WordPress is the world’s most used Content Management System (CMS). Recent research shows it powers 40% of all websites on the internet.
The CMS is also the best choice for churches looking for a tool to power their website.
Here are seven reasons why your church can’t go wrong with WordPress.
Table of contents
Price
For most churches, this is the chief concern. Like any organization, getting the best bang for your buck is vital. And the great thing about WordPress is that the core software is 100% free.
Like any other company, there are add-ons to give users a better experience, but the freemium model makes it an excellent choice for ministries.
While you should expect some cost for hosting and plugins, saving money on the CMS itself is always good.
Theme Options
Because 40% of the internet is on WordPress, more people are designing on WordPress than on any other platform.
In WordPress, the design of the site is called a theme. Think of a theme as your church website design starting point.
On ThemeForest, the leading site for website themes, there are over 11,000 themes available for purchase. And that is just on one site.
There is truly no limit to the design possibilities with a WordPress site.
Ownership
With most Hosted CMS solutions, the site you design belongs to the company that hosts it. You can’t take your Squarespace site and host it yourself.
WordPress is truly an open system. The site you design is yours, and you can host it anywhere you want to.
Ease Of Use
The reason WordPress gained the market share it has today is because it is effortless to use. The technical expertise needed is about the same as what it takes to edit a Word document.
For churches, this is important because, in most cases, volunteers are the ones running the site. There isn’t a technical barrier you need to overcome when you recruit, and just about anyone willing to learn can do it. And because the network is so extensive, there are thousands of YouTube videos to help you learn more advanced WordPress hacks.
Functionality
Churches have a very specific set of requirements for their websites. They typically need a way to deliver weekly sermons, handle online donations, and help visitors get there on Sunday.
WordPress passes all of these tests with flying colors.
It does this through the use of plugins. These are easy-to-install programs that add functionality to your website. WordPress has several plugins that do a fantastic job handling sermons, church calendars, and small group management.
Development Community
Because the network is so extensive, there is an enormous community of developers that are constantly improving the functionality of the WordPress platform. Having worked on WordPress for eight years, the software we use today is exponentially better today than it was then. At no cost to you, the world is making a better platform, and it shows no sign of slowing down.
Compatibility
WordPress plays nicely with others. Whenever a software company wants to make their software compatible with web platforms, the first one they develop is the WordPress plugin. Chances are your church management software has a WordPress-friendly code or plugin, and your online giving software has an easy way to integrate with your WordPress site. Linking Facebook, Instagram, and other social platforms is easier on WordPress than on any other platform.
WordPress truly is the easiest and best CMS for churches. If your church needs help launching a site on WordPress, REACHRIGHT has you covered.
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