Even though the popular content management system has been around for eighteen years, we still hear opposing viewpoints on sales calls and networking events about the ‘bloggers’ platform’ WordPress.
“WordPress is a blogging platform; it’s not fit for larger systems” is a recurring thought that fades with time but reappears now and again.
In reality, during the last decade, the ubiquitous infrastructure that now runs 42.5 percent of all websites has changed dramatically. Nevertheless, when it comes to practical applications, WordPress is widely backed by some of the most complete (and sought-after) technical solutions.
WordPress As An “Application Framework”
When we look at the bigger picture of the online ecosystem, we can clearly see real-world solutions in the following areas:
- Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) — Businesses may swiftly spin-off SaaS apps using a regular WordPress construction or the sophisticated multisite version, fast constructing MVPs and expanding them to production-grade products while leveraging the current ecosystem of available plugins and extensions.
- Customer Relationship Management — A popular option used by SMEs is seamless connectivity with an e-commerce solution, an event management system, or a complex ERP from within a WordPress dashboard.
- Electronic Commerce — Among the top 1 million websites, WooCommerce is the most popular e-commerce system.
- The State — WordPress is currently used by some of the most well-known international examples in the government sector, including the White House website.
- Provide Assistance — The WordPress ecosystem provides a wide range of support options, ranging from knowledge base solutions to ticketing systems, support forums, live chats, and automated bots.
- Education — It is used to build the websites of Harvard, the University of Washington, and hundreds of other prestigious universities.
WordPress as an All-Management System
It’s not a question of “if,” but “how” for scale-ups and SMEs to adopt WordPress more inclusively. This is the basic framework we use when engaging with decision-makers in the implementation process:
1. The Endless Possibilities with WordPress
There are various ways to achieve the same goal when you build on top of a strong framework.
Strategic high-level discussions are unavoidable when determining the best path forward when it comes to infrastructure, integrations, editorial experience, or even a standard rendering approach versus a headless application.
Before writing your RFP, consider consulting with an experienced consultant to help you navigate the complex landscape. Some professional vendors also provide discovery sessions for customizing WordPress to meet your specific business requirements.
2. Documenting Existing Solutions
An internal inventory of third-party and custom solutions utilized throughout the firm will reveal new integration and automation options.
WordPress is frequently used as a central dashboard for marketing automation tools, CRMs, third-party ERPs, and various support-level solutions. For example, external landing page builders, exit intent pop-ups, and invoice production tools can all be integrated into one software application.
3. Preparing a Plan for Consolidation
Prepare an action plan for transferring some of your software solutions to WordPress once the objectives are in place. The following are some common questions that may emerge during the process:
- Which solutions will be preserved but will require WordPress integration?
- Can any of the existing solutions be replaced with custom modules?
- What are the guidelines for data synchronization across platforms?
- What APIs would be required to manage data between WordPress and other platforms?
4. Developing a Safe Migration Process
You should meticulously document every step of the journey.
Make a list of the user stories that must be ported to the new system (or supported as an integration). This includes the various levels of capability, administrative panels for administration, dashboards that consolidate information, and system settings that are globally controlled.
If data needs to be imported into WordPress, ensure there is a simple mechanism or that the accessible API can be used to do so. A temporary data submission freeze may be required to avoid data loss during the migration.
5. Compliance and Inclusiveness
If there are any requirements that you must meet, make them clear and put them in the scope. Compliance with the CCPA or the ADA is possible, but it may necessitate the use of many layers to store and convey data. Other IRS or government-related requirements that you must give ahead of time are the same.
The Shift
If you’ve ever dismissed WordPress, reconsider. Look at the available solutions on top of the platform that provide essential business capabilities like e-commerce, CRM, or support, even if your primary business runs on proprietary software.
Companies have long used WordPress as a blogging platform to complement their corporate websites. Expanding the feature set of the blog with new capabilities is a wise investment in a dependable platform that saves money while implementing tried-and-true solutions.
By 2023, the dominant platform will have surpassed half of all internet websites, rising at a rate of around 3% per year.
The CMS is on course to become “the operating system for the open web,” according to Matt Mullenweg, the platform’s co-founder.