When WordPress launched in 2005 it was a gamechanger. It left behind bulky html programming and opened the world of web design to everyone, and allowed non-profits to finally afford a nice site they could control. But times changed, and in tech, twelve or so years are a long time. I own a 2005 car, a Saab 9x2. It is still fast and fun to drive, but in terms of features and safety it is pretty out of date. Would I hop in my old Saab and drive to Chicago? Not without some concern. And, WordPress is pretty much the same thing today. It still works, but it is out matched by performance and safety by newer models.
One of those shinny new sites is Squarespace, and it outpaces of WordPress on so many points. First, it is malware free – while WordPress has vital monthly security updates, Squarespace is a sealed world where a viruses cannot get in. The reason is, Squarespace, like Wix, is a world of templates, hundred of templates that can be modified and adjusted. Those templates mean no html code get in, and that means someone named Boris will never steal control of your site.
That brings up another great point about these newer sites– you don’t need to know html. WordPress allows for designers to work their magic with html code – but SquareSpace and Wix let you design and build without knowing coding. In the real world this means that anyone can build a site with ease – and the templates mean something else too - you can’t blow the style of the page as the fonts you can use are tied to your template. You will always be on brand with the site. So, Squarespace has another nice feature – it is constantly adding new functions and apps to boost your site and let you do new things. And it is a SEO machine with built in SEO features and blogs.
The simple take away is this – if you are building a new site, don’t go down the html road unless you have no other option. An html site is hard to manage and change, and will be hard to adapt to new ideas down the road.
WordPress was great in its day, to quote the great Barry Manilow - that was 30 years ago, when they used to have a show. Look at Squarespace and Wix, they combine the safety, SEO and ease of use that will get you where you need to go.