Many businesses question whether WordPress is suitable for enterprise websites. The answer is a resounding yes. An enterprise website typically refers to a large site with millions of page views, often run by well-known brands or corporations.
These organizations have unique requirements compared to smaller businesses, such as flexible scalability, enhanced access controls, robust security, and superior performance.
In this article, we’ll explore using outsourcing wordpress development services for enterprise projects and provide essential tips to maximize its potential.
Why Use WordPress for Enterprise?
WordPress is the world’s most popular website builder, powering over 43% of all websites. As a content management system (CMS), it dominates the market with a 65% share (source: CMS Market Share Study). Its immense popularity is due to its flexibility, freedom, and ease of use. These same attributes make it an excellent choice for enterprise clients.
Benefits of WordPress for Enterprise:
- Cost Control: As a free, open-source platform, WordPress allows enterprises to manage costs effectively by choosing various providers for hosting, development, support, and administration.
- Add-ons and Integrations: With over 59,000 free plugins, WordPress offers numerous ready-to-use add-ons, including integrations with third-party email marketing services and payment gateways.
- Expertise: The platform’s popularity ensures a vast pool of experts, from full cycle software developers to SEO managers, available for hire.
- Security: WordPress’s open-source nature means its security is constantly scrutinized by leading experts, ensuring vulnerabilities are quickly addressed and patched.
Despite these benefits, some misconceptions about WordPress usage in the enterprise persist. Let’s debunk them.
Debunking Myths About WordPress in Enterprise
1. WordPress is Only for Blogs
While WordPress started as a blogging platform two decades ago, it has since evolved into a full-fledged CMS capable of building any type of website. Today, it powers over 43% of all websites, including those of large businesses, popular online stores, and software companies.
2. If WordPress is So Great, Why is it Free?
WordPress is free as in ‘freedom,’ not free as in ‘free coffee.’ Users still need to pay for hosting, domains, and third-party tools. Enterprises use free software like WordPress to cut costs, just as major tech companies like Google, Meta, Microsoft, and Amazon do.
3. WordPress is Not Secure
WordPress’s large market share means it is rigorously tested and scrutinized for security by top analysts. With basic security setups and best practices, WordPress can be extremely secure for enterprise use.
Examples of WordPress for Enterprise
1. Nvidia
Nvidia uses WordPress for its blog section, utilizing a custom theme with a magazine-style layout.
2. Tonal
Tonal, a popular gym equipment brand, uses WordPress for its website and eCommerce functionalities, including WooCommerce.
3. The Walt Disney Company
Disney’s corporate website runs on WordPress, featuring company news, careers, mission statements, and investor relations.
4. Meta
Meta uses WordPress for its Newsroom, publishing articles about the company and its products.
5. Angry Birds
The popular game Angry Birds uses WordPress to create an interactive website showcasing videos, sliders, and game stories.
Tips on Using WordPress for Enterprise
1. Choose The Right WordPress Enterprise Hosting
Select a hosting platform designed for enterprise scalability, such as SiteGround or WP Engine. These platforms offer features like auto-scaling, daily backups, CDN, server-level caching, and enhanced security.
2. Set up Enterprise-Level Security
Use a website application firewall (WAF) like Sucuri to block malicious requests and attacks. Additionally, ensure regular backups with tools like VaultPress or Duplicator for data redundancy.
3. Make Your Own Backups for Redundancy
Even with hosting provider backups, maintain your own backups using plugins like VaultPress or Duplicator to ensure data control and security.
4. SEO for Enterprise-Level Publications
Utilize advanced SEO tools like All in One SEO to optimize content, manage internal links, and integrate with webmaster tools, ensuring high search engine visibility.
5. Setting up Enterprise Access Controls
Leverage WordPress’s robust user roles and permissions management system to control access. Use plugins like PublishPress to enhance editorial workflows and manage content access.
6. Multilingual Enterprise WordPress
For multilingual content, consider building a WordPress multisite network or using a plugin like TranslatePress to manage translations and provide a seamless user experience.
To Sum Up
We hope this article has provided valuable insights into using WordPress for enterprise and debunked common myths. For more on securing WordPress websites or essential plugins, check out our comprehensive guides.