WordPress Alternative - Wish there was a better way?
by The Final CodeWordPress is a web application most people know about. There is a huge amount of hype surrounding this open-source CMS, mostly because its free, even though it actually isn't. Huh?
WordPress basically doesn't offer very much on its own - so if you want your website to do something specific then you need a "plug-in" to do it. Annoying isn't it? The people who make the plug-ins are not the people who make WordPress. This becomes an issue for many people and this is why: When somebody makes a plug-in they make it to work with version X. But because WordPress is constantly updating to fix major security problems, once version Y is released the plug-ins for the previous version aren't compatible with the current version. Seems like a bad way to do things, right? It is.
So why is updating a problem? Because it will break your website causing you to either spend a huge amount of time fixing it (which you usually can't do without technical knowledge) or pay somebody to spend a huge amount of time fixing it (which will cost a huge amount of money). These updates also cause the plug-ins you purchased to become obsolete, so now you have to buy updated plug-ins. OK, so why is not updating a problem? Because your website will eventually get hacked. Also, the maker of plug-in A is expecting plug-in B to interact a certain way with their plug-in. If you don't upgrade, then this may cause their plug-ins to stop working without notice. The plug-in makers is where the real money is at in Wordpress development. They offer a 'free' system to run your site but then build additions to your site that they know will not work from version to version. They want everybody to bend to them, and they expect people to re-purchase their plug-in whenever there is an update. Have you noticed the trend of continuous purchasing, repurchasing, and redesigning of your site? Join WordPress and see what all the excitement is about!
Here are some common questions we are asked when our clients want to know more about their options in the CMS (Content Management System) category:
"Can't you just modify the WordPress code to do what you want instead of using Plug-Ins?"
Yes, but then if you do upgrade the modifications are gone, and if you don't upgrade then your site can be easily hacked.
"But I want to go with WordPress because everybody knows it, and if I ever fire my developer I can take it to somebody else."
This is rarely the case. If your site isn't working right and you need someone to fix it, or you just don't like your web person any more, your website will probably end up being rebuilt altogether anyway. Sure it can be built in Wordpress again, but the idea of being able to simply 'pack up and move' your website is a misconception at best.
Read these articles for more information on why WordPress is usually a bad option:
https://www.wte.net/Internet-Marketing-Blog/April-2012/Why-WordPress-is-Bad-for-Business.aspx
https://www.cloudave.com/14612/why-wordpress-isnt-a-good-choice-for-your-website-really/
There is a very large amount of additional online resources explaining why WordPress is not all it’s cracked up to be.
Using Wordpress or any CMS - going from developer to developer - the only thing they can really salvage is the data, which does take a long time to enter in some cases. Usually with a good database backup all of the core information can be salvaged. But you are still going to repay another developer to rebuild your site his way.
WordPress calls itself a CMS. But a CMS allows you to make changes with no technical knowledge - for free - anytime you want. With WordPress, if you want to change anything, besides pictures or text, you are paying for it. So, is it a CMS? Not unless your site consists of nothing but a blog - which is what WordPress is designed for, blogging websites. It’s not a true CMS, and its not static HTML. At least if your site was HTML there would be no versioning and fewer security issues.
WordPress offers few advantages, but it is more expensive over the course of a website’s lifetime. Plug-ins are required to complete most functions, and all plug-ins are not compatible, which forces developers to piece together sites hoping that they work - which is why nobody wants to deal with updates. Once you get a site to work, any sort of changes will cause it to break. Broken sites equal site owners spending money to fix them. Unfortunately, some people don’t want to pay to do something right the first time but they wind up paying continuously to fix it.
We would like to take this time to invite developers of other CMS to try Total Control. It has a library of pre-installed plugins that rivals even the most customized Wordpress templates. Get in touch with us and see how Total Control can cut your development time in half and virtually eliminate your back support time.
If you are a web developer who uses WordPress or another CMS application, we are running case studies to demonstrate the differences between our Total Control application and WordPress. Total Control is a great WordPress alternative. Fill out our Free Case Study Consideration form - discover how Total Control can make your job easier.
If you are a business owner who has had trialsome or bad experience with WordPress because you are waiting and paying for changes, or you just want to control everything yourself, then fill out our Free Case Study Consideration Form by visiting https://www.thefinalcode.com/content-management-system. Total Control can transform the way you run your business.
If for some reason WordPress is the only format you can use then our programmers can offer support for your WordPress site - although we highly recommend our Total Control format. Our programmers are highly experienced with WordPress which is why they greatly prefer our Total Control CMS. Our custom web application and internet marketing firm has been in business since 1996 and is one of the best established companies in Ventura and Santa Barbara County. If you have questions or problems with your WordPress site then contact us to discuss your project.
The Final Code
805-243-8321
1068 E. Main St.
Ventura, CA 93001