What’s Better, WordPress.org or a DIY Platform?

...this is really a needs-based question... watch for a more detailed answer on what might suit you.

Recently I wrote a blog with information about what a small business website might cost, and I realised two things when I wrote that blog….

1. I don’t like sitting down and typing that much (so I did this one by video…)

and

2. What it costs is largely dependant on how you build it (posing the question – are DIY platforms like Wix a viable option.?)

And rather than filling that blog with information that was a little alongside the chosen topic, I decided to dedicate THIS BLOG to providing more detail into what needs might suit what sort of platform, i.e. which is better, WordPress.org or a DIY Platform like Wix?

IMPORTANT NOTE: There is a difference between WordPress.org and WordPress.com, and in this blog I’m referring to the .org version. If you want to know more about the difference between WordPress.org and WordPress.com this is well and truly covered by loads of other tech-gurus and I’d only be repeating them… but in a nutshell, WordPress.com INCLUDES a hosting plan (and is not a free version), almost the same way Wix does (as explained in the video), but WordPress.org is a freeware version where you can choose your own hosting provider/plan – this also means you need to do (or learn) the extra work to set that all up and manage it ongoing.

The video has a much more detailed explanation, but the “in a nutshell” answer, this is why Wix can be more appealing, because it simplifies everything into one place and is quite user friendly, although has limitations. WordPress.org is far more flexible and you can get more bang for your buck, but you’ll also need to be prepared to either pay for the services of someone who knows what they’re doing, or invest your own time to learn. One of the toughest lessons I learned in Small Business was that it is almost ALWAYS better to pay to engage the expertise of someone who is specialised – if you consider the hours you spend learning something that doesn’t light you up, multiplied by your hourly rate doing what YOU’RE a specialist at, it will almost always cost you less (in your time) to pay the specialist. But please don’t let me discourage you from having a crack at it yourself – if you’re inclined to give it a go, you’ll enjoy the learning journey 😉

NOW – to save me typing ANY more, all the good stuff is in the video below – click tp play, and feel free to drop any questions in the comments below!!