Índice
- What is WordPress.org?
- WordPress.org Advantages
- WordPress.org Disadvantages
- Some Websites Made with WordPress.org
- What is WordPress.com
- WordPress.com Advantages
- WordPress.com Disadvantages
- Some Websites Made with WordPress.org
- Should I use WordPress.com or WordPress.org
WordPress is a CRM (Content System Management) created in 2003 as a tool for publishing blogs. It emerged with the motto of democratizing the publication of content on the Internet. Today, we must say that it has succeeded because approximately 43% of the web is made with WordPress. During its 20 years of existence, it has evolved into a content manager that can scale as much as necessary because it can support various functionalities, such as:
- eCommerce,
- Forums,
- Online Courses,
- Hotel Booking Systems,
- Appointment Scheduling Systems,
- CRMs,
- and more.
WordPress is available in two forms: WordPress.org and WordPress.com.
What is WordPress.org?
It is an open-source software. Anyone can use, modify, and distribute it for free. It is free to download and install on the server of your choice. In technical terms, WordPress is written in PHP and works with a MySQL or MariaDB database. It is very flexible because you can add almost all the necessary functionalities thanks to its plugin system. In addition, you can design it to your liking with its template system. Finally, it is very easy to edit the content because you can add text and images with very little knowledge of the platform. It is made up of a very powerful community of enthusiastic people who work voluntarily to maintain and grow this software. Yes, you can contribute to making WordPress.org too. Follow this link for more information.
Using WordPress.org has many advantages, but it is not without its potential drawbacks. Before using it, it is important to familiarize yourself with the advantages and disadvantages of the platform.
WordPress.org Advantages
Frequent Technological Updates: One of the main qualities of this open-source platform is its versatility for experimentation and its ability to keep up with the latest technological trends. The WordPress.org community, made up of highly dynamic individuals, works tirelessly to create a solution that keeps pace with today’s rapidly evolving technology.
Scalability and constant experimentation: your web project can grow as much as you want because you have the resources at your fingertips, the incorporation of plugins and third-party templates allows you to experiment and complete your website as much as you need. Being open source, it encourages collaboration from everyone, promoting constant experimentation.
Versatility: Need a website similar to Airbnb’s or Uber’s, courses, well, you can do something similar. Name what you need, you can probably build it.
Low cost: Only have to pay for the domain and web hosting. WordPress software and many of the plugins and templates are free.
Monetization: You have more flexibility to monetize your website through advertising, e-commerce, and other revenue streams.
Easy installation and upgrade: Most web hosts offer tools to install WordPress, step-by-step, instantly. Upgrading the software to the latest version can also be done quickly through the WordPress management panel.
Easy to manage: You don’t need any programming language knowledge to perform everyday tasks in WordPress such as writing and editing posts, uploading and editing images, managing users, adding menus, and installing plugins and templates.
Custom design: WordPress has thousands of ready-to-use templates with which you can easily create a custom web design that suits your niche. For example, there are specific templates for restaurants, doctors, small businesses, food bloggers, etc.
Custom functionalities: you can use plugins to extend the default CMS functionalities. In WordPress, you can find a plugin for every specific task, from SEO to event booking.
Community: WordPress has a worldwide community and a super helpful forum. If you don’t know something or have a problem, you’ll find help quickly.
Open source: an open-source project like WordPress is open to the public. Therefore, WordPress developers work voluntarily to improve the core code and create new plugins and themes to meet emerging needs.
How-To-Do Documentation: There are plenty of free tutorials to teach you how to use it.
Disadvantages of WordPress.org
Unfortunately, there are also some disadvantages. Although you should keep them in mind, they are fully manageable. Let’s take a look at some of them below.
Security issues: as WordPress is used by more than 43.1% of the web, it is also frequently attacked by hackers. However, if you install a security plugin and apply security best practices, you can greatly reduce the risk.
Third-party content: most WordPress plugins and themes are created by third-party developers, and sometimes they have bugs. Before installing a new plugin or theme, you should always read the description and reviews, and if you are still not sure, ask for help from the community.
Page load time: if you have too many plugins, your site can become slow. To fix this, uninstall unnecessary plugins and clear the website cache.
Frequent updates: updates can make your site unreliable because the plugins and the update can have incompatibilities. They are done very frequently because the technological world is constantly evolving. Create your backup before any move.
Requires some technical knowledge: You need to set up your hosting and perform software updates, which requires basic technical knowledge.
Technical maintenance: You need to take care of technical maintenance, including security and software updates.
Websites made with WordPress.org?
Vogue. https://vogue.com/
It is one of the most important fashion and style magazines of today. Vogue was founded in 1892 by Arthur Baldwin Turnure and in 1909 when he died it was acquired by New York-based Conde Nast Publications Inc.
It specializes in a variety of topics such as fashion trends, the most iconic fashion shows, celebrity news, and lifestyle tips. It has sections dedicated to beauty and wellness, weddings, travel, and home decor, plus it is a shopping portal where readers can also purchase featured products. In addition to a digital version, it has a monthly print version.
Vogue website is an example of the use of a modern web application created with React and WordPress API Rest.
Source: WordPress.org
The Whitehouse.https://www.whitehouse.gov/
This is the official web of the White House, the iconic residence and center of operations of the President of the United States, and a testament to the fact that even institutions of great global prominence rely on the versatility of WordPress.
This government and official website is a hub of information about the president, his administration, and U.S. government policies and initiatives. Visitors have open access to news, speeches, press conferences, and official White House statements. It also offers resources on a variety of policy areas, including health care, the economy, climate, and foreign relations.
The White House has been using open-source CMS since 2009 and WordPress since 2018. In 2021, the Biden administration decided to continue using WordPress.
Source: WordPress.org
The Walt Disney Company. https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/
The Walt Disney Company, one of the world’s leading producers and providers of entertainment and information also uses WordPress for its corporate website. It provides information about the company’s various divisions and subsidiaries, including Walt Disney Studios, Disney Parks, Disney+, ESPN, and more. It is a comprehensive resource for fans, investors, and people interested in learning more about the company’s rich history and its ongoing contributions to the world of entertainment and popular culture.
Source: WordPress.org
What is WordPress.com?
The second form is WordPress.com managed by the company Automattic, also behind WordPress.org. It can be defined as the hosted version of WordPress.org. It is a software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform that allows you to build your presence online quickly and easily thanks to its visual block editor. It has everything you need to get your website up and running and not worry about security and other details.
The management of WordPress.com bears remarkable similarities to that of WordPress.org. The most significant distinction between the two is that the former manages and stores the websites on its own servers, provides technical support services, and assumes responsibility for comprehensive security. In its offer, it has a free version with certain limitations, such as the impossibility of installing plugins and a restricted selection of available themes. Users of this version can use the free domain yourweb.wordpress.com, but to access additional features, payment options are offered with various scalable rates, which are competitive. This modality is characterized by its convenience, as it avoids the need to manage your server, although having a dedicated server has several additional advantages.
Some CMSs similar to WordPress.com are Wix, Squarespace, and others.
Advantages of WordPress.com
Security, hosting, and support are offered by the platform making it easier to manage. Let’s take a closer look.
Managed hosting: If you use WordPress.org you must find a hosting and manage it. However, WordPress.com stores your website on its servers, making it easier to manage.
Security: Monitors activity and traffic for unusual movements, uses SSL certificates issued and managed in a 100% automated manner, runs regular security tests, controls content that may compromise the overall security of the system, and has a dedicated security team to protect data.
Technical support: A team of experts to answer your most complex questions. There are also forums where you can find answers to many questions.
Requires less technical knowledge: You don’t need to configure your hosting, nor do you need to perform software updates. Management is quite simple.
Technical maintenance: You don’t need to take care of technical maintenance, the WordPress.com team takes care of the platform.
Disadvantages of WordPress.com
It depends on the scope of the particular project but they can be mentioned:
Data is controlled by WordPress.com: You do not have access to your databases and other resources as when they are on a hosting controlled by yourself.
WordPress.com can close your website: If Automattic (the company behind WordPress.com) decides it can close your website, so your data is not yours. In Instagram or similar platforms, it can also happen. In the case of Automatic, it is explained in article 13 of the TOS https://wordpress.com/tos/:
13. Termination
“We may terminate your access to all or part of our Services at any time, with or without cause or notice, effective immediately, including if we believe, in our sole discretion, that you have violated this Agreement, any service guidelines, or other applicable terms. We have the right (but not the obligation) to (i) reclaim your username or website URL due to prolonged inactivity, (ii) refuse or remove any content that, in our reasonable opinion, violates any part of this Agreement or any Automattic policy. Automattic, or is otherwise harmful or objectionable, (iii) require you to make adjustments, restrict the resources your website uses, or terminate your access to the Services, if we believe that your website’s storage or bandwidth usage is overloading our systems (which is uncommon and typically only occurs when a website is used for file sharing or storage), or (iv) terminate or deny access to and use of any of our Services to any individual or entity for any reason. We will have no obligation to provide a refund of any fees previously paid.” Source: TOS https://wordpress.com/tos/
You have no access to code: With this version, the customization possibilities are lower because you have no access to HTML, CSS, or PHP. You also cannot add extra JavaScript and there are some limitations to uploading certain files for security reasons.
Limited themes and plugins: This platform has several rates and to expand the options of themes and plugins you must increase the monthly price. In the end, it can be very expensive.
Ads: The free version comes with advertising.
Less scalability: Also the possibilities of growth and scalability of the project are less than with WordPress.org.
The monthly price increases if you require more specific functionalities: Although if it is possible to scale it, the project can become much more expensive.
Monetization: Depending on the monthly fee, you may not have access to the tools to monetize your content.
Websites made with WordPress.com
Global News | https://globalnews.ca/
GlobalNews.ca is the official website of Global News, a Canadian news organization with local, national, and international news coverage. They offer a wide range of news articles, videos, and live broadcasts on a variety of topics including politics, business, health, entertainment, opinion, investigative reporting, lifestyle, and more. Users can customize their news experience by selecting their preferred location and topics of interest. GlobalNews.ca is a comprehensive platform from a Canadian perspective.
Source: WordPress.org
Facebook News | https://about.fb.com/news/
The top news and events website from the newsroom of popular social networking service Facebook uses WordPress.com.
Source: WordPress.org
The Pioneer Woman | https://www.thepioneerwoman.com/
Ann Marie “Ree” Drummond is an award-winning American blogger, #1 New York Times best-selling author, food writer, photographer, and television personality. As of February 2010, she was ranked 22nd on the Forbes list of the top 25 web celebrities, one of only four women. Her blog, The Pioneer Woman, documenting Drummond’s daily life as a ranch wife and mother, was named Weblog of the Year 2009, 2010, and 2011 in the Annual Weblog Awards (The Bloggies). In 2009, TIME magazine named Drummond’s Confessions of a Pioneer Woman as one of the “25 Best Blogs” in the world.
Source: WordPress.org
Should I use WordPress.com or WordPress.org
Both options are good, each with advantages and disadvantages that you should analyze depending on your project.
If you have a large project or a project that is just starting and you plan to scale it little by little, WordPress.org is an excellent choice because it will allow you to improve your website as you need it. It’s a system that grows with you and is fully updated because the WordPress.org community keeps the software up to date with technological evolutions in the industry. And by allowing experimentation and the creation of pioneering projects, it allows you to find all the necessary solutions. In addition, it allows you to grow by controlling the economic resources used.
With WordPress.com you have at your disposal a whole technical support team ready to help you, plus the security of the platform. It is also easier to manage. If you need a small website with a contact form to make yourself known and start your project at once, this would be an excellent choice. You also need less resources and time to manage it. Even using the WordPress domain itself, yourdomain.wordpress.com you can have a completely free website, although don’t forget that you will have third-party advertising included. You can start for free, but if your business grows your cost will do as well.
In summary, if you are looking for simplicity, speed, easy management and to keep costs low, WordPress.com may be the best choice. If you want full control, customization, scalability, and a very high level of professionalism WordPress.org (self-hosted) might be a better choice. Ultimately, the choice will depend on your individual needs and preferences. In the end, the most important thing is to have your project online to make yourself known and help your future clients get to know you better.
