WordPress powers approximately 34% of the Internet. For any agency leader, this isn't a surprising statistic. Advertising agencies are used to having the majority of their clients use WordPress. After all, WordPress is the default choice - it's relatively straightforward to set up, and you can find help articles online. While WordPress has many redeeming qualities, WordPress for business isn't always the best choice. Keep reading for a full breakdown of the limitations of WordPress. After all, if you're helping a client build a new website, you should know what might be in store for them.
WordPress has many security issues that can put your client's site at risk. First, the WordPress admin and front-end are coupled, that is, they reside in the same place on the same server, which creates a higher risk of hacks. Additionally, hacks on WordPress sites are common. Most often, websites are vulnerable due to the plugins and themes being used. If a hacker knows how to get in through an unsecured theme or plugin, they immediately have access to thousands of vulnerable sites. Website security is something to be taken incredibly seriously and is a significant deterrent when considering WordPress.
So, is WordPress easy to use? Many people would say yes because of the plugins. However, plugin failures are common in the WordPress world. These failures cause enormous problems for sites. Even when plugins aren't failing, they often slow down sites, creating a negative user experience. As you add more plugins, they begin to interfere with one another, causing less and less of your site to work. At first glance, WordPress plugins seem great. There's a plugin for just about anything anyone can want. Want to add more functionality to your website? Just add more plugins! However, in reality, the plugins are quite problematic. WordPress is an open-source platform which means anyone can create a plugin. This means that while a plugin may be cheap or free, it wasn't necessarily made by experts.
Lastly, the plugins are unreliable. If a core part of your client’s site is built around one plugin, they might log in one day to find that the plugin is no longer available or working.
Your client probably has branding established - or is in the process of developing their brand guideline with colors, fonts, images, etc. It’s doubtful that you're going to find a WordPress theme that perfectly matches a brand. So, instead, the only alternative is to turn to custom layouts in WordPress. Unfortunately, that isn't what WordPress was built for. WordPress is meant to take the cookie-cutter approach, and anytime you try to steer from that, it doesn't work. Custom layouts are challenging to develop, expensive, and hard to use. All of that time and energy may as well go to building a high-quality site that will perform better long-term.
One last, but important complaint about WordPress is regarding its frequent updates. In June 2021 alone, there were five updates. This means site owners have to stay informed of the updates. Anytime there is a delay in implementing an update, the site is left vulnerable to attack.
Just because WordPress is the 800-pound gorilla doesn’t mean you have to be in a long-term relationship. Your clients deserve a functional, comprehensive CMS that represents their brand fully. Marketpath is built for marketers, developers, and agencies as a full-featured toolset with superior support. Let us help you upgrade your clients and finally get away from the problematic WordPress.
