For something so popular, there certainly are a lot of myths surrounding WordPress, its uses, and its viability in certain situations. I can’t tell you how many potential clients run as soon as I say, “WordPress.”

Maybe you’ve been one of them! Maybe you are afraid of WordPress, too. Or maybe you’re searching for a website solution for your business,  and you’ve heard many stories—both pros and cons—about WordPress that have left you scratching your head in confusion.

Here are some of the most common misconceptions, and what you really need to know.

Myth: WordPress is a Security Risk

Fans of static HTML sites like to drag this out as the reason for remaining stuck with difficult-to-manage sites. While WordPress is definitely less secure that HTML (that’s just the nature of php-driven websites) it is by no means the security risk some people would have you believe.

Fact: Good Security Practices Greatly Reduce Your Risk

Driving a car increases your risk of having an accident, but that doesn’t mean you don’t drive. It just means you takes steps to reduce your risk. WordPress is no different. With a few security measures in place, your risk of being hacked is nearly non-existent. To start:

• Use strong passwords and change them often.
• Never use “admin” as your user name. (Most managed WordPress hosts generate a secure username for you, so this probably isn’t a concern.)
• Create user accounts for your staff and give them only the permissions they need. Don’t make them administrators if they don’t need to be. Most of your staff can just be an editor.
• Choose a secure hosting environment. I recommend DreamHost and DreamHost only. Their WordPress hosting is amazing, fast, and secure.
• Keep your site and its plugins and themes up to date. In the toolbar (or admin bar) of your WordPress website you’ll see a little circle of arrows. If there is a number next to this, you need to do some updates.

And then make sure you install a secure plugin like WordFence to make your website even more secure from hackers.

Myth: WordPress is Difficult to Learn.

Most often heard when discussing drag-and-drop website builders such as Wix, Squarespace and Weebly, this myth is the one that keeps many people from even considering WordPress.

Fact: Every Website Builder has a Learning Curve

Yes, WordPress can be pretty overwhelming at first glance. But here’s the thing: any software that offers as much flexibility and versatility as WordPress does is bound to have a learning curve. And those other builders? They all have their own quirks and difficulties. The difference is that the WordPress community is huge and incredibly helpful. If you need to know how to do anything on a WordPress site, simply spending 30 seconds on YouTube or Google will reveal the answer.

And, did you realise you can have drag-and-drop website builder qualities on WordPress? Yep, with Divi by Elegant Themes. Divi is my theme of choice and I use it because it’s powerful enough that I, a professional designer, can make beautiful sites with it that are all completely unique, but my clients, who are not professional designers, can then take over when I’m done and make updates on their own.

Divi houses some incredible video tutorials to help you build your website even if you have no experience. You can find these right there inside your theme.

Myth: WordPress is Only for Blogging

While it’s true that WordPress was originally developed as a blog platform, changes over the past several years have made it the ideal choice for a variety of website needs.

Fact: Plugins and Themes Make WordPress Work for Nearly Every Application

Whether you want to build an ecommerce site, a business directory, a membership site, a sales page, or a simple “brochure” style website, WordPress is designed to handle it. Thousands of plugins exist that extend its basic blogging functionality to encompass nearly anything you can dream of.

I use WordPress to house course sites, membership sites, and sell digital and physical products. If you can imagine it, you can probably do it on WordPress.

WordPress is by far the most commonly used content management system online today. That alone should reassure you that these myths are just that…myths. But don’t take my word for it. Try it out for yourself, and I think you’ll agree.