Is WordPress safe to use as a website platform? It’s a question we hear quite often. The answer is YES. Like most things in life, you need to know how to properly set up a WordPress website and you need to maintain the software that runs your website. Let’s dig into this discussion a bit more to explain.
Just last week I was speaking with a client who had been told by its outsourced IT provider that using an open source platform like WordPress is bad because it can be hacked. The IT person’s recommendation was instead to use a proprietary website platform that his company owns. Why on earth would you back yourself into a corner and sign an agreement to use a tool that only one company in the world can work in? If you pay such a company to build your website and later determine you want to part ways, you’re in a real predicament. The proprietary web platform that your website was built upon can’t be used by another web designer. You may not even own the content within the website that you paid for and that uses your business’ brand. (Also see “Do You Really Own Your Data?” on our blog.) Your only real option is to start over from scratch with a completely new website. Ouch.
As we explained in our blog post “Why WordPress Makes Sense for Business Websites,” WordPress is the most 
popular website platform globally, accounting for 30 percent of the world’s websites. The advantage here is not in just following the masses, but rather having a plethora of developers working on a shared platform. If your website is built on WordPress and your web designer changes careers or you choose to part ways, there are a lot of other WordPress designers to consider. According to codeinwp, “WordPress runs 32% of the entire Internet.” It also states that “50-60% is WordPress’ share of the global CMS market – making it the most popular CMS of them all for the 7th year in a row.” These statistics are hard to argue against.
Beyond the numbers, business leaders who choose WordPress are in good company. A few notable websites built on WordPress include:
Still, WordPress isn’t just for big business. The platform’s easy-to-use features and low cost plugins and themes make it a smart choice for organizations of all sizes―from a one-person start-up to global brands.
Not to fall victim to a tale similar to the “unsinkable Titanic,” any website can be hacked. However, there are some straightforward steps that business leaders can take to minimize those risks. We love Michael Moore’s graphic shown here and his post from January 29, 2019 about “The Top 5 WordPress Security Myths Debunked.” Truly, the best way to keep your WordPress website secure is to keep your theme and plugins up-to-date. Plus, be smart about your password and avoid generic phrases like “admin” or your business name. While these tips apply to website platforms across the board, WordPress is a worthwhile solution for companies large and small. So, let’s get to building.
