Reasons Not to Use WordPress for Your Church Website

You have decided to build a website for your church, which is a really great idea. You want to make sure that everything related to the project is just right and that you make the right choice for the right reason. You want to make sure that you don’t end up with a website that doesn’t live up to your expectations. You also want to be sure that you don’t make the wrong choice simply because it’s popular or trendy, which is why you are reading this article. Hopefully, by the end of this article, you will know exactly what you need to know and why you need to avoid using WordPress for your church website.

Uses Limited Technologies

For a website to be successful, it needs to be able to access the internet. In today’s world, the internet is accessible on almost every device. Your average smartphone or tablet can access the web just as easily as a dedicated laptop or desktop. WordPress is one of the most popular content management systems around, which provides you with a wide array of features when it comes to building a website. However, not all churches have the budget to invest in expensive computer equipment as well as mobile devices. This is where the struggle begins. If your church doesn’t own any computers or smartphones, then it’s virtually impossible to use WordPress. You will need to find a way to bring the web to your church, which not all churches can afford.

Uses Limited Creativity

The internet allows for unlimited creativity when it comes to designing a website. No longer do you need to be limited by what is available through stock photos and clip art. You can find almost any image or piece of music you could possibly need and put it in your design. This also means taking the creativity of your website designer and you together to come up with a unique design that will leave an impression on your visitors. This is an important step in the right direction. After all, your website is there to serve your visitors and not the other way around. You want to give them the best experience possible and allow them to find the information they need without being distracted by flashy design elements.

Is Difficult To Maintain

With all the advanced tools the internet provides, maintaining a website is much simpler than it used to be. For example, let’s say you are hosting your website on a cloud server that automatically updates your site whenever there’s a change. All you have to do is log in and make the necessary adjustments. Keeping up with all this while also fulfilling your director’s demands for a weekly bulletin and engaging with your visitors on a regular basis will leave you exhausted. The more you put into it, the more you will get out of it, as they say. This is certainly true when it comes to maintaining a WordPress website.

Poor Performance

There is no doubt that the internet greatly speeds up our lives. We can access information and connect with others all over the world in seconds, which is certainly a valuable thing. However, not all sites perform well when accessed through mobile devices with smaller screens. In those cases, loading time becomes crucial. If your site is taking a while to load on a mobile device, then visitors will leave and not come back. This is never a good thing, especially when you are still in the process of building a relationship with them. You want to be sure that they come back time and time again to visit your site. With a heavy focus on SEO and content marketing, you can be sure that your site will perform well regardless of the device being used to access it. However, this does require some serious prep work, so ensure that you have the necessary time to dedicate to this.

Fees Associated With Hosting

Doing business online always comes with a cost. You will need to consider how much you are willing to spend on software, web hosting, and domain registration. In most cases, these are all separate costs, so be sure to ask your web designer about the exact pricing before you sign the contract. There is also the cost of regular backups, which you will need to have in case your website suffers a major malfunction. Having regular backups is also important for security purposes. It’s not always easy to determine the exact cost of web hosting, but it’s certainly not inexpensive. If you are unable to afford the best web hosting, then you should consider another solution.

Cannot Be Modified

Unless you have access to the code and know how to modify it yourself, you cannot change the appearance of a WordPress website. This is the nature of the platform. You can always hire a designer or take the time to learn basic coding. However, this can be quite difficult and can require a lot of trial and error. Changing the appearance of a WordPress website is easily done through different themes and plugins, but this requires paying for these separately. Do not underestimate the power of customizing your site’s appearance. It can be an easy way to transform your website into something unique and customized to your audience. Even if you think you cannot afford additional costs, you should consider the benefits these extra costs can bring.

Cannot Be Monetized

You cannot monetize a WordPress website. This is also the nature of the platform. You can promote affiliate products and earn money from advertising, but you cannot directly sell goods and services through your website. This would require additional costs and steps, which would likely end up costing you more money in the long run. Do not underestimate the power of a monetized website. If your church is unable to afford a custom-designed site, then consider using a monetized platform for the time being.

Does Not Have Active Support

WordPress does not have active support. This means that when you have a problem, you have to search for a solution yourself or ask others for help. The good news is that there are plenty of resources available online that can help you solve any issue. The bad news is that this could take a lot of time. In most cases, you will have to search for the answer yourself or ask others for help. Most importantly, make sure that you are not simply providing a helping hand to someone who is seeking monetary gain. This could lead you down a dangerous path that you might not be able to escape from. Even if you have the best of intentions, you should know that you are being manipulated. Active support is very much needed when it comes to using WordPress.

Does Not Have An Easy Upgrade Path

If your church decides at a later date that it wants to make changes or add new features to its website, then it will be impossible to do this through WordPress. This is because WordPress is a completely open-source platform, which means it can be easily downloaded and altered by anyone with a certain amount of technical knowledge. The problem is that if anyone gets the technical knowledge, then they also have the power to hurt your church. Be sure to choose a CMS (Content Management System) that is not easily accessible and has as easy an upgrade path as possible. This becomes even more important if you have a lot of experience with WordPress but no technical knowledge at all. In those cases, it’s probably best to find a WordPress expert who can help you move over to the platform more easily. This is not an easy process, and it’s one you should avoid as much as possible. Make the transition as smooth as possible, but be sure to plan for the eventualities that could arise. This is why it’s best to find a dedicated IT person who is capable of handling all these tasks. An easy upgrade path is essential when considering the security and stability of your website’s future. If you have to contact a person every time you make a small change, then this is definitely not the right solution.

Uses Unfair Software Royalties

WordPress uses a software royalty system where you are charged a certain amount per device, even if it’s just a mobile phone or tablet. This is completely unfair and should be avoided. Be sure to ask your web designer about any hidden costs that might be incurred through using the software. In most cases, you will have to purchase a commercial license for each device used to access your website. This can add up quickly and should be avoided if possible.