WordPress is still my number one

I’ve worked with plenty of website platforms over the years.

Some are good for simple websites. Some are useful in certain situations. Some look great until you need to do something slightly outside the template.

WordPress is still the one I trust most for proper business websites.

Not because it’s perfect. It isn’t. But when WordPress is built properly, it gives a business a strong, flexible foundation.

You can keep the website simple at the start if that’s all you need. Then, when the business grows, the website can grow with it.

That’s the bit I care about.

A website shouldn’t hold the business back six months after launch.

You own your website

This is one of the biggest reasons I like WordPress.

With a properly built WordPress website, you own the site. You own the content. You own the code. You can choose your hosting. You can move it. You can expand it.

You’re not locked into one closed platform where everything depends on that provider’s rules, pricing and limitations.

That’s important for small businesses.

I’ve seen too many people build websites on closed platforms and then realise later that moving away is difficult, expensive or, in some cases, almost like starting again.

WordPress gives you more control.

It isn’t always the easiest platform at first, and I’d never pretend it is. But it’s powerful, widely supported and flexible enough to build almost anything a small or medium-sized business is likely to need.

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WordPress is strong for SEO

SEO is one of the main reasons I continue to use WordPress.

A well-built WordPress website gives proper control over page titles, meta descriptions, headings, URL structure, internal links, schema, image optimisation, content layouts and technical improvements.

That matters if you want your website to be found on Google.

A lot of website platforms say they’re SEO-friendly. In fairness, some of them are fine for basic things. But WordPress gives us the flexibility to go much deeper when we need to.

We can create dedicated service pages, local landing pages, article structures, case studies and content clusters. We can build a website around how people actually search, not just how the menu happens to look.

For Bamboo Manchester, SEO isn’t something we bolt on at the end.

It’s part of how we plan the website from the start.

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It works for small websites and larger websites

One of the things I like about WordPress is that it can start simple and then grow.

A business might begin with a homepage, a few service pages, an about page and a contact page.

That might be enough for day one.

Over time, the same website can grow into something bigger. Location pages, case studies, resources, articles, downloads, e-commerce, integrations and more advanced features can all be added when the business needs them.

You don’t need to rebuild everything every time the business moves forward.

That’s a big advantage.

We’ve worked with clients where the website has grown steadily over years. More pages. More rankings. More enquiries. More useful content.

WordPress is good at that kind of long-term development.

It isn’t only a brochure website tool. Done properly, it becomes a proper business platform.

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WordPress can be lightweight when it’s built properly

Some people say WordPress is slow.

And it can be.

But usually, that’s because it’s been overloaded with poor themes, too many plugins, unnecessary page builders, huge images, tracking scripts everywhere and no real care for performance.

That isn’t really WordPress’s fault.

That’s poor build quality.

At Bamboo, we prefer to build WordPress sites properly. Clean structure. Sensible plugins. Good hosting. Proper image handling. Lightweight themes where possible.

We’re also building more with custom WordPress block themes, which gives us more control over design, layouts and performance.

A good WordPress website shouldn’t feel heavy.

It should feel considered.

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Clients can manage their content

Another practical reason I use WordPress is that clients can manage their content.

Not every client wants to. Some prefer us to handle updates and SEO each month, which is absolutely fine.

But for clients who do want access, WordPress gives them a proper content management system.

They can add posts, edit pages, upload images, update team profiles and publish news.

The key is setting it up in a way that doesn’t overwhelm them.

That’s one of the reasons I like the newer WordPress block editor. When it’s done properly, it gives clients more layout flexibility without needing to touch code.

Again, not perfect.

Nothing is.

But it’s moving in the right direction.

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WordPress has a huge ecosystem

WordPress has been around for a long time, and that brings huge benefits.

There are plugins, developers, documentation, hosting platforms, security tools, SEO tools, e-commerce tools and integrations for almost everything.

That doesn’t mean we install a plugin for every problem.

We don’t.

Too many plugins will create a messy site. I’ve seen that happen a lot.

But it does mean that when a client needs a booking system, a form integration, e-commerce, email marketing, membership features or something more custom, WordPress usually has a sensible route forward.

That keeps development costs more realistic.

It also means the client isn’t trapped if they need support later. There are plenty of WordPress developers out there, which is healthy. It keeps the platform open.

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WordPress and AI-assisted development

This is where things are getting interesting for us now.

We’re using AI more in our process at Bamboo Manchester. Not as a replacement for thinking, but as assisted development.

AI helps with planning, content structure, code checks, debugging, layout ideas and faster delivery. It can speed things up, especially when you already know what you’re trying to build.

But AI on its own isn’t a strategy.

It still needs judgement. It still needs experience. It still needs someone to decide what’s actually right for the client.

WordPress works well with this approach because we can use AI to move quicker without handing the whole project over to a closed system or generic website builder.

Quicker delivery, yes.

Rushed work, no.

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Why I don’t just use WIX, Squarespace or Shopify for everything

Platforms like WIX, Squarespace and Shopify all have their place.

For some people, especially very early-stage businesses, they can be a good starting point. I’m not going to pretend they’re all terrible, because they’re not.

If someone needs a very simple website and has no real SEO plan, WIX or Squarespace might be fine.

Shopify can also be a strong option for certain e-commerce businesses.

But for the type of work I usually do – websites built for SEO, content growth, proper ownership and long-term flexibility. WordPress is nearly always the better fit.

It gives me more control.

And control matters when a website is meant to generate business.

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WordPress still feels like the right choice

After more than 20 years of building websites, WordPress still makes sense for me, for Bamboo Manchester and for many of our clients.

It’s flexible, proven, search-friendly and scalable.

It gives businesses control over their website. It gives us the freedom to build around their goals. It supports SEO, content, performance, e-commerce and long-term improvement.

That’s why I use it.

Not because it’s perfect.

Because, when it’s built properly, it works brilliantly.

And that’s what I care about most. Websites that are thought through, built properly and designed to generate enquiries.

Small team, proper results.

Hi, I’m Simon, and I run Bamboo Manchester. After more than 25 years working in web design and development, I still get the same buzz from bringing an idea to life on screen. Whether it’s crafting strong visual identities, improving SEO, Using AI or building completely bespoke WordPress sites, I care about making things that work beautifully and perform brilliantly.