Having an effective website is one of the most important aspects of your business. You need one that is easy to use for visitors, is easy to find, and provides information and functionality that users need. Besides being right for customers, you also want it to be right for you. Your website is a major part of your marketing and ecommerce, so you no doubt work with it every day. You need to be able to build it and keep it updated effectively.
Two of the most common options for business websites is a WordPress site or a static HTML website. As we move into 2022, if you are looking at updating your website or building a new one, there’s a good chance that you will go with one of these options. Here are the pros and cons of each, so you can make an informed decision between WordPress and Static HTML.
Static HTML
With static HTML for your website, you will truly be building your site from the ground up, with potentially a very thin framework. To build the website yourself, you will need coding knowledge. Each page has to be built individually using code, meaning that you cannot update your entire website all at once. You will code changes on one page, and then do the next, and so on.
Pros
The most valuable thing about a website built with static HTML is that you can have complete control over everything. There is no template, so you have the ability to do anything you want. HTML sites are also not updated very often, so there is less work to do on a regular basis, and less of a need for backing up your content. In most cases, an HTML site is more affordable as you do not have to buy a theme or template, and you can run it on a less costly server.
Cons
The biggest drawback about going with a static HTML site is that it is not for beginners. You need to have at least some knowledge and experience with coding. In fact, you may need to hire web developers in Kansas City to do the work for you. Depending on what you want, it might be beyond your abilities. This goes beyond building your website. Even for updating, you will need to code.
Because of the coding involved, it is also more time consuming, even if you are an expert. You need to do each page individually with no components that carry over between pages. You may also find that it is more expensive to maintain an HTML website because of having to hire experts to do it for you.
WordPress
WordPress is a web development tool that uses pre-built templates and themes. It handles most of the coding for you so that you do not need a high level of knowledge. Instead of interacting with code, you work with the interface that WordPress provides.
Pros
Using WordPress means that you can get started immediately without any experience. There are many tutorials available for beginners, and a lot of help available online. The user interface makes it simple to build and update on a regular basis, so you can take less time to get set up and less time to update it on a regular basis.
There are always updates available, and you can customize many of the themes and templates. While there is a cost to many of the plug-ins and themes, you can choose from a wide selection at all prices.
Cons
There is a reason that WordPress is the most popular web development tool, but there are still some drawbacks. For one, while there are many ways to customize, you may not be able to do exactly what you want if it is not an available option without knowing some coding yourself.
Another drawback is that your website might look like many others out there. Themes can be very similar, and they often follow patterns. You will need to work to make your website stand out. Often, making your website look different will involve purchasing more expensive options to make things work. WIth the regular updates that WordPress goes through, you may all of sudden find that there are compatibility issues, leading to having to make repairs and changes.
Having a website is an absolute must in this day and age. You probably can’t even remember the last time you made a purchase or interacted with a business that didn't have one. Not only must you have one, but it has to do everything you need it to do, along with providing SEO and marketing benefits. If you are building a new website, or updating your current one, you will no doubt be faced with the choice between a static HTML and WordPress site. This guide will help you make the choice that’s right for you.
Top comments (1)
WordPress cons:
Having to run a copy of the site on another server, so when WP or any of the plugins update, you can test them before it wrecks your site.