In 2016 it is amazing to think that more than 25% of all websites are built on a Wordpress CMS, and that number is growing. But what does being built on Wordpress actually mean for you? As a manager, marketer or business owner within an SME trying to push your business forward, this should mean a great deal. Wordpress is like the central nervous system of your online presence, neglecting it could leave you senseless and numb…So whether you interact with Wordpress currently, or you just leave it well alone, this article will be enlightening...

Even those who count themselves as Wordpress users within their SME businesses should pay close attention to this article. I guarantee it will deliver some new perspectives, new information and undoubtedly inspire some Kick Ass Ideas and action!

If you don’t interact with Wordpress, yet you are responsible for moving your business forward with sales, marketing and re-marketing to existing customers you have a lot to gain, so stick with us.

Content Management System - It’s all in the name

I’m not going to even utter the words “Wordpress is simply a Content Management System”. If that doesn’t kill your inspiration, I don’t know what will. All 3 of those words are highly boring and do a very specific job. I much prefer the term “Business Marketing Bazuka”!

Wordpress is a Business Marketing Bazuka, because, in the right hands it can provide highly targeted, long range impact for your business (let’s avoid the destruction in my bazuka analogy for now!). Not only that, you have a whole armoury of bells and whistles you can use to make your marketing even more effective.

Surreal? Yeah, kinda! So maybe now a dose of boring reality. But hopefully, instead of seeing a boring definition of a Content Management System, you’ll see the possibilities.

Let’s break it up for fun…

Content

This is anything that is published on the web. It could be written text, a video, a podcast, a graphic image, an animated image a slideshow… You get the picture. The whole of the web is CONTENT.

Management

This word REALLY undersells the meaning. The ability to manage, add, remove, adjust, optimise, refine, replace, update, redirect, promote, publish and perfect content on the web. You control what the world see’s by using Wordpress.

System

What a word. Forget IT, forget ISO 9001, forget anything of the compliance and boring sort. Yes, it’s an electronic “System”, but it’s more of an “Ecosystem” that you can adjust build and refine to suit your “Content Management Needs”.

So, Wordpress is a Content Management System, or CMS, but don’t go thinking you understand what being built on Wordpress means because you think you understand those 3 EXTREMELY BORING words!

So What Does Being Built on a Wordpress CMS Actually Mean?

Being built on Wordpress means you’re off to a great start. Wordpress is so flexible and easy to use, you can very quickly gain a competitive edge over your competition, online.

Most websites that are built by website designers and developers will be handed over to their owners, (that’s SME Contract Manufacturers like you), and never updated, edited or used properly.

That’s where Wordpress comes in. It makes it easy to update, edit and get the most out of your investment in your website. Who doesn’t want return on their investment in a website?! Plus, as I said, MOST websites will be left to rot, with their functionality and their content getting more and more out of date, and out of touch.

Do you now see where the competitive edge can be gained? By having a website built on Wordpress, you can do what your competition aren’t doing. You can keep your website fresh and up to date in terms of content, and in terms of the latest and greatest functionality or features for generating more leads from your online presence.

Isn’t Wordpress Just For Bloggers?

The word “Blog” has become almost intrinsically linked with the word “Wordpress”, however this is more to do with the fact that “Content Marketing” has become almost synonymous with “Online Marketing”. A blog is likely one of the most accessible ways to start content marketing as a business, not just as a blogger.

Using Wordpress, you can create new content pages, signup forms, landing pages, and you can refine the way users navigate around your website. If you don’t know what any of those things are, or why you should even use them, don’t worry, just keep reading the Manufacturing Network Blog! Subscribe to our email list right here!

So yes, it’s easy to create a blog on your Wordpress powered website, however that’s not ALL it’s good for!

Something that’s altogether quite exciting about Wordpress - Plugins...

There are best practices, guides and advice out there for just about every aspect of online marketing, especially the way your website works. Back before the world of Content Management Systems and special things called “Plugins”, each of these features or special ways your website worked would need to be developed from scratch. That means you would have to be a professional writer of code, but this is no longer the case!

So, let’s think about a feature, or a way you want your website to work. Let’s say you want to display your images in a gallery on your website, by using a “Gallery Plugin” you can quickly and easily have a ready-made gallery with zoom, slideshow, forward and reverse tabs, sharing buttons for Social Media, etc. All you have to do is upload the photos to Wordpress and your images display in rockstar fashion.

If you didn’t quite appreciate that example, you may appreciate this one. What about pop-ups? When used correctly, they can be a really great source of email list subscribers and lead generation. Using a pop-up Plugin, you can edit the contents of the pop-up, create fields for the website visitor to fill in, edit the timing of the pop-up and connect it to an email list and email sequence. All without knowing a single piece of HTML, PHP or CSS code. Who wants code anyway?!

Plugins can also change the way your Wordpress CMS works, not just how your website displays to visitors. For example, you can use plugins to change the way you build pages, add fields and tabs to allow you to edit more about your web page. You can even add things like online shops using plugins that communicate with your eCommerce systems.

But what does this mean for you?

This means that as a non-developer, non-tech geek, you can keep your website moving forward with the advances in online marketing. Wordpress is built to allow your website to grow in both size and the number of features. Your website doesn’t have to stand still, but you have to be willing to learn about latest trends to keep things moving forward.

Conclusion

Just because your website is built on Wordpress doesn’t mean it will automatically stay fresh and up to date, that takes work. You’ll also have to develop some Wordpress knowledge, but that’s achievable without learning ANY code.

Here’s a quick BONUS - Here are some Wordpress Resources to get you started:

Using Wordpress to Manage Your Website Content Part 1

Using Wordpress to Manage Your Website Content Part 2

Best Practices for Managing Your WordPress Site: The Ultimate Guide

24 Must Have WordPress Plugins for Business Websites in 2016

Want to find out if your site is built on Wordpress? Go to www.isitwp.com and enter your website address to find out

How To Publish Great Looking Testimonials On Your WordPress Website

WordPress Tutorials - 200+ Step by Step WordPress Tutorials

One Last Thing…

If you have particular issues using Wordpress, why not reach out to us? Drop a comment below or even email us! We’ll be more than happy to help you, AND we’ll probably even write an article to help others do the same. So what’s your excuse for not managing your Wordpress Website?

Why haven't you signed up to the blog email list yet?!

Once again, if you haven’t subscribed to this blog, now is the time. Get these articles directly to your inbox for reading at your pleasure.

Subscribing is the first step in your on-going Sales & Marketing education, you’re worth it.

Click Here to Sign Up to our blog today