Meanwhile, it’s closest competitor, Joomla is only used by about 2.8% of websites. These numbers are already telling of just how effective WordPress is as a platform. But, just in case you need a little more convincing, perhaps knowing that there are exactly 19,922,103 active websites that use WordPress helps.

Of course, as with everything that’s rising in popularity, WordPress has it’s fair share of detractors and bad publicity- in the form of myths. You’ve probably heard those WordPress myths. Well, we’re here to debunk them. WordPress has been our platform of choice for several years, and for several years it has served us superbly. It can do the same for you. We don’t want those myths to stop you from reaching your business’ full potential with WordPress, so we’ve listed them down to clear them up for you below.

MYTH #1: WordPress is only for blogs

Saying that WordPress is just for blogs is an injustice to the platform. WordPress is highly customizable and features a lot of functionality that can serve various types of businesses. While it is true that WordPress is a free and open source blogging tool, it’s more than that. It is also an immensely dynamic content management system. In fact, WordPress is so flexible that you can transform your site into a Social Network, a shopping cart, or even a job portal.

MYTH #2: WordPress isn’t secure

WordPress is as secure as any other site on the internet.  Yes, outdated themes and plugins may present security holes, but so can anything on your site that is not up to date. Although this is a legitimate risk, it can be mitigated. You just have to set up your WordPress to automatically check and update itself. Needless to say, security is more of an issue on how you manage and maintain your site. 

MYTH #3: WordPress is too complicated

Once you know the difference between WordPress.com and WordPress.org, it’s much easier to figure out what you’re trying to accomplish. Admittedly, there can sometimes be an overwhelming  amount of setup required for a WordPress site. Luckily, there are a couple of ways around this: Look for a hosting company that has an automatic setup or “one-click installation” option. It’s quite easy to come by hosting companies that have this. They make it really easy to get everything set up without any headaches.  There are even some hosting companies  that can get everything set up for you, so that all you have to do is get in there and make any changes or updates you want in the future.

MYTH #4: WordPress is just a template

WordPress is a content management system. A template, on the other hand, is a preconfigured layout.  Some people often confuse the uniformity of WordPress’s CMS layout with a simple “template.” While certain functions in the backend of WordPress sites are the same, the front-end experiential possibilities are limitless. Thanks to a wide variety of themes and plugins, you can customize your site according to your needs and aesthetic preference. You can further make your site stand out from the rest by creating original content and having graphic design that screams your brand.

MYTH #5: Too many plugins slow your website

The speed depends on the particular plugin. Some plugins are slow, while some plugins are fast, some plugins have absolutely no effect. Some plugins are built and designed specifically to speed up your site.

MYTH #6: WordPress is unprofessional and not suited for high-traffic sites

To dispell this myth, here are a few notable names that use WordPress as their platform: TechCrunch, Bloomberg, Sony Music, Ford Motor Company, the Wall Street Journal, and the United States Department of Health. These sites are as professional and high-traffic as it can get.

MYTH #7: WordPress is for Noobs

While it is true that WordPress is extremely beginner-friendly, it is also equally popular with advanced level users. Yes, you can set up your site on WordPress without having to learn to code. But that shouldn’t discount  how awesome the platform is. Even skilled developers use WordPress for it’s flexibility to extend software with custom code. Additionally, and as mentioned in the previous item, even corporations and businesses with notable names use WordPress.

Now that we’ve covered some of the most common WordPress myths, and debunked them, we hope we’ve given you the ammo you need to talk with clients, colleagues and fellow entrepreneurs about the advantages of using WordPress. WordPress has helped a lot of businesses, big and small. This itself is a testament to its multi-functionality and effectiveness as a platform. It would be waste of time to look elsewhere just because of a couple of myths that can be easily dispelled. In fact, just click share with any non-believers and let them see for themselves!