If you are looking to start a blog, chances are you will probably opt for WordPress. The ubiquitous content management system is one of the biggest and most popular blogging platforms, and millions upon millions of sites are built on it. However, you would be sorely mistaken if you thought WordPress is used only by bloggers. Here are just some of the popular uses for this CMS.
Build An E-Commerce Website
Did you know that WordPress can be used to create a virtual store? Whatever it is you’re selling, you want your online shop to look good and be easy to navigate and use. Since it’s an open-source platform, the members of the worldwide WordPress community have created thousands of different themes. Whatever look you are going for, chances are that someone has you covered. And the themes don’t differ just in appearance, but also in use. With the growing online market, a lot of the themes are intended specifically for e-commerce. With an appropriate theme and some customizable plugins, you can have all the necessary functionalities to keep track of stock, orders and reviews.
Make a Portfolio
Again, new uses for WordPress, and the corresponding themes and plugins sprang from users’ needs. Whether you’re an aspiring artist or an established photographer, you can make a beautiful online portfolio with WP. There are plenty of excellent options to make your gallery look amazing – such as thumbnails, lightbox effects, slideshows and grid views.
Organize an Event
When you are organizing an event, there are a million things to take care of, and a very important aspect is advertising and keeping in touch with your guests. Surprisingly, WordPress can help with this in more ways than one. The first step is to set up a page for the event, with a description, relevant information and news. You can also get an easy to use WordPress event ticket sales plugin, or one of the plugins made specifically for event organizing.
Create Your Own Social Network
Yes, there are a lot of social networks already, but maybe you need to create your own – be it public or private. With an appropriate theme, you can do just that. Why follow someone else’s rules? The options are endless – you can create your own community, or just use it as a way to be in touch with your friends and family. This is also an excellent way to connect with people interested in a particular niche.
Manage a Forum
Another great feature for growing communities is a forum or a discussion board. Every community needs to have a means of communication, and build a common knowledge and experience base. There are several plugins, both free and pro, that can help you create and manage a forum. All the usual discussion board features are available, such as commenting, uploading pictures, creating accounts, editing and flagging messages, tags and categories.
Keep Track of Your Project
Everyone knows that a team is only as good as its manager. And, believe it or not, WP can be used as a first-rate project management tool! Using the right plugins, you can assign tasks, share and upload files, manage documents, schedule events or assignments using a calendar, keep track of progress and communicate with your team members. You can create a page for every client and manage customers.
As you can see, you don’t have to be a blogger to reap the benefits of using WordPress. The open-source community is quickly adapting this popular CMS, and with time, new uses are emerging. Hop on the WordPress train! Chances are, you’ll never look back!
