WordPress actually refers to two separate things. First of all, WordPress is a site that allows anyone to create their own blog on the Internet for free. This includes hosting and space to use for their blog. Even though this service is offered for free, WordPress does not prohibit bloggers from monetizing their sites under the WordPress banner. This means a user can add advertisements or sell products from their blog without having to share the proceeds with WordPress in any way. This makes WordPress an excellent choice for a beginning blogger to get his feet wet and see what he has to offer to the community and if a blog will be successful without risking start-up costs.
The second thing WordPress refers to is the software that helps bloggers design their site. The WordPress … application is very user-friendly without sacrificing power. Even the most novice computer user can get a blog up and going in no time … through this application, but more experienced users will not find any lack of functionality or ability to edit their site to their personal specifications. Even if a blogger elects to self-host their site by purchasing a domain, they can still use the WordPress application as their tool for maintaining their blog.
The real strength of the WordPress system, free or otherwise, is that it provides an automatic layout for storing and organizing posts. This saves loads of time for even a seasoned website designer. There is no need to design a database; the WordPress application takes care of these tasks on the fly. For example, a blogger sets up several categories relating to the content on his site. Each time a new post is written, he simply checks the appropriate category boxes and WordPress automatically manages the mundane tasks of placing the posts in the right folders. That way, when a category is accessed, a reader sees all the right posts that were placed in that category on one separate page. Not only does this help the blogger, but it makes navigating the site very simple for the reader.
WordPress comes with many standard widgets, which are small applications within the framework that can be inserted anywhere the user likes on the page. These widgets can perform all sorts of functions, such as displaying recent posts or comments, playing a slideshow of images, or even playing music or other media. If the standard widgets aren’t enough, there is a rich catalog of user-designed plugins for WordPress that can help a blogger make his page memorable. The plugins are free, and if the plugin doesn’t fit the blog, taking it back out is as simple as deactivating it. The application does a great job of allowing bloggers to experiment with new looks and functions on their blog with no threat of losing their work. They can always get back to the last satisfactory version of their page with minimal disruption. All work can be previewed in web format before it is posted online to make sure it appears as planned.
Themes allow bloggers to make their site look unique. There are as many themes as things someone could think of. Of course, an enterprising blogger can also design their own theme or edit the site one piece at a time themselves. An HTML code editor is built into WordPress, so a programmer can edit the site manually at any time. WordPress is an awesome way to get a blog started in no time at all, and it really pays off down the road in performing site updates and maintenance with ease.