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1.) It’s FREE

WordPress has been around since 2003 and is now the most popular blog software in use today, oh and it’s FREE!  As of August 2010, their latest 3.0 version had over 12.5 million downloads.   WordPress is an open source software which means the fabulous creators of this blogging application have made their code available to see and use for free (within the law).  This is important because with access to the source code any software developer can make other applications (plugins) to work in collaboration with WordPress.  With WordPress as an open source it continues to improve and we are constantly exposed to new, fun, and useful tools that WordPress users can enjoy.  (A WordPress plugin is a simple name for software that has been created to work with WordPress websites and all you have to do is download, install and activate it, basically.)

If any thing software or technology related is foreign to you, then in laymen terms:  If WordPress was your refrigerator, then open source would allow for you to install an ice maker plugin.

Anyone can go to wordpress.org and download this fabulous software for free.  WordPress functions on templates, known as themes, and there are thousands of free themes you can find online.  Blogging software has primarily been used for personal reasons, so most of the free themes are not structured around business functions.  However, there are a growing number of great developers that are creating business themes for a very low fee, mostly seen under $80 each.

As a small business with tight budgets, the word “free” is music to your ears.  As you read on, you will see how this free marketing tool can be the foundation of your social media campaign.

Follow our WordPress series to see our post on our top business theme recommendations coming soon.

2.) Finally a website YOU can manage!

We have all had websites that sit for months and some times years without getting updated because it’s too much of a pain to contact the original developer to make the edits, not to mention the hourly cost for their time to update a pricing page or new content.  If you can use Microsoft Word, you can update your WordPress website.  Want to add a photo or video? Add button, Select button, Insert button.  3 steps and you’re done.  This puts your social media marketing campaign in your hands to control.

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3.) WordPress and Social Media: a perfect marriage

With WordPress as an open source software, you have access to all kinds of wonderful and free social media tools through WordPress’ plugins.  Not only can you add your Facebook and Twitter buttons, but you can pick from an array of button sizes and custom designs that you can pick and even choose where you want them displayed on your website.  You can have any social media networking button available and there are over a hundred to choose from.  Not just Facebook and Twitter, but any bookmarking site, article or document sharing site, email, RSS feed, print options, video sites and many other networking sites even we haven’t heard of.  WordPress makes it a breeze to connect your social media outlets and drive traffic to your other social networking sites for additional exposure.

4.) SEO = circus tricks

Social media in business is all about being heard and to be heard, you must be found first.  SEO, search engine optimization, is an amazing world of key words, repetition, placement and lots of circus tricks

Once again, WordPress does not disappoint, as it knows the importance of this magic SEO world.  With the knowledge of a few basic SEO pointers, you can optimize your website page content and articles (blogs) by using a few standard SEO features in even the most basic WordPress theme.   With the wonderful world of open source, WordPress has even greater SEO tools available thru plugins made just for SEO customization.  By utilizing WordPress’ free SEO tactics, you can increase your visibility on search engines without having to pay an SEO company or pay for online advertisements to achieve higher visibility results.

Better article SEO equals better website presence for your social media campaign.

5.) WordPress for ecommerce!

Even for those business with products to sell, WordPress has ecommerce themes for you too! These specialized themes make it just as simple to update your inventory with pictures, descriptions and calculates available quantities.  The shopping carts look and function professionally and tie in with credit card services for payments.   We will be seeing a lot more of these ecomm themes and features surface in the near future as the popularity of WordPress spreads thru the corporate world.  Now, all types of businesses can enjoy the ease of a social media friendly website software.

Stay tuned for the next post in our WordPress Series with more to come on:

Best business theme Developers / WP & SEO / WP Widgets / WP Plugins and many more!