Using WordPress to Build Business Websites

Small, medium or large businesses – this economy made them all think and act the same way: cut spending wherever possible. It applies to online advertising and marketing as well. Things like SEO, Pay-Per-Click campaigns, or building and maintaining a company’s website have become quite an undertaking and often these projects are put on a back burner (allowing competition to jump ahead of you). The truth is that it does not have to be this way. Taking some time to look around, to find out how others are not only surviving but actually thriving in the online world may be a good approach. Keeping your business afloat online does not have to cost you thousands and hundreds of thousands of dollars. Well, it may, depending on the type of your project (you could be one of those minds who wants to create an alternative to Facebook or e-Bay) or on a web design company that your marketing director recommended (they may be great, but somehow that $85,000 website budget does not appeal that much), but really... Even an enterprise level site does not need to cost what 2-3 people are making per year, all together. A high quality, custom designed website, with robust back-end tools, scalable, easy to maintain even by people who have no knowledge of HTML can be created and maintained on a platform like WordPress for only a fraction of a typical enterprise level site’s cost. WordPress does a fine job at producing a website with literally any design, any structure, and any functionality. WordPress can power specialty websites for very specific business needs. For instance, a site like New Mexico Film Affiliates with a production directory and a job board as well as a paid member community, or InWeave Rugs, a WordPress e-commerce site with a sophisticated online store. With the help of thousands of available plugins you can turn WordPress into: • An e-storern• A business directoryrn• A classified ad sitern• A voting site where readers can submit links or ideas for other readers to rate (like Digg) • A portfolio (design, artwork, photography) • A newspaper or magazinern• An events or tour manager for your band or theater grouprn• A booking calendar for your hotelrn• A coupon code sitern• A social media pressroomrn• A collaboration and project management tool The truth is, WordPress can be almost anything you want. Your website design company starts with this powerful, flexible platform, chooses the best of the 10,000 existing plugins, and adds custom code and design to make each site unique—and uniquely suited to its purpose.