Every once in a while, a potential client will ask us about building a website from the ground up. They want a look that’s entirely unique, rather than choosing something more mainstream from a template-based website. While this desire is entirely understandable, complete originality comes at a cost. A site built by hand almost always means updating it by hand. As a result, many hand-built sites die on the vine, with no new content being updated or added because it’s such a time-consuming process, and so difficult to maintain.
Neon Canvas designs and develops all of our websites in WordPress, which we consider to be one of the most flexible and easy to use content management systems (CMS) available. Having worked with multiple platforms in the past, we now exclusively use WordPress, and we love the flexibility it offers both our designers and clients. By using a customizable, reliable CMS like WordPress, Neon Canvas designers are able to:
Make changes easily. Once the site has been built, we can add, edit, and delete things with ease, and so can you. As a client, you will have control over your website, so you don’t have to come to us for every small change you’d like to implement (although of course, we don’t mind doing it if you’d rather not!)
Have complete control over the design of your site. WordPress gives us the options and flexibility we need to build bespoke websites that are tailored to your brand and how you want the world to see it. When we design a site, we make it look exactly the way you want it to before we ever touch a line of code. WordPress lets us transfer each design element over one at a time, giving us the chance to check in with you frequently to make sure we’re on the same page and that you’re happy with what you’re seeing.
Use both free and paid plugins. WordPress allows us to install extra “add-ons” to your website in the form of plugins. There are thousands to choose from, and they will make it simple to do everything from adding social media sharing buttons to displaying testimonials. Rather than build features like an image gallery, calendar, contact form, etc. from scratch, we can use plugins to give you everything you need at a fraction of the time and expense. We’ll install all the features you want as we build your website, but plugins are also a fantastic option for adding additional features yourself once the site has gone live.
Be compatible with almost anything. Rarely do we ever have to worry about integrating any third-party software with your website. This is due to the massive popularity of WordPress. Many software companies will go so far as to create their own WordPress plugins because they don’t want to lose customers and understand how important it is to be compatible with WordPress. Whether it’s an email services provider like Mailchimp, or a payment processor like Stripe, it’s easy to bring services and software together on your site without any frustrating attempts at integration.
Rank higher in search engines. In our experience, websites that have been created with WordPress almost always rank higher in search engines than those built with platforms such as Joomla, Wix, and Squarespace. The clean URL structure, fast loading speed, and easily-optimized pages that are standard with WordPress will help keep your website on the front page where it belongs!
Be 100% mobile friendly. Having a website that’s mobile friendly is no longer a unique feature, it’s an expected necessity. Over 60% of all online searches are now carried out on a mobile device. In some areas, that figure jumps to over 70%! All of the websites we build implement responsive design, and WordPress has made this process so much easier. Whether your target audience is looking at your site on a desktop, laptop, phone, or tablet, it will look fantastic and offer full functionality.
Any way you slice it, WordPress has the tools and features we need to build you a customized website that is also fully responsive. This is precisely why we use it exclusively when creating sites for clients! We know how important your website is to the success of your brand, and our team will always work with you to bring your vision to life using original content, a unique look, and a site that looks great and functions beautifully. To learn more about how we can help your brand stand out in all the best ways, get in touch anytime. We’re always here to answer any questions or listen to any suggestions you may have. We appreciate you and your business, and as always, we love helping you grow your brand successfully!
Kyle Fagala, DDS, MDS
Co-Founder, Neon Canvas