Wordpress for website?

eScotty · Jul 31, 2011

Finally, I'm getting around to setting up a website to "showcase" my writing.

A graphic designer has offered to design the site for me. I've seen a couple of sites that he's done and like the look and feel of them. But he does the websites on Wordpress. Is there any downside to having the site done using Wordpress as the platform? (BTW, I don't plan to have a blog on the site.) I expect I'll have to do occasional but infrequent updates to the site. Would it be harder or easier to learn how using Wordpress?

Thanks.

Deleted member 42 · Jul 31, 2011

WordPress would be easier; less to learn.

You can build a static site / non-blog site using the WordPress Pages option.

Is he designing the theme for you, or using an off-the shelf theme and customizing it?

Matera the Mad · Jul 31, 2011

Wordpress is all upside. You can do all the updating yourself, and it's not that hard to get the hang of it.

readlorey · Aug 1, 2011

We're going to use WordPress to put the magazine online. I haven't gotten the links yet but it should be an interesting thing to do. I use to work on an ezine so I'm not anticipating too much of a trouble. and if it works I might start one for a writers' association I belong to. ooooo...now that's an idea...hmmmm.

mommyjo2 · Aug 1, 2011

I adore WP. All of my sites (6+) run on it.

It's open source, there are tons of plugins, there's tons of free help available, and because it's so popular, it's easy to find solutions to any problems.

WP uses CSS styling and php, both common and easy.

I'm not sure what other platforms you are considering but I would avoid Blogger/blogspot/Google. They can arbitrarily shut your site down whenever they want (happened to a friend- they decided she was spam and POOF! Her whole business was gone.

eScotty · Aug 1, 2011

Thanks for the replies. I'm encouraged by the favorable comments re Wordpress.
Medievalist asked whether my site designer would be designing the "theme" himself or using an off-the-shelf version that he would customize for me. By theme, I am guessing you mean the design/appearance of the site? Rather than a standard template? Yes, I'm expecting he will provide original design elements based on my instructions.

Deleted member 42 · Aug 1, 2011

eScotty said:
Thanks for the replies. I'm encouraged by the favorable comments re Wordpress.
Medievalist asked whether my site designer would be designing the "theme" himself or using an off-the-shelf version that he would customize for me. By theme, I am guessing you mean the design/appearance of the site? Rather than a standard template? Yes, I'm expecting he will provide original design elements based on my instructions.

You need to be very careful then to verify his expertise with not just design but with PHP; a number of problems with hacking go back to custom themes that are not secure.

That said, you may find it more efficient to find a theme you like, and request changes in fonts, colors, images, etc.

LauraAnnSwanson · Aug 8, 2011

My site is wordpress, but I have such a hard time navigating their help menus. Is there a site anywhere where someone has broken how to utilize your WP site better for Dummies?

melodyclark · Aug 8, 2011

WP hacking issues are easily worked around. It's just a matter of renaming things. A lot of directions depend upon whether you install manually or through a script, like Fantastico. There are a lot of content farm articles out there. I find the best information on the WP site itself.
http://wordpress.org/

Deleted member 42 · Aug 8, 2011

LauraAnnSwanson said:
My site is wordpress, but I have such a hard time navigating their help menus. Is there a site anywhere where someone has broken how to utilize your WP site better for Dummies?

I'd get one of the consumer books about using WordPress; there are several fairly recent ones, and I suspect one of them might be exactly what you want.

CircusOfCrows · Aug 23, 2011

WordPress is becoming more of a Content Management System, an evolution from it's Blog-centric roots - there are many, many beautiful websites out there which were built on WordPress. Not to say these are said beautiful sites, but here are some examples:
http://stylenews.peoplestylewatch.com/
http://blog.us.playstation.com/
http://ugsmag.com/

It's a really neat, dynamic way of running a website yourself.

J. Tanner · Aug 23, 2011

Wordpress is really fantastic.

I've used several content management systems over the years (and even hand coded my first site) and what they do for free is just phenominal.

Every system has its quirks of course. I've hit the occasional roadblock in wanting some little element to work one way and being forced to reconsider but overall I can't recommend it highly enough.

Wordpress for website?

eScotty

Deleted member 42

Matera the Mad

Bartender, gimme a Linux Mint

readlorey

There may be bloodshed...just sayin

mommyjo2

Bad grammar make me [sic]

eScotty

Deleted member 42

LauraAnnSwanson

Oracle of Poultry

melodyclark

Deleted member 42

CircusOfCrows

World Famous Basketball Player

J. Tanner