Welcome to 2024, where the significance of your website and its content cannot be overstated. Trusting a system designed over two decades ago for simple blog management might not be the ideal choice. As we embrace another year, it's time to move away from default decisions and reconsider making WordPress your go-to content platform. Drawing from our 15 years of experience with WordPress and our recent transition to more dynamic content management systems (CMS's), this post aims to share insights.

While WordPress has undoubtedly earned its place in web publishing history, it might no longer be sufficient for managing complex applications beyond basic websites. Our five-year journey at Indie Ridge, transitioning from WordPress to composable content solutions, has illuminated several shortcomings. Following a controversial LinkedIn post, we feel the need to elaborate further.

Before you decide to upgrade your existing website, consider a few crucial points outlined in this post. If you're a single user publishing your own content, these considerations may not be relevant. However, if content publication is a key part of your team's marketing strategy, these insights are worth considering before jumping into another new WordPress website.

WordPress is not built for the modern Composable Era

Today's digital customer and user journeys are dynamic, spanning various devices and requiring personalised, localised content. Organisations now opt for composable technology approaches, assembling tech stacks with specialised tools for distinct functions. WordPress, however, struggles to keep up with these evolving needs, lacking the necessary flexibility and integration capabilities.

The tools have changed

With the shift towards serverless environments and composable frameworks evident, developers now seek tools that enable faster, continuous delivery and integration, as well as solutions for complex issues like global scalability. Unfortunately, WordPress’s architecture, reliant on legacy technology, hampers these developments, necessitating extensive plugin management and posing integration challenges.

The inadequacy of layering APIs and plugins

WordPress can host an API, but making it work smoothly is tricky. Compared to modern content platforms, WordPress faces challenges in delivering content seamlessly through its API. Getting WordPress to adapt and work efficiently requires a lot of time and effort. This means you might end up spending a good chunk of resources that could be better used to improve and adapt your platform to changing needs.

This inefficiency not only makes it difficult to smoothly integrate APIs and plugins but also highlights the need for a more flexible and responsive solution. In today's digital world, your website needs to be agile and adaptable, and relying solely on WordPress might not be the best fit for the demands of the current digital landscape.

The misconception of free and open-source WordPress

Even though WordPress is open-source, that doesn't mean it's entirely free. Many people mistakenly think that open-source equals no costs, but that's not the case with WordPress. To make your site work the way you want, you'll need to invest both money and time. Customising and keeping up a WordPress site is a task that demands a significant time commitment, especially with ongoing adjustments to stay compatible with the latest updates.

On top of that, managing the hosting infrastructure adds another layer of complexity. This means there's an overall investment needed to keep your WordPress site running smoothly over time. It's important to understand that open-source doesn't automatically mean an easy and cheap solution. Knowing the full scope of time and money involved is crucial before deciding to use WordPress for your website.

WordPress and outdated content management

In today's fast-paced digital world, the way WordPress handles content is a bit old-fashioned. It relies on a traditional database and a content storage system based on HTML, which can limit its flexibility. This becomes a problem in the modern landscape, where content needs to be dynamic, fit for various channels, and easily integrated with new design systems and frameworks.

Unlike newer solutions that can adapt to these demands, WordPress can feel a bit rigid. It doesn't smoothly sync up with the latest technologies and can hold back innovation. This limitation affects how users interact with your content and highlights the need for a more flexible content management system that can keep up with the dynamic requirements of today's digital experiences.

Collaboration challenges in WordPress

WordPress was not built for collaborative digital experiences. This makes it challenging for content creators, developers, and designers who need to work together. Unlike some other platforms that make it easy to edit things together in real-time and keep track of changes, WordPress lacks these features. So, when teams use WordPress, they might face difficulties coordinating efforts, leading to issues with versions and less efficient communication. As workplaces increasingly focus on collaboration, it's essential to recognise these limitations and consider alternatives that better support teamwork in today's interconnected work environments.

Familiarity VS user-friendliness

Even though WordPress is a familiar name, that doesn't always mean it's the easiest or most efficient option. While many people know about WordPress, using it might not be as straightforward as you'd expect. Modern tools have come a long way, offering smoother integration and more flexibility than WordPress. Opting for what's familiar might not always align with what's most user-friendly and effective in today's fast-paced digital landscape. It's worth considering alternatives that balance both familiarity and user-friendliness to ensure a seamless and efficient experience for your web projects.

Adapting to the intricacies of today's digital world and shifting to a flexible tech setup can bring more benefits and make your technology choices last longer. If you're a B2B company interested in discovering how a flexible website structure can improve your operations and client interactions, feel free to reach out to us at hello@indieridge.com. 

We'd love to chat with you.