WordPress, a Universal CMS

It seems that no matter what you do nowadays for a living, you cannot keep it a technological vacuum. In fact, it is an absolute must to make your work and interests visible alongside the ever growing information highway called the internet. Despite the fact that you still might be green to the world of websites and blogging, the term WordPress should ring a couple of bells. Indeed, this platform has become one of the most frequently used content management systems (CMS) for running websites worldwide. This includes some big labels such as MTV News, Reuters Blogs, eBay Inc, but also small businesses and startups.

Universal highness

First and foremost, the success behind WordPress is mostly due to its accessibility and user-friendly features. These characteristics make it rather practical to use, even by those who do not possess specialized knowledge in the subject matter. Therefore, it is not necessary to be an IT whizz in order to manage your website. The editing features are as easy to deploy, nearly as the ones in Microsoft Word. This also means that you are able to make your own changes and be in control. As a result, WordPress allows you to cut down on the time spent with your web designer and also save some money on the side. Furthermore, the formatted content can be uploaded to the website directly, as it does not require any HTML editing software. Given the fact that it is browser-based platform, you can literally access it from any computer on the face of the earth. This makes changing the content faster and enables your website to be more up-to-the-minute.

Plug away

Although it primarily started as a blogging platform, WordPress evolved over time into an overarching content management system. The greatest strength lies in its versatility, and this platform can be used to administer a great variety of websites. If you are wondering what the catch is, then the answer that you’ve been looking for is in the extensive plug-in directory. Namely, this directory is packed with a staggering amount of 40.000 plug-ins. They give the users the possibility to expand the functionality of their WordPress site even further and adjust it to their specific needs.

It is not an overstatement to say that there is a plug-in for literally anything, from adding social network icons to any widget area, speed optimization, event management, to improving your site’s security. Just to get the idea, here are some of the popular plug-ins that you might come across once you start thinking about boosting the overall performance of your website:

• W3 Total Cache – The only WordPress Performance Optimization (WPO) framework is created to enhance user experience and page loading speed.
• Google Analytics – Enables easier tracking and gives an overview of the search stats for an individual site or multitude of sites, without the need to leave WordPress.
• Akismet – Filters comments against the Aksimet web service to see whether they are spam or not.
• Tickera – This WordPress Even Ticketing System is a useful plug-in that will allow you to sell tickets via your website and deliver them to buyers digitally.
• Webmaster Spelling Notifications – This one allows visitors of the website to submit reports regarding the spelling or grammatical errors that might have appeared in the text on the website.

Touch the digital sky

When it comes to making your first steps in the mind-boggling platform that is WordPress, the sky is the limit. And the best thing about it is the fact that you do not need to waste a great deal of time or effort in creating something because it is already given to you on a plate. For example, FirstSiteGuide provides a bunch of free guides and resources that will help you get started with and dive into the blogging world. Due to its availability to be freely downloaded and installed, the WordPress platform rallies a great deal of support from the worldwide fellowship of WordPress developers and users. Additionally, the site is an open playing field where designers and developers can create updates at any given time. This prevents the creation of developer-monopolies, fosters innovation and creativity, and allows you as a user to have more resources at your disposal.