Not all WordPress Developers are Created Equal

WordPress was released on May 27, 2003, by American developer Matt Mullenweg and English developer Mike Little. WordPress was created as a Blog A blog is a regularly updated website or web page, typically run by an individual or small group, that is written in an informal or conversational style. Blogs cover a wide array of topics?from personal diaries and entertainment news to professional insights and niche interests. The content on a blog usually consists of various posts or entries that appear in reverse chronological order, with the most recent post at the top. Blogs serve numerous purposes, depending on the nature and goals of the blogger. Personal blogs often function as online journals, allowing individuals to share their thoughts, experiences, and opinions. Professional or business blogs, on the other hand, can be used to establish thought leadership, engage with customers, and drive traffic to a company's website. Many bloggers leverage social media to promote their content, fostering a sense of community and interaction among readers. The interactive nature of blogs is one of their distinguishing features. Many blogs allow readers to leave comments, enabling a two-way discussion between the author and the audience. This interactivity can create a loyal readership and a strong sense of community. In addition to written content, blogs often incorporate multimedia elements such as images, videos, and links to other relevant websites or articles, enriching the reader's experience. Overall, blogs provide a versatile and dynamic platform for expressing ideas, sharing information, and connecting with a global audience. publishing system but has evolved into a complete content management system ( CMS A Content Management System (CMS) is a software application that facilitates the creation, management, and modification of digital content without requiring specialized technical knowledge. CMS platforms are widely used for building and managing websites, blogs, and other digital assets, providing users with an intuitive interface to publish content, organize information, and customize the design and functionality of their site. The core features of a CMS typically include a user-friendly editor for writing and formatting content, tools for uploading and managing media files (such as images and videos), and options for categorizing and tagging content for better organization and navigation. More advanced CMS platforms may also offer additional capabilities like version control, workflow management, multisite support, and integration with external applications and services. Popular examples of CMS platforms include WordPress, Joomla, and Drupal, each offering a range of templates, plugins, and extensions to tailor the platform to specific needs and preferences. WordPress, in particular, is renowned for its ease of use and extensive ecosystem, making it a preferred choice for both beginners and experienced developers. By streamlining the content creation and management process, a CMS empowers individuals and organizations to maintain a dynamic and interactive web presence. It eliminates the need for in-depth coding knowledge, allowing non-technical users to update and manage their content effectively. This accessibility and flexibility make CMS platforms valuable tools in the fast-paced and ever-evolving digital landscape. ); a CMS A Content Management System (CMS) is a software application that facilitates the creation, management, and modification of digital content without requiring specialized technical knowledge. CMS platforms are widely used for building and managing websites, blogs, and other digital assets, providing users with an intuitive interface to publish content, organize information, and customize the design and functionality of their site. The core features of a CMS typically include a user-friendly editor for writing and formatting content, tools for uploading and managing media files (such as images and videos), and options for categorizing and tagging content for better organization and navigation. More advanced CMS platforms may also offer additional capabilities like version control, workflow management, multisite support, and integration with external applications and services. Popular examples of CMS platforms include WordPress, Joomla, and Drupal, each offering a range of templates, plugins, and extensions to tailor the platform to specific needs and preferences. WordPress, in particular, is renowned for its ease of use and extensive ecosystem, making it a preferred choice for both beginners and experienced developers. By streamlining the content creation and management process, a CMS empowers individuals and organizations to maintain a dynamic and interactive web presence. It eliminates the need for in-depth coding knowledge, allowing non-technical users to update and manage their content effectively. This accessibility and flexibility make CMS platforms valuable tools in the fast-paced and ever-evolving digital landscape. that includes plugins, modules, templates/themes, mailing lists, galleries, and total e-commerce solutions.

WordPress is considered “open-source” source code made freely available for possible modification and redistribution. Per hubspot.com, WordPress currently makes up 43.2% of all the websites on the internet. In addition, WordPress has been the fastest-growing content management system for 12 years.

Many marketing agencies adopted WordPress as the preferred platform to deliver client websites because they could be built with little to no code experience. While the website may be easy and fast to create, with over 60,000 free plugins and 9,000 free themes, it creates a problem. Security. WordPress is a hacker’s target with over 600 plugins, themes, and core vulnerabilities. The number of reported vulnerabilities in the first half of 2021 exceeded the total number registered in 2020.

How Can Intrada Help?

At Intrada, our development team has supported WordPress sites since 2006 and has mastered the art of delivering a quality, secure and conversion-driven website.  Our development team will tell you that WordPress has come a long way, as it now supports many popular programming languages like Rest API Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) are sets of rules and protocols that allow different software applications to communicate and interact with each other. Think of an API as a contract between software components that defines how they should interact. By providing a standardized way of accessing the functionalities and data of a system, APIs enable developers to build more complex and interconnected applications efficiently. APIs come in various forms, such as REST (Representational State Transfer) and SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol), each with its own set of standards and methodologies. They are instrumental in modern software development, powering everything from web services to mobile apps by allowing seamless integration and data exchange between disparate systems. This interoperability is crucial for the creation of robust and scalable software solutions, facilitating innovation and enhancing user experiences across a wide range of digital platforms. , oEmBed, JSON, and JavaScript JavaScript is a versatile and powerful programming language primarily used to create dynamic and interactive elements on websites. Introduced in 1995, JavaScript has since become an integral part of web development, enabling developers to build rich, user-friendly interfaces and responsive web applications. As one of the core technologies of the World Wide Web, alongside HTML and CSS, JavaScript allows for client-side scripting, which enhances the user experience by allowing the web page to update asynchronously without requiring a full page reload. Additionally, JavaScript's vast ecosystem, complete with libraries and frameworks like React, Angular, and Vue.js, continues to drive innovation in front-end development, making it a critical skill for modern web developers. . Over the years, Intrada has identified quality plugins and modules that provide the necessary functions but also the support, updates, performance, and security required to protect the visitor and client. In addition, Intrada has also created custom plugins, modules, and templates related to common needs to maximize performance, function and limit security threats.

Intrada is proficient in both the front-end User Experience User Experience (UX) refers to the overall experience and satisfaction a user derives from interacting with a product, system, or service. It encompasses all aspects of the end-user's interaction, including ease of use, accessibility, performance, aesthetics, utility, and emotional response. The goal of UX design is to create meaningful and relevant experiences for users, often by understanding their needs, preferences, and behaviors through research and testing. This process involves a range of disciplines, including psychology, design, usability engineering, and interaction design. By focusing on user-centric principles, UX aims to optimize the effectiveness and enjoyment of the product, ultimately leading to increased user satisfaction and loyalty. Businesses that prioritize UX design can benefit from improved customer retention, lower support costs, and a competitive advantage in the marketplace. of a WordPress site and the remediation from plugin saturation. Unfortunately, these bloated templates cause poor performance and poor Search Engine Optimization Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the practice of enhancing a website's content, structure, and technical elements to improve its visibility and ranking on search engine results pages (SERPs). Unlike paid advertising, SEO focuses on organic (unpaid) search results, aiming to attract more quality traffic to the site through search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo. SEO encompasses a variety of strategies, including keyword research, on-page optimization (such as optimizing titles, meta descriptions, and content), link building, and improving site usability and speed. By aligning a website's content with search engine algorithms and user intent, SEO helps increase the site's relevance and authority in search engines' eyes. Effective SEO can lead to higher rankings, increased web traffic, and better user engagement, ultimately contributing to the site's overall success and reach. visibility.  We are frequently contacted to perform site audits where we continually find sites bloated with plugins that were never cleaned up, slow performance from poorly designed templates, or infections from bad patching, all leading to a bad User Experience User Experience (UX) refers to the overall experience and satisfaction a user derives from interacting with a product, system, or service. It encompasses all aspects of the end-user's interaction, including ease of use, accessibility, performance, aesthetics, utility, and emotional response. The goal of UX design is to create meaningful and relevant experiences for users, often by understanding their needs, preferences, and behaviors through research and testing. This process involves a range of disciplines, including psychology, design, usability engineering, and interaction design. By focusing on user-centric principles, UX aims to optimize the effectiveness and enjoyment of the product, ultimately leading to increased user satisfaction and loyalty. Businesses that prioritize UX design can benefit from improved customer retention, lower support costs, and a competitive advantage in the marketplace. . A true WordPress developer does not rely on a plugin to create a function or security services from a third party to protect a site.

WordPress is an excellent tool for our Internet industry when developed and managed correctly. Conversely, a poorly designed or managed WordPress site can hinder growth or harm a company’s brand and reputation. The developer's knowledge and education are key to a WordPress site's quality.

With over 20 years of development experience, starting with a foundation in security and technology applications, Intrada can provide a quality WordPress experience for our clients and online visitors. Contact our team if you or your company is using WordPress and are interested in learning more about how Intrada supports, manages, markets, tracks, and delivers a WordPress Content Management System.