Why Your Business Deserves a WordPress Site

Your business is doing wonderfully. Customers love coming in, your five-year plan's on track, and everything's going as hoped.

But what about your website? Are you really happy with it? Is it easy to update? Are you stuck on a platform you don't like? Could your site be just as strong as the rest of your business?

That's where WordPress — and Krystal — come in. By using WordPress, you can have a website that's tailored to your needs, looks the way you want, and does exactly what you need it to — all under your control.

What is WordPress?

WordPress is a content management system (CMS) that lets you design, build and manage your website. It's the most popular CMS on the internet, powering over 43% of all websites right now.

WordPress is easy to install, easy to use, and endlessly customisable — giving you the tools to build your website the way you want.

Why should I use WordPress?

Whatever your business, there's something in WordPress for you.

• Hairdresser? Take bookings online.
• Photographer? Create password-protected galleries.
• Consultant? Share e-learning modules.
• Restaurant? Show off your menu.
• Shop? Sell with e-commerce tools.

All the tools you'd usually pay extra for — search engine optimisation, social media widgets, contact forms — WordPress has that covered too. With over 59,000 plugins in the directory, there's a solution for almost everything.

And don't forget how easy it is to make your site stand out from the crowd! No more stuck using the same boring templates as everyone else — there are over 13,000 themes in the directory, and the right one is out there waiting for you.

How easy is it to use?

It wouldn't be the most popular CMS if it weren't easy to use. From your dashboard, you can create pages, add copy and images, build sections of your site and publish changes instantly.

It might take a little getting used to, especially if you've only worked with very restrictive website builders before, but with a little practice, a bit of patience, and WordPress's own detailed courses, you'll be an expert on your own site in no time.

How much does it cost?

That's just it — the main WordPress installation, with all its functionality, all its versatility, everything that it includes, including all the updates — is FREE.

You'll pay for hosting, as you would with any website. But there's no hidden markup for access to the WordPress CMS. You're paying for the server space, and nothing more.

Some premium versions of plugins and themes may come with added costs should you choose them, but overall you should see a decrease in the amount you're paying for your website, especially if you find that the free versions do everything you need.

How do I set up WordPress?

If you're on a Managed WordPress plan with Krystal, you don't have to do a thing — WordPress is already set up and ready to go.

You'll even have access to a staging site — a place where you can build and experiment without worrying about your live site being affected.

If you're not already with us for your current site, you can build to your heart's content before moving your domain name over. Your old site can stay live right up until your new site is complete.

How easy is it to import my current website?

That depends on a number of factors: where you're importing it from, how it's currently built, how much is in it, what functionality you have already in place and more.

A basic static brochure site with a few pages, where you can manually copy and paste the text from your site into WordPress — that's easy. That's a few hours, choosing your theme, creating your pages and hitting publish. An e-commerce site with plenty of products on display? That'll take a little more time and a lot more work. But we're here to help.

How much work is it to run a WordPress site?

Once you have it set up, it's not much work at all. You'll need to log in regularly to update the software, themes and plugins, but if you're on our Managed WordPress plans, we'll do all that for you for no extra charge.

Updating details on your site, whether that's changing the opening hours or adding new images to your gallery, will take next to no time at all. What's more, you can publish right away, giving your site that much-needed update in a flash.

I'm sold. Where do I start?

Start by selecting one of our Managed WordPress plans. Or, if you'd like expert advice on what would work best for you, get in touch — we're happy to help you figure out the right WordPress package. We may even be able to import your existing site for you.