WordPress is a popular content management system (CMS) that has been widely adopted for its ease of use and versatility. However, as your website grows and your needs evolve, you might find that WordPress is no longer the best fit for your business. In such cases, upgrading to a custom coded website can offer significant advantages in terms of performance, flexibility, and security. In this article, we'll discuss the reasons to consider upgrading from a WordPress website to a custom coded website and provide examples of how this change can benefit your online presence.
One of the main reasons to upgrade to a custom coded website is the potential for improved performance. WordPress websites, particularly those with numerous plugins and themes, can suffer from slower load times and reduced overall performance. A custom coded website, on the other hand, can be optimized for speed, resulting in a faster and more efficient user experience.
According to Google, a one-second delay in page load time can lead to a 7% loss in conversions, and 40% of users abandon a website that takes more than three seconds to load (1). By upgrading to a custom coded website, you can ensure your site loads quickly, which can improve user satisfaction and increase conversion rates.
While WordPress offers a vast array of themes and plugins, these options can be limiting when it comes to achieving a truly unique and tailored website design. A custom coded website allows for complete control over the look and functionality of your site, enabling you to create a distinctive online presence that aligns with your brand identity and meets your specific requirements.
In addition, custom coded websites can be more easily scaled and adapted as your business grows and evolves. Unlike WordPress, which may require the installation of additional plugins or the purchase of premium themes, custom coded websites can be easily updated and expanded to accommodate new features and functionality.
WordPress is known for being a target for hackers due to its widespread popularity and the fact that many users neglect to keep their themes, plugins, and core installation up to date. In fact, according to a study by Sucuri, WordPress accounted for 90% of all hacked CMS sites in 2018 (2).
Upgrading to a custom coded website can significantly reduce the risk of security breaches, as custom coded sites are less likely to be targeted by hackers and are not dependent on third-party plugins or themes, which can introduce vulnerabilities. By working with experienced developers who prioritize security, you can ensure that your custom coded website is designed with robust security measures in place to protect your data and your users.
While plugins can be useful for adding functionality to a WordPress website, they can also create potential problems. Plugins can conflict with each other or with your theme, cause performance issues, and introduce security vulnerabilities. In addition, relying on third-party plugins means you are dependent on the developers to keep them updated and compatible with the latest version of WordPress.
With a custom coded website, you can eliminate the need for many plugins by building the desired functionality directly into your site. This can result in a more streamlined, efficient, and secure website that is easier to maintain and update.
Custom coded websites can offer better search engine optimization (SEO) opportunities compared to WordPress websites. By designing a custom coded site, developers can implement advanced SEO techniques and ensure that your website's structure, metadata, and content are optimized for search engines.
Moreover, custom coded websites can be more effectively optimized for mobile devices. As mobile browsing continues to surpass desktop usage, having a mobile-friendly website is essential for reaching and engaging your target audience. Custom coded websites can be designed with responsive design principles in mind, ensuring that your site looks and functions well on a variety of devices and screen sizes.
A custom coded website can help your business stand out from the competition by demonstrating professionalism and credibility. When your website has a unique design and is free of common WordPress themes and plugins, it signals to your customers that you have invested in your online presence and are committed to providing a high-quality user experience. This can result in increased trust, brand recognition, and customer loyalty.
Many successful businesses have made the transition from WordPress to custom coded websites in order to reap the benefits outlined above. Examples include:
Upgrading your WordPress website to a custom coded website can provide numerous benefits, including enhanced performance, greater flexibility and customization, improved security, reduced dependence on plugins, and improved SEO and mobile optimization. Additionally, a custom coded website can help your business project professionalism and credibility, setting you apart from the competition.
If you're considering making the switch from WordPress to a custom coded website, it's important to work with experienced web developers who can guide you through the process and ensure your new site meets your needs and exceeds your expectations.
Citations:
(1) Google. (n.d.). Speed Is Key: Optimize Your Mobile Experience. Retrieved from https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/marketing-resources/data-measurement/mobile-page-speed-new-industry-benchmarks/
(2) Sucuri. (2019). Hacked Website Report 2018. Retrieved from https://sucuri.net/reports/2018-hacked-website-report
(3) Airbnb. (n.d.). Airbnb. Retrieved from https://www.airbnb.com/
(4) Tesla. (n.d.). Tesla. Retrieved from https://www.tesla.com/
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