Stop, read this before you build your website!
WordPress is a free and open-source blogging tool and a Content Management System (CMS) based on PHP and MySQL. It’s the most popular blogging system in use on the Web by far. More than 60 million websites are built on this platform. Why? Because the CMS is straightforward and user-friendly, which makes it possible for laypersons to think they can build and manage their own websites.
Yes, it’s true: You don’t have to be an internet fundi or hard-core techie to build a website with WordPress. It’s open source CMS is relatively easy to use and there are literally thousands of training videos available online. But, let’s be clear: Knowing how to build a basic WordPress website doesn’t mean you’re a WordPress developer. Not even close!
“Just because you can stack bricks one on top of another doesn’t make you an architect.”
Stuart Moodey, CEO Moodey IT.
That pretty much sums up our advice to folks who think they can save money by building their own website. The cold fact is, there is no such thing as straightforward in the complex and ever-changing world of technology. A big part of our service offering is fixing client websites that were banged together by some well-intentioned friend or family member. To avoid certain disappointment, you really should engage the services of a legitimate WordPress developer.
Good reasons to get a WordPress developer:
Let’s unpack some of the reasons why you need to have a WordPress Developer in your team or on your side:
Quality:
A low-quality website will definitely cause problems for you in the future.
Scale:
Whilst a basic brochure-type website may work for you in the short-term, it certainly won’t be able to scale as your business grows.
Usage:
Success will undoubtedly increase traffic on a website but increased usage can cause it to topple over.
Security:
Weaknesses in website development leave the door open for hackers to get into your website and wreak havoc.
SEO:
What most people don’t realize is that search engines, specifically Google, give superior rankings to websites that provide an excellent browsing experience to visitors. You can be winking in the dark on the internet if your website hasn’t been optimized for the best user experience. A proper WordPress developer knows how to build a light, clean website that search engines can navigate with ease.
Incorrect Assumptions:
Let’s not discount the value of tech consulting. There’s a lot to be said about working with experts who know how to understand and interpret your business needs and convert this thinking into robust technology solutions that will work for you in the long-term.
Lack of Support:
Ask around, website problems are inevitable. You’re bound to run into issues when you use technology because it’s constantly evolving. The question is, who do you turn to for technical support when this happens to you? Who is at your side that will respond quickly and knows how to fix the problem that’s got you stumped?
Inexperienced Developers:
Becoming a “WordPress Developer” is an easy entry point for anyone hoping to eek a living in the technology industry. These new-market entrants hold themselves out to be WordPress developers, but that’s simply not the case. You really do need to deserve the title of WordPress Developer.
Dubious Plugins:
There are thousands of plugins, so you need a vast amount of knowledge and experience to understand the depth and volume of the technology that underpins a basic brochure-type website that sits on the surface of the WordPress universe. The problem with having access to thousands of plugins is knowing which one to use, and which ones work well together. What most people don’t realize is that plugins often conflict with each other, which destabilizes the website. When one plugin is upgraded by the developer, it can have a detrimental knock-on effect with software that was written for a plugin by someone else. The developers don’t necessarily work together to create stable environments. They bang out their code independently, and novice users have to deal with the inevitable consequences of changing code that is out of their control. Not to mention, the limitations of integration, restrictions on modification, and the potential pitfalls created by the lack of compatibility.
Get a professional website architect.
Don’t be duped. To build a robust, scalable website that can stand the test of time, you need someone who genuinely understands PHP programming and knows the WordPress open source code like the back of their hand. They need the skills and experience to scrutinize the developers of plugins, and have the ability to engage with them on a technical level to get the assurances they need to feel satisfied with the software.
At Moodey IT, we’re highly skilled and experienced PHP developers. We know what works in the long-term and what doesn’t. We’ve seen the damage caused by novices who claim to be WordPress developers. Just because they know how to plug in a pretty theme and populate it with a client’s text and images, doesn’t mean they have a clue about the true complexities and vulnerabilities of website development. It certainly doesn’t make them experts in user interface, Search Engine Optimisation, php coding, internet security, performance tracking, and other core critical issues.
Don’t waste your time and money:
We’re accustomed to the blank stare we get from novice developers when we need to connect other components of our client’s digital infrastructure to their website through using APIs and other online tools. We have to pick up the pieces of websites that have fallen over, and often toss feeble attempts into the bin. This means our clients lose their original investment and have to start again from scratch. One may think it’s sweet when prospects who opt to go with cheap bang-up websites come crawling back to us when their sites breakdown, or are hacked to pieces, or can’t grow with the business, but the truth is it’s heart-breaking for us to see their disappointment, set-back, and financial loss. Cheap is not necessarily a good investment.
Get a true WordPress developer today.
Come to Moodey IT, and you’ll get a website that is unique and original. Your customers will see you’re serious about your business. They’ll think you’ve made a significant investment to meet their needs online when you’ve actually spent your modest budget wisely. We’ll take you beyond pre-made themes patched together with independent plugins and dodgy code. We’ll give you a quality website you can be proud of, and trust to deliver your business goals.