downloads, like a meditation track, an e-book, an online course, maybe, WordPress can absolutely do that and do it well.

But that’s a smaller, more manageable setup.

Conclusion

So back to the big picture.

WordPress is amazing if you know what you’re doing, or you’ve got someone in your corner who does.

It’s a platform that rewards thoughtfulness, consistency, and care.

But if you’re using WordPress, please make sure you have a maintenance plan.

It’s like owning a car.

You wouldn’t skip oil changes and expect everything to keep running perfectly. Your website is no different.

So what does this mean?

Would you use WordPress?

If you’re a service provider who wants to shop online with useful, well-organised content and you either have the time to learn or the budget for support, then yes, WordPress is a great fit.

But if you want to get something up and running fast and you’re not in a position to maintain it all the time, then something like Squarespace is absolutely fine and often a better starting point.

Wrap-up

So I hope this gives you a clearer picture of how WordPress works, and whether it suits your business.

If you’re already on WordPress and you don’t want to spend your weekends googling how to fix a plugin error, or what does this PHP thing mean?

I offer ongoing maintenance plans, where I take care of those things for you, quietly and reliably, in the background.

And if you’re still not sure what platform is right for you, feel free to reach out.

I’m always happy to help you figure that out.

No pushy sales chat, I promise.

Thanks for listening and take good care of yourself and your business.