So lets talk about the technical details of creating your website for your business or organization.  Only a few years ago, creating a website required hiring someone to make if for you or investing a considerable amount of your own time in learning how to do it yourself.  You would have to purchase expensive software like Dreamweaver or Frontpage, which both had a steep learning curve.  And this only helped you create a static web page.  It didn’t include any dynamic elements or interactivity.  This also did not include any graphics.  To do that you would need something like Photoshop or Fireworks.  If you thought Dreamweaver had a hockey stick learning curve, then Photoshop has a Mountain for a learning curve.  Dreamweaver is like learning to fly a crop duster.  Photoshop is like learning to fly an F-16 fighter jet.  You step into the cockpit and the sheer volume and complexity of all the gears, gauges, knobs and flashing buttons can be enough to make your vision go blurry.
Wordpress: The first tool you will need to make your website

Now there is a better way!  Like I mentioned in my first post on this blog, we now have Content Management Systems or CMS.  A CMS can allow anyone to easily update and manage their website.  There is one particular CMS that stands out and that is WordPress.  This is what I use and this is what I recommend to everyone I talk to.  It is simple enough that an Internet newbie can use it but powerful enough that professionals use it as well.

More than just a blogging platform

WordPress was originally created for blogging and many people still only think of it as a way to create a blog, but it has grown to be much more than that.  Wordpress can be used for any type of website and it is being used by some of the largest company’s in the world, such as CNN, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Sony, PlayStation, GE, and Ford.

But here is the most beautiful part.  not only is WordPress one of the easiest, most powerful, most widely used and trusted Content Management Systems out there… it is COMPLETELY FREE!  That’s right, you can use WordPress without having to pay anyone a dime.  (How is this possible?)  Wordpress can give their software away for free because it is Open Source, which allows developers from all over the world who like to use their product contribute their ideas.  Then WordPress makes money through offering premium services and through paid advertising.  While there is a core team of developers they also reap the benefits of free development from other contributors all over the world, while we reap the benefit of an amazing free web development tool.

Not just a static website

The other main reason that I love WordPress is that it makes it easy for you to add dynamic elements and interactivity to your site.  What I mean by dynamic elements are things like moving images, drop-down menus, hover buttons.  Examples of interactivity include contact forms, user comments, calendars, social networking, etc.  These are powerful devices that make your website more user-friendly and engaging.  Normally these things would require some kind of programing experience, but WordPress offers them as plug-ins for your website that you can install with the click of a button.

I haven’t actually used them because I have my own hosting company but I hear Bluehost.com is very good.  You can get started with an easy one click installation at Bluehost.com. My company mostly does wholesale hosting, but if you are interested you can contact me about it here.