WordPress or Template-Based Websites?

by | Jun 25, 2020 | Uncategorized

Wordpress or Template Based

Before picking a website builder or any software package for that matter, it is best to first understand an organization’s processes, services, and long-range goals, so that one can select the right strategic software.

Let’s compare WordPress to template-based website builders.

WordPress Advantages

WordPress has many advantages, such as flexibility of functionality and design. One can add many plugins (applications) to implement additional features. Many of these are free.

Upgrading from one version of WordPress to the next is typically seamless. One doesn’t have to ‘recreate’ the website. WordPress sites have unlimited control. WordPress themes and management tools allow for extensive customization. Hosting is typically much less expensive than template-based system, especially for large websites.

Template-Based

Template-based systems are easier to design and quicker to showcase than WordPress. However, there are limitations on design and functionality. One has to implement within the constraints of the software. Many clients that want to implement a ‘small, easy, inexpensive’ website become disappointed by the inflexible and limited functionality, especially if they want to grow their organization’s services and improve their processes.

Upgrades

For some template-based systems, one has to be careful if the software upgrades are seamless. One current example is the popular Squarespace. If one wants to upgrade from v7 to v7.1, one has to recreate their website (a very difficult task for a large website with a large blog).

Owning your data

Another challenge is that template-based systems own your data. You can not easily, if at all, move your data elsewhere. There are limits in terms of number of pages that can be designed or number of products that can be sold for a low cost platform. Once you increase the number of pages or the number of products that you want to sell, the hosting costs can double or triple. If prices are increased, you typically have no choice but to continue paying since you can not move your data out.

Multiple vs One Component

With WordPress, you have multiple items to purchase or set up of free modules. This makes WordPress more complex to implement. With template-based systems, one price covers all; it’s typically an ‘all-in-one’ payment and setup, making it easier to showcase your organization more quickly.

Best of Both Worlds

One can actually have a bit of both strategies. A website designer can create a WordPress website and setup up a template that is easy for the client to update themselves if they choose to do so. This can be a great strategy for many organizations that want the best of both worlds.

Contact us to discuss which option is best for your organization.

What is best for your organization?

Yes, I'd like to discuss the best strategy for our organization

Follow Along

4 + 3 =

14 Tips How to Make Your Website Rank Higher

by | Jul 4, 2016 | Blog

HOW DID PANDA AND PENGUIN UPDATES IMPACT YOUR WEBSITE’S STATUS? POSITIVELY OR NEGATIVELY?

Have you checked the ranking of your website lately? Google is known to update their search settings in order to give users better information when they are conducting online searches. The recent Google SEO updates are termed Panda and Penguin.

THE GOOGLE PANDA UPDATE

Google has been updating their search algorithm Panda for many benefits to Internet searchers. Panda was designed to reduce the amount of websites that delivered poor content to viewers.

So now, because of Google’s algorithm enhancements, viewers can see better quality results when they search in Google.

With Panda, Google now assesses your website based on how your viewers rate your content. Now more than ever, you need to build a brand that people trust and come to for their needs. Sites that are liked more are rated higher; sites that are liked less are rated lower.

Do Not:

1. Don’t stuff websites with advertising
2. Don’t make it hard to maneuver around your site.
3. Don’t have link errors, grammatical and spelling errors on your site.
4. Don’t have an outdated website look.

 

Do:

  1. Reduce the bounce rate of your website pages. Bounce simply that the viewer did not find what they wanted on your site.
  2. Make your content original and liked (shareable)
  3. Increase the amount of time a user spends on your site by improving your site content and design.
  4. Create,or redesign, a website with great user experience in mind.

The Google Penguin Update

GOOGLE PENGUIN

The focus of the more recent Google Penguin algorithm update was to reduce the amount of websites that violate Google’s guidelines. Sample illegal tactics include keyword stuffing, cloaking, duplicate content and link exchanges. These are all categorized as black-hat SEO techniques.

These black-hat techniques led certain websites to rank higher than others. This Google Penguin update is designed to reduce the rankings of websites that are practicing such black-hat SEO techniques.

Do Not:

  1. Keyword stuffing.
    This is the process in which a keyword is inserted in the text of a website multiple times, sometimes without even making much sense. This had allowed the website to rank higher in the past.
  2. Cloaking.
    This is a technique by which the website code shows Google something different than what a user sees. So Google would index a website inaccurately.
  3. Link Exchanges.
    This is a method of building ranking.

 

Do:

1. Cleanup your keywords
2. Make your link text (Anchor Text) relevant to the content.
3. Provide the viewer with fresh, relevant content and relevant links.

HOW DO THESE GOOGLE UPDATES AFFECT YOUR WEBSITE

 

While the Panda and Penguin updates have many a bit worried about how these will affect their sites, in the end, these Google updates improve the viewers’ experience in searching for their interests. Websites that hold no relevant information for users will no longer appear at the top of search listings. These updates help to solidify good SEO practices across websites.

So if you follow proper SEO conventions as outlined by Panda and Penguin, your site will rank higher in the search results and viewers will be better able to find your website now.

Interested in more free articles to help your business?

Yes! Include me in

Get more strategies, tips, and specials

14 Tips How to Make Your Website Rank Higher, after Google’s Panda and Penguin Updates

by | Jun 1, 2012 | Blog

Have you checked the ranking of your website lately? Google is known to update their search settings in order to give users better information when they are conducting online searches. The recent Google SEO updates are termed Panda and Penguin.

How did Panda and Penguin updates impact your website’s status? Positively or negatively?

What exactly are Google Panda and Google Penguin? And why do these updates have such a big impact on websites across the web? In this whitepaper, we look at:

  • What are the Google Panda and Google Penguin updates
  • How these updates affect websites and searches
  • How these updates affect your website ranking
  • How to improve your website ranking

The Google Panda Update

Google-Panda-smGoogle has been updating their search algorithm Panda for many benefits to Internet searchers. Panda was designed to reduce the amount of websites that delivered poor content to viewers.

So now, because of Google’s algorithm enhancements, viewers can see better quality results when they search in Google.

With Panda, Google now assesses your website based on how your viewers rate your content. Now more than ever, you need to build a brand that people trust and come to for their needs. Sites that are liked more are rated higher; sites that are liked less are rated lower.

4 Key Things Not To Do:

1. Don’t stuff websites with advertising
2. Don’t make it hard to maneuver around your site.
3. Don’t have link errors, grammatical and spelling errors on your site.
4. Don’t have an outdated website look.

4 Key Things To Do:

  1. Reduce the bounce rate of your website pages. Bounce simply that the viewer did not find what they wanted on your site.
  2. Make your content original and liked (shareable)
  3. Increase the amount of time a user spends on your site by improving yoursite content and design.
  4. Create,or redesign, a website with great user experience in mind.

The Google Penguin Update

emperor-penguinsThe focus of the more recent Google Penguin algorithm update was to reduce the amount of websites that violate Google’s guidelines. Sample illegal tactics include keyword stuffing, cloaking, duplicate content and link exchanges. These are all categorized as black-hat SEO techniques.

These black-hat techniques led certain websites to rank higher than others. This Google Penguin update is designed to reduce the rankings of websites that are practicing such black-hat SEO techniques.

3 Things Not To Do:

  1. Keyword stuffing.
    This is the process in which a keyword is inserted in the text of a website multiple times, sometimes without even making much sense. This had allowed the website to rank higher in the past.
  2. Cloaking.
    This is a technique by which the website code shows Google something different than what a user sees. So Google would index a website inaccurately.
  3. Link Exchanges.
    This is a method of building ranking.

3 Things To Do:

1. Cleanup your keywords
2. Make your link text (Anchor Text) relevant to the content.
3. Provide the viewer with fresh, relevant content and relevant links.

How These Updates Affect Your Website

While the Panda and Penguin updates have many a bit worried about how these will affect their sites, in the end, these Google updates improve the viewers’ experience in searching for their interests. Websites that hold no relevant information for users will no longer appear at the top of search listings. These updates help to solidify good SEO practices across websites.

So if you follow proper SEO conventions as outlined by Panda and Penguin, your site will rank higher in the search results and viewers will be better able to find your website now.

Pin It on Pinterest