What is WordPress? Top 25 Super Ideas to Use It

About Anders Johansson

Since 2015, Anders has worked with WordPress. He can customize, fix, install, move sites and run full backups.

WordPress started in 2003 and powers over 43% of the web today. At first, it was only a tool for bloggers, but since then, it has grown into the most popular CMS. Famous companies like Walt Disney, Sony Music, and Microsoft News use it.

In this post, I’ll talk about: What is WordPress? Besides, you get the top 25 super ideas to use it. I hope you like and share this article.

What is WordPress used for?

WordPress is a powerful, flexible software that is free and open-source. You can use it to create a great website. Say, for example, a blog, an online store, a portfolio, or anything else. The sky is the limit. Hence, WordPress is what you want it to be.

In May 2003, Matt Mullenweg and Mike Little launched this PHP and MySQL-based software. Can you use another database than MySQL on your WordPress site? Yes, instead, you can use MariaDB.

WordPress helps you create and manage your site with only your web browser. In your dashboard, all content is accessible without the need for coding.

You pick between two versions: WordPress.com or WordPress.org.

With WordPress.com, you get WordPress pre-installed and web hosting. Do you want to download and use the software from WordPress.org? After that, you install it on your site’s web hosting server.

Another option is to sign up for Bluehost web hosting. They will help install WordPress on your site. But, of course, you can also pick SiteGround web hosting and, with ease, install WordPress there.

WordPress.org also recommends Bluehost and SiteGround. Once you select them, you are in good hands.

What is a WordPress website?

A WordPress website uses WordPress as its CMS (Content Management System). WordPress holds both the backend and front end of your website. Backend means the dashboard where you log in to make changes or post fresh content. The front end is the visual part users see when they visit your website.

WordPress requirements
To run WordPress, WordPress.org recommends that your web hosting supports:

• PHP version 7.4 or greater,
• MySQL version 8.0 or greater or MariaDB version 10.4 or greater,
• HTTPS,
• Apache or Nginx since they are the most robust and feature-rich servers.

WordPress.com is a platform service the company Automattic manages. It runs on a changed version of the software from WordPress.org.

You can use the WordPress.com free plan to create your site. Below are some benefits.

• WordPress is pre-installed. You never download or install it.
• A pre-installed SSL certificate provides security and privacy for your site traffic.
• The disk storage space is 1 GB. Upload audio and images to your site.
• Access to free themes, so you get a good site design.
• The package includes good web hosting.
• Protect your website against spam with Akismet.
• They run all updates, too.

There are also cons if you use their free plan. Here you get some:

• Your site will show WordPress.com ads, and you will earn nothing.
• Your website is on a subdomain: yourwebsite.wordpress.com
• You can’t add custom plugins or custom themes to your site.
• You can only do some tasks in your limited admin panel.
• They can remove your site at any time if it violates their terms.

• Better website customization options
• Marketing and monetization tools
• Business-class functions
• Advanced eCommerce functions

WordPress.com may still be the right platform for you. Do you wonder why? You can choose another plan: Starter, Explorer, Creator, or Entrepreneur.

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With WordPress.org, you get better customization options right from the start. Of course, once you compare it to the free plan for WordPress.com.

You can install any plugins and custom themes. Thus, you can indeed do almost all you wish with your site.

It is also possible to monetize your site in any way you like. As a result, that is a vital benefit once you plan to make it a business.

Do you choose the WordPress.org version? Great! You install it on your web hosting server. Besides, it is usually an easy step to do. Reliable web hosting companies help you install WordPress fast. Both Bluehost and SiteGround are great for this job.

Do you also buy your domain name from your web host? Then, you never have to worry about changing your DNS settings. After that, you are ready to start working on your site.

How to get a free domain name

Are you considering using Bluehost as your web host and registering a domain with them? As a result, you get the domain for free for the first year. You get a free SSL certificate as well.

Bluehost is one of the best web hosting companies. WordPress.org even suggests them. The company started in 2003. So, Bluehost has been around for many years.

Manage all on your site

You can handle all things: images, audio, video, and more. There are, of course, other options like Drupal or Joomla. But WordPress is the simplest and most popular tool to start using. It regards even though you have never worked with CMS earlier.

Do you use Microsoft Word? If so, you can begin working with WordPress.

You will spend a lot of time in the admin panel. Hence, it’s crucial to see where you locate the admin panel, what it allows you to do, and how you use it to manage your site.

What is WordPress? Locate the admin panel
But how do you find the admin panel after installation? In short, you always locate your admin panel by adding /wp-admin as the last part of your WordPress site URL.

It means you get access to the admin panel at yourdomain.com/wp-admin. Replace yourdomain.com with your actual domain name.

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The great success of WordPress is due to the easy-to-use dashboard. You see it once you log in for the first time. And there, you get a good summary of your website at once.

The dashboard, or admin panel, is the control panel for your website. It gives you access to the control functions of your WordPress installation.

Here, you create and handle all content. You add functions by installing plugins and altering the design, layout, and typography. Further, create new pages, posts, and categories. Also, upload images and videos and change your design to another theme.

Every admin panel has various sections. They are the toolbar, the main navigation, the work area, and the footer.

The toolbar at the top holds links to helpful resources about WordPress. It has quick links to create new posts and pages, upload new media, add new links and users, and review comments. You get details on available updates for themes and plugins on your site.

To the right of the WordPress logo, your website name shows as a link in the toolbar. Hold your mouse over the website name to see the Visit Site link. Click on that link to visit your home page.

In the top right corner, you see Howdy, User, with your Gravatar image. Hover over it, and you will notice a link to Edit Profile and a logout link.

To the left of the dashboard, you will find the main navigation. So, here is every admin function you can do.

At the bottom, there is a collapse menu button. That turns the menu into icons instead.

In every master function, the sub-menu expands once you place the cursor over it. If you click on an object, let’s say Posts » Add New, you reach the screen for creating a new post.

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The work area is the big area in the center of your dashboard. There are details about a specific navigation option. Change your theme or write a new post. What more can you do?

Create more pages and manage menus or widgets. Allow or disallow comments, read to learn more about getting started, etc.

At the bottom, there are two texts. Thank you for creating with WordPress and the WordPress version number your site runs on.

But what web hosts do we advise to you? Read on.

Web hosting companies we recommend

You must select a reliable web hosting company. Why? If your website crashes, gets hacked, or another incident occurs.

Your site will go down at some point. So, with this in mind, make sure you pick a good web host.

Stable web hosting companies like Bluehost and SiteGround offer great support. WordPress.org advises them, too. And both help you 24 hours a day.

Bluehost offers support via phone or chat. They have a broad knowledge base of articles, guides, and how-tos. Besides, they publish replies to their clients’ FAQs.

Do you pick Bluehost? Then, you don’t need to worry that your site will slow down once it gets lots of traffic. You get a free domain name, free SSL, and ad credits. Their packages are one of the cheapest web hosting options.

Finally, they also give all WP Web Guide readers a great discount of over 60% below.

Get Bluehost, Special Offer for WordPress Users, Over 60% OFF:
Visit Bluehost

SiteGround gives you support via phone, chat, or helpdesk ticket. Visit the help center to ask your tech questions and read tutorials. You can browse their vast knowledge base as well. They have optimized their servers for WordPress. Hence, your site will be as fast and safe as possible.

SiteGround gives you functions such as auto-updates, free SSL, and free CDN. They run backups each day, and you also get unlimited databases. The GrowBig or GoGeek package provides more functions like dynamic caching and staging.

Get SiteGround, a powerful WordPress web hosting service:
Visit SiteGround

WP Engine is the world’s leading WordPress digital experience platform. More than 75,000 companies in 130 countries trust the advice and help of WP Engine.

They apply a proven and stable architecture. That brings outstanding speed, scalability, and safety to your sites. It means your site will run at full performance, and you don’t need to make any server settings.

They only provide managed WordPress hosting. Still, they are great at the services they offer. The support team gives you the best help 24/7 via live chat, or you can search their library of support articles. All their agents at customer support are WordPress experts.

Managed WordPress web hosting companies do automatic backups and WordPress updates for you. Additionally, they offer advanced security settings to keep your website safe and working.

You get access to StudioPress Premium WordPress themes and the Genesis framework. It takes place once you sign up for a WP Engine plan. Also, you gain free SSL, free global CDN, and staging. More services include auto-updates for WordPress and integrated EverCache, page performance, etc.

We advise WP Engine as the top choice for managed WordPress web hosting.

Get WP Engine, WordPress Hosting Perfected, 4-Months for Free:
Visit WPEngine

Why install WordPress on your local computer?

Here are some key reasons:

1. No internet is necessary. You can work on your site, even offline.
2. Safe testing. You can test and learn without changing a live site.
3. Speed and performance. Your local site will be faster than a live site.
4. Privacy. Keep your work private until you are ready to publish.

What do you need to install WordPress locally?

To run WordPress on your local computer, you need some extra tools. They help you create your website masterpiece before serving it to the world. Now, it is time to explore a few popular software options:

Local is a WordPress development tool designed for new and skilled users. This option is the easiest way to install a local WordPress site for beginners.

1. Start by visiting the Local website
2. Next, you download and install the software.
3. Finally, create a new site with a few clicks.

MAMP (Windows, macOS, Apache, Nginx, MySQL, PHP)
The software installs a local server environment in seconds. Whether you use Mac or Windows, MAMP is a great option for local WordPress installation.

1. Begin by visiting the MAMP website
2. Choose to download the free version (MAMP) or the premium version (MAMP PRO) based on your needs.
3. Install MAMP, and you are good to go.

It is easy to install and use the XAMPP open-source package. You can start using the software in some simple steps:

1. Visit the XAMPP website
2. Download the correct version for your computer: Windows, Linux, or macOS.
3. Install XAMPP by following the on-screen instructions.
4. Start the XAMPP Control Panel and click on Start for Apache and MySQL.
5. Your local computer is ready to host WordPress.

» Watch the video, Install WordPress for Free Without Hosting.

What is WordPress, and how can you use it?

You may create a site in many ways. Use it as a CMS (Content Management System), gallery, portfolio, web store, video website, etc.

Are you curious to see how companies use it? Visit the WordPress.org Showcase

WordPress has grown popular both among experienced web users and beginners. It is all due to how simple yet powerful it is.

Do you consider making a site? Thus, I advise you to start a WordPress site.

Are you still not sure if it is the right choice for you? Read the top 25 super ideas to use it right below.

Top 25 super ideas to use WordPress

• 1. It’s free-to-use and open-source software.
• 2. The most popular CMS by far – powers over 43% of the web.
• 3. You can build any website.
• 4. You don’t need to learn or know how to code.
• 5. Ready to use right after you’ve installed WordPress.
• 6. Simple to use via your dashboard.
• 7. Themes and plugins improve user experience and functionality.
• 8. It manages multimedia like images, audio, and video files.
• 9. Built-in blogging. It’s simple to set up and do updates.
• 10. Turn your site into a web store with WooCommerce.
• 11. It is easy to make your site mobile-friendly with a responsive theme.
• 12. You can change the design of your site fast.
• 13. A flexible tool you can adapt to your needs.
• 14. Set different user role privileges.
• 15. Available in over 70 languages.
• 16. You can make a discussion forum.
• 17. Move your site to another web host. Almost all offer WordPress.
• 18. Import content from another system, such as Blogger, RSS, and Tumblr.
• 19. Sell memberships on your site and earn money from exclusive content. To do that, use MemberPress – the Full Membership site plugin.
• 20. Developers add regular updates and security patches to improve security. For more security, use Defender Security and UpdraftPlus Backup Premium.
• 21. It’s a scalable platform. Manage all from tiny blogs to big brand websites with many site elements and heavy traffic. Say, for instance, Sony Music and Walt Disney.
• 22. Ask your queries in their active support forums.
• 23. SEO (Search Engine Optimized) right from the start.
  For more SEO, use the Yoast SEO plugin.
• 24. Many web hosts offer you a simple installation.
  Good web hosts: Bluehost, SiteGround, or WP Engine.
• 25. All code meets the standards set by W3C. So, your site is future-safe.

You now have the top 25 super ideas to use WordPress. It is time for the conclusion.

What is WordPress? Conclusion

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OK, what is WordPress? WordPress is free and open-source software to create a great blog or website. First, WordPress was only a blog tool. But today, it is the most popular CMS (Content Management System).

WordPress is like a magic wand for creating your website space online. See it as your very own virtual room. Here, you can design it, fill it with your thoughts, and invite others to visit.

WordPress has a large closet of themes, each with its own style and personality. Design and layout your website to match your unique personality! You can change the design fast by switching to another theme.

Yet, the real power of the WordPress world is plugins. They act as mini-apps for your website, adding super functions without any coding fuss.

Want to share your latest posts on social media? There’s a plugin for that. Do you dream of ranking high on Google? You will find a plugin for that as well. These plugins make your site a dynamic experience and are easy to use.

How do you explain the great success of WordPress? It is due to the user-friendly dashboard you see after logging in. For this reason, you get a clear summary of your website at once. The dashboard has many tools but keeps everything easy to find and use.

Can you use Microsoft Word? If so, you can indeed learn and use WordPress, too.

There are many further benefits to this platform.

WordPress comes with a built-in community of fellow users ready to help. Imagine having a lot of friends who’ve been on similar quests. They share their wisdom and tips.

A group of developers often updates the software. Every new version fixes bugs, adds new functions, and enhances performance. By improving existing features, they stay up-to-date with the latest industry standards.

What happens once you update to the last WordPress version? As a result, your site gets higher security and new functions.

Can you find many web hosting companies that offer support for WordPress? Yes, since this system uses PHP and MySQL. Besides, usually, you can install it with a small effort.

In conclusion, WordPress is not a distant land meant only for tech wizards. It’s a magical garden. Here, anyone can plant their digital seeds and watch them grow.

WordPress is your passport to the web. An invitation to explore, create, and share your digital wonders with the world. Start your journey now!

I hope this article helped you see what WordPress is and that you read our Top 25 super ideas to use it.

You can also read the article Choosing the Best Domain Name. It gives you the ten most important tips before choosing the best domain name.

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What is WordPress? Top 25 Super Ideas to Use It

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