“…And please, do not use WordPress. I heard their sites are vulnerable to attacks.”
That is exactly how a recent discovery call with a prospective client concluded. It is a sentiment we hear often, even though data from W3Tech suggests that about 43% of all global websites are on WordPress.
Despite the notable market dominance of WordPress, many business owners and C-level executives hold on to various WordPress myths.
Perhaps, without these misconceptions, the platform’s adoption figures would likely be even higher.
Unfortunately, these false beliefs often cause businesses to overspend. Business owners end up with inflexible proprietary systems that cost a lot more.
To help you make the right choice for your brand, we’ve compiled a list of some of the top WordPress myths holding businesses back from utilizing the world’s most powerful CMS.
Need a custom web design? Talk to our web design experts to see how we can help.
15 Common WordPress Myths You May Encounter
While this is not an exhaustive list, our list includes the most common WordPress myths we encounter when discussing with our clients.
Myth 1: WordPress Is Only For Blogging
WordPress may have started as a blogging tool back in 2003, but one thousand and one iterations after, WordPress is no longer just for bloggers.
With its easy-to-use interface and robust list of plugins, WordPress is by all means the world’s number one content management system.
Many top companies also use it. These include PlayStation, Sony, and NASA, cutting across different industries and verticals.
Whether you are an ecommerce store, small business owner, or corporate brand, you will find WordPress adequate for your needs.
Myth 2: WordPress is For Beginners
One of the WordPress myths we hear often from our clients is that the WordPress platform is for beginners.
And that’s not too surprising since WordPress is quite beginner-friendly. It has a user-friendly interface, straightforward themes, and plugins.
As such, it caters to the needs of even those without any coding experience. However, the story doesn’t end there.
The platform has different plans guaranteeing varying levels of control. It also provides extensive customization options like custom CSS, HTML, and access to its underlying code for experienced developers.
This makes it equally suitable for even large enterprises.
The difference? The self-hosted platform allows you to choose your scale and your preference. Definitely a plus in favour of WordPress.
Myth 3: WordPress Is Not Suitable for Large Enterprises
Another common misconception, especially among CTOs, is that WordPress cannot handle the rigorous demands of enterprise companies.
Interestingly, expected features for enterprise systems (user permissions, data governance, and multisite management) are all available on WordPress.
Far from being unsuitable for enterprises, WordPress is an agile choice for brands looking to scale their offerings and keep pace.
This is true when compared to the slow development associated with several WordPress alternatives.
From its SSO integrations to its user role management system and multisite capability, WordPress is practically like a fish in water when used by a large enterprise, fitting in appropriately.
Myth 4: WordPress is Not Valuable Because It is Free
Since WordPress is open-source and available for basic use for free, many brand owners and C-level executives embrace another WordPress myth. They conclude that WordPress is not as valuable as advertised because of its price.
The reality, however, is that WordPress allows you to save on the software while paying for the level of customization you desire. This may include payment for your domain name, hosting, WordPress themes and plugins, and custom build.
As a result, your WordPress website can be as cheap or as expensive as you make it.
What’s great about this? No matter what you end up paying, it will still be a great value.
Myth 5: WordPress is Not Secure
Some people suggest that because WordPress is open-source, hackers can easily reverse-engineer the code to break into your website.
Absolutely not.
What makes your WordPress website vulnerable to attacks is often self-inflicted. This may range from outdated themes and plugins to the choice of hosting platform and use of weak login details (usernames and passwords).
This means that your WordPress website is as safe as you make it to be.
Begin by paying attention to the common cybersecurity threats. Then schedule regular security audits and always keep your tools updated. Your website should be safer, WordPress or not.
Myth 6: WordPress is Difficult to Scale
Can WordPress handle the pressure of a viral marketing campaign and a million visitors? Thinking the answer is yes is why many high-traffic businesses shun WordPress for more expensive SaaS solutions.
In reality, it isn’t your CMS software that determines the scalability of your website. Rather, it is your server infrastructure and code efficiency.
That’s why high-traffic websites like TechCrunch and The New York Post run on WordPress without crashing under the pressure of massive breaking news cycles.
With the right hosting architecture, WordPress can scale indefinitely to meet your traffic demands.
See the results we achieved when we custom-built Platt College’s website on a WordPress backend.
Myth 7: WordPress Sites Tend to Be Slow
Absolutely.
Website speed may be a problem on WordPress if you’re using too many plugins, poorly coded WordPress themes, and unoptimized images.
However, this is not unique to WordPress, and it is a challenge that is solvable with expert website engineering.
With a professional web design agency like Blacksmith as your partner, this cannot be a challenge, as we have a track record of helping our clients boost their page load speed.
Myth 8: WordPress is Bad for SEO
In marketing their CMS platforms, some proprietary software vendors position their tools as being better for SEO.
By doing this, they suggest that open-source alternatives like WordPress put businesses at a disadvantage in search rankings.
The truth contradicts this, leading us to conclude it’s just another WordPress myth.
If anything, WordPress seems to make SEO easier. It produces clean, semantic HTML structure, making indexing easy.
Additionally, it allows granular control over metadata, URL structures, and redirects, especially when paired with common SEO plugins like RankMath and Yoast SEO.
This is why many SEO professionals continue to choose WordPress.
Myth 9: WordPress is Not Suitable for Creating Mobile-Friendly Devices
If 51% of smartphone users find new products or companies via mobile search, then mobile-friendliness is an absolute necessity for a website.
However, some people believe that WordPress doesn’t support mobile-friendly web design.
The WordPress admin dashboard itself is fully responsive, allowing you to manage your site from a phone.
Further, many custom-developed WordPress themes use Bootstrap, Tailwind CSS, or CSS Grid layouts to ensure adaptability to any screen size.
It seems far-fetched that the website will not permit mobile-friendly website creation.
However, the user experience on the website will depend entirely on the design and the type of theme implemented.
Myth 10: WordPress is bad for eCommerce
One of the most persistent WordPress myths is that the platform is disadvantageous to eCommerce businesses.
While Shopify may boast a larger market share at 28.8%, it is followed closely behind by WooCommerce, the eCommerce arm of WordPress, with a market share of 18%.
If anything, this data suggests that WordPress is good for eCommerce. Getting a Shopify store may be ideal if you need an easy-to-use, all-in-one platform to quickly launch.
However, if you value customization and want to use content marketing to push your products (using its blogging capabilities), WordPress is a better option.
Overall, WordPress is better for users who want flexibility, cost savings, greater control, and are comfortable with technical details or already use WordPress.
Myth 11: WordPress Designs Are Typically Generic
This WordPress myth stems from how common pre-made templates are.
If thousands of businesses use the same theme from a marketplace, their sites will obviously look alike. This leads to the misconception that sites built using WordPress can’t be unique.
Well, that’s only true if you rely on templates. In an actual sense, your website will look how you want it to be. A custom WP website allows for pixel-perfect execution of that vision without any constraints.
At Blacksmith, we do not rely on pre-packaged themes. As part of our web design services, we design seamless user interfaces and user experiences that reflect a brand’s distinct identity.
We then develop custom themes that function exactly as the design depicts.
The result is a unique digital experience that will distinguish your brand from any other.
Myth 12: WordPress Has Limited Customization
Similar to the myth about genericity, some believe that the only customization possible with WordPress is limited to the settings that are available in the dashboard. They fear the platform can’t do what they need it to do.
However, WordPress being open-source means you have full access to the source code.
And that means there is no limit to the amount of customization you can put in. It means if you can code it, WordPress can run it.
You can also integrate your WordPress website with multiple tools, including third-party APIs, ERP systems, and marketing automation tools.
Myth 13: You Don’t Need A Developer to Run WordPress
There are many no-code web solutions out there, but WordPress is not one of them.
While the content editing experience will not require your marketing team to have coding knowledge, the technical foundation for your site requires some professional engineering.
The implication for business owners who want to own a WordPress site is that bypassing professional development may save money in the short term, but it will ultimately cost more.
Maybe it is acceptable not to use a developer if it’s a hobby blog.
However, if the website is supposed to help convert clients, you will need a developer if you want to avoid accessibility violations, compliance issues, and mobile responsiveness issues, among others.
Myth 14: WordPress Does Not Provide Adequate Customer Support
While there is some element of truth in this statement, it is not entirely correct, as your customer support experience will depend on what kind of WordPress user you are and your exact needs.
For example, users on the free hosting plan can only access support by using the documentation (which is a whole lot) and the community forums, where the chances are high that someone has had a similar experience to you and knows how to solve your problem.
For users on paid plans, the level of support varies depending on your tier and can range from basic AI support to human assistance, either through email or live chat.
Beyond this, you can also get support for third-party components like hosting, plugins, and themes from their respective providers.
Beyond this, if a professional web design agency is involved, you can get someone to answer all of your questions and even go one step further to fix any problems.
Myth 15: You Can Just Set Your WordPress Site And Leave It
This is our final one in our list of the most common WordPress myths.
While it is theoretically accurate that you can just set your WordPress website and leave it like that, it is not advisable to.
Apart from security issues that can come up due to outdated themes and plugins, performance can slow down over time due to bloated codebases. There may also be functionality and compatibility issues as tools are upgraded.
Instead of setting up your website and leaving it, you can schedule routine maintenance. You can also partner with a web design agency to manage your website backend.
Both options will ensure your website performance remains optimal as it continues to generate revenue.
Get A Custom WordPress Website Design That Converts With Blacksmith
When you look past the noise, the reality of the platform becomes clear. Succumbing to these common WordPress myths is a costly error that makes businesses invest heavily in proprietary software they don’t need, while overlooking the easy-to-use CMS that could propel their growth.
Blacksmith is a WordPress Web Design Agency and your go-to expert in security-first, custom web architecture that combines smooth user interface design with a greater web experience. We also guarantee a seamless integration with any existing CRM and ERP stacks.
Ready to build a platform that scales with your ambition? Partner with the experts who know the true power of the world’s most popular CMS. Reach out to Blacksmith Agency today to discuss your WordPress project.
