Want to build your first website but you don’t know which website builder to use? Have a look at the self-hosted WordPress website builder.

Self-hosted WordPress is the WordPress software offered by WordPress.org, which you can directly install on your web host. This is to differentiate it from the service you can get from the less-flexible hosted WordPress at WordPress.com.

Self-hosted WordPress is the preferred site maker among many small business owners because it works. It has essential functionality that allows your website to reach its goals. Here are other reasons you want to go with WordPress CMS.

5 Reasons to Use the Self-Hosted WordPress Website Builder

1. Content management system (CMS) — Formerly known as a blog type site builder, WordPress has grown to be a reliable content management system. It lets you manage content and work like a publisher in a collaborative setting. You can focus on your content and fully control it to meet your audience needs.

2. Open Source software — WordPress is free and open source software, with a community of developers continuously working on it. Because it is created by and for the community you are free to use the software without paying a license fee. It also means there are many experts you can ask for help.

3. Unlimited design options — If you don’t have the budget for hiring a web designer there are many templates or themes to start with. You can find free and paid themes, designed for your industry, that you can customize. If design is not your cup of tea just buy a professional theme and have it customized for you.

4. Unlimited functionality — WordPress works for both a personal blog and a high-traffic e-commerce website. There are extensions or plugins that give your site more functionality. Depending on your needs, You can easily install add-on like shopping cart, membership or forum.

5. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) — SEO is another feature of a great site builder you can find on WordPress. There are premium theme providers that take into account SEO in their design. Free and paid plugins are also available for SEO purposes. Just get the tools and they will improve your on-page SEO.

4 Ways to Use the Self-Hosted WordPress Website Builder

1. Content management system — WordPress is a great CMS. You can use it for adding, changing and deleting content in a collaborative environment –a website with multiple users. With a page builder and a premium theme like Fastline Themes your site will work like a breeze.

As you can see from the above, a “drag-and-drop” page builder allows any user accessing and updating your website content, without the risk of messing it up.

2. E-commerce — Want to sell products and run an online store? You don’t need to invest in advanced shopping cart and pay an e-commerce web designer. Just use the Fastline Themes to create a simple site and install the Woocommerce plugin.

The plugin gives a clean and customizable e-Store. Once you’re familiar with it you can add any extensions like payment gateway or shipping or others to make your site a fully functioning e-commerce website.

3. Forum — If you want to build a community, of prospects and customers, with a bulletin board style forum, check out the BBPress forum software. It’s easy to install on your wordpress site. Just go to your plugins back-end, find BBPress and install it.

Once installed, you may want to follow the simple instructions for customizing your settings. That’s all.

4. Membership — The self-hosted WordPress website builder also supports a full-fledged membership site. It allows you to set up any types of subscription-based website by offering courses, webinars, downloaded content and many more.

The above is a screen shot of a site offering makeup course with integrated Wishlist Member software.

Overall, self-hosted WordPress website builder is the most popular site building tool used for all websites being built today. It’s now almost as easy as online website builders like Onepager and you can’t be wrong with its vast functionality.

What to Do Next?

Still not sure if the self-hosted WordPress website builder is the best for your small business? Learn how to choose the best website builder your small business. And if you haven’t built your wordpress site, do that today using this tutorial.