Many people go back and forth about whether it is better to create a static HTML website or a WordPress site. The answer is that each option has various pros and cons to consider. If you are an individual or part of a company that is thinking about creating a website, take a minute to read about HTML vs WordPress. There may be one that stands out to you more than the other.
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WordPress
WordPress is the most popular content management system (CMS) in the world. A CMS is a software that allows users to create their websites without using code. You can create, delete, and modify your content by using the back-end interface. Many small businesses start by using WordPress due to its convenience and its user-friendliness.
Pros of Using WordPress
Functionality
You can have multiple people working on a WordPress site at any one time. For instance, one user can be modifying content on the home page while another is updating the company’s product images. This reduces the time it will take to get your website up and running.
Plenty of Helpful Resources
WordPress is open source, meaning that the source code is easily accessible to the public. Due to this, a countless number of people around the world have accessed WordPress and made their tweaks and modifications. Since so many people are knowledgeable about WordPress, there are numerous resources available to aid others. You can easily open a WordPress tutorial or read through someone’s ‘how-to’ blog if you need a hand.
Cons of Using WordPress
Regular Maintenance
Your WordPress website will require regular maintenance. You will need to be on the lookup for updates or patches for your plugins. You will also need to remember that there is no guarantee that your themes and your plugins will be perfectly compatible with each other. If your hosting plan includes periodic updates, you won’t have to do them yourself, but this will likely cost extra. Read through your web hosting agreement to find these types of additional services and then check occasionally to see that they follow through with them.
Slower Response Times
If your WordPress website gets overloaded with excessive plugins, photos, and other media, you may find that the loading times are slightly higher as compared to a static HTML site. People tend to go a little overboard with WordPress add-ons, some of which they could eliminate. Since slow loading times are one of the major causes for losing a customer’s attention, you should keep in mind that sometimes less is more.
HTML
With HTML, you or a developer will be writing the code for your website. This option allows you to create a custom website completely from scratch and to your exact specifications. HTML is often used alongside CSS (for structuring) and JavaScript (for programing language) to create websites. General examples of companies that use static HTML for their sites include airlines, property insurers, electronic software companies, and packagers.
Pros of Using Static HTML
Infrequent Updates
If your website is static HTML, you will not need to perform as many updates as you would with a WordPress site. The only time you will need to update your site is when you change the code, which should not be very often.
Potentially Free to Create
Assuming that you have some familiarity with coding, you have the potential to create a static HTML site for free. You can also use WordPress for free, but many of their premium themes and plugins cost extra, which can be tempting. Building an entire website on your own can be time-consuming, but you don’t have to budget thousands of dollars if you’ve got knowledge on your side.
Cons of Using Static HTML
Need to Hire Outside Help
If you do not know anything about coding or web design, you may struggle with using HTML. As a result, you may need to hire a developer to help you complete your website. This can use up a large portion of your budget, which will make a bigger impact if you were not expecting it.
Difficult for Some Businesses
Static HTML tends to be just that – static. This places certain limitations on the types of online businesses that will thrive with an HTML website. For instance, if you want to start an eCommerce site, you will frequently need to update the product page, promotional section, and inventory listing. This may be more trouble than it is worth, depending on how long it takes you to update each area and how frequently it occurs.
