I’ve made the case for WordPress as a CMS (content management system) for corporate sites, using the website of my company, Netconcepts, as the guinea pig. We switched from a home-grown content CMS to WordPress in August and the commensurate traffic increase over the few months since launch was significant. I shared some traffic graphs to illustrate, in a recently published case study. The funny thing is, I doubt many visitors ever guess Netconcepts.com is powered by WordPress just by looking at it.
Now that I’m convinced of the benefits of a search engine optimized, WordPress-powered corporate site, we decided to give WordPress a go on a microsite, one that we just finished for our client, Countrywide. The microsite is Credit Demystified. We’ve equipped the site with all the SEO goodies that I’ve blogged about before, like a tag cloud, tag pages, my SEO Title Tag plugin, Technorati tags, etc. One breakthrough we made with the site was adapting the Ultimate Tag Warrior plugin to handle static pages, and not just posts. More on that here.
I think using WordPress for a CMS on sites other than blogs has a lot of merit, in terms of the SEO benefit. Know of any non-blogs powered by WordPress, particularly ones that are having some success with their search engine rankings? I’d love to hear of them!
Stephan, I am, quite simply, amazed with what you’ve been able to do with WP. With its ability to create static pages, using it as a CMS is a no-brainer.
This represents just the further evolution of blogging as a lightweight CMS. It was bound to happen, and you’ve taken it to the next level.
Several business blog consultants predicted it long ago, in the future there would no longer be websites and blogs, but blogsites.
Comment by Paul Chaney — December 13, 2006 @ 11:26 pm
Paul, Thanks so much for the kind words. It’s encouraging to know that stellar bloggers (may I say A-listers?) such as yourself are supportive of my (and my company’s) efforts to push into non-blog territory with WordPress. Exciting times ahead!
Comment by Stephan Spencer — December 14, 2006 @ 5:33 am
Bessed is a new Web directory built totally on WordPress. Each post is actually a list of relevant sites about the posts topic—what you would think of as search results from a search engine. We built it on WordPress to make it into an interactive search site; visitors can use the comments sections to submit new sites or comment about the sites already listed.
I can’t imagine building a new site these days without using WordPress or another of the more sophisticated blog softwares. Being able to combine your more static information with an easily updatable section of your company’s latest news or thoughts from the business owner makes the whole development process much easier.
Comment by Adam Jusko — December 14, 2006 @ 6:28 am
Stephan,
I have been working recently with some smaller companies using WordPress as the CMS platform – usually also incorporating a blog element as it happens.
Small examples so far (www.thedentalbusinessschool.com and http://www.allagi.ie) with another 3 under development but working under the same principles as you have stated above and, of course, using your own SEO title plug-in which has helped immeasurably on that front.
Will feed back to you developments and successes on the SE front.
Comment by Mark White — December 14, 2006 @ 6:38 am
Stephan, I agree that using WP to drive more conventional-ish sites seems like a no-brainer. It definitely puts the control of the website more into the hands of the site owners.
One question. Doesn’t the WP TOS require a link back to WordPress.org on a site that uses it? Or am I missing something?
Comment by Chris Cree — December 14, 2006 @ 7:21 am
There is always a time and a place for technology to solve problems like this. I am surprised more companies, especially small businesses, do not use blog software as their CMS.
We’ve been using WordPress to power client online newsrooms for almost 2 years and it has been easily the most productive online PR and SEO friendly tactic.
Comment by Lee Odden — December 14, 2006 @ 10:05 am
Stephan,
Great job utilizing WordPress as a CMS…It really is simply amazing what you have done with netconcepts.com.
Comment by Dean Comber — December 14, 2006 @ 10:32 am
Stephan,
We’ve done the same thing with Typepad. The clue came when we realized blogging software was just a giant database.
Check out http://thewinningpitch.com. This is a hybrid site that uses blogging software to upload products and help a PR firm gain exposure for its clients.
We’re working on another one, where a $50,000 site can be built for half the cost with full CMS.
It has removed our need for a developer.
Comment by Jim Durbin — December 14, 2006 @ 12:00 pm
[…] WordPress – Not Just for Blogs : Business Blog Consulting Usando o WordPress como CMS! (tags: wordpress) […]
Pingback by links for 2006-12-15 por BrPoint — December 15, 2006 @ 6:03 am
I must admit the web sites you have set up – including netconcepts – are very impressive, but I don’t think I would suggest this way forward to a Client.
My main fear is that sooner or later the Client will come with a functionality you will not be able to accommodate without significant re-work or work around solutions, meaning high development costs, or migrating to a more robust content management system.
Merry Christmas to you and all readers
Sante
Comment by Sante — December 21, 2006 @ 11:20 am
This is an interesting thread and very informative… Great work on using WordPress as a CMS .. That is awesome
Comment by Ashley — November 20, 2007 @ 5:41 am