349 - Is WordPress for Old People? with Mark Szymanski

Web Design Business with Josh Hall

Let’s get real and share exactly how it is…WordPress is not the tool of choice for most web designers getting into the game today.
It may be where most end up, because WordPress is the most popular, customizable, and only open-source platform online but as a starting point, it’s not where most new web designers are starting.
Drag and drop platforms like Framer, SquareSpace, and ShowIt and even more robust platforms like WixStudio, WebFlow, and Duda seem to be where young whipper-snapper web designers jump to first.
So it begs the question…is WordPress just for old people nowadays?
To dive into this topic and to explore both the challenges and opportunities ahead for WordPress, I’m pleased to bring on a young web designer and thought leader Mark Szymanski who, despite being a young whipper snapper web designer, decided to choose WordPress over all the options above.
We explore:

• What made Mark decide on WordPress over more user-friendly builders
• The challenges in competition WordPress has moving forward
• How WordPress can market better to young web designers
• How important it is to have a lean tool stack as an agency owner
• The key ingredient that continues to keep WordPress leading as the most popular platform

Note: we recorded this conversation before the recent WordPress vs WPEngine drama happened so that is not discussed in this one.
If you have anything to add on this topic - feel free to drop us a comment on the show notes at joshhall.co/349
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View all Web Design Business Podcasts with show notes and full transcriptions at: https://joshhall.co/podcast
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Chapter

1. WordPress vs Other Web Platforms (00:00:00)

2. WordPress (00:03:48)

3. The Evolution of Website Builders (00:14:13)

4. The Importance of Choosing Web Platforms (00:20:40)

5. Choosing Website Tools Wisely (00:32:09)

6. Choosing Website Tools Wisely (00:35:43)

7. Authenticity in Personal Branding and Tools (00:44:32)

8. Navigating Website Builders and Design Tools (00:49:34)

9. Evolution of Website Building Options (00:56:10)

10. Embracing Web Design Diversity (01:04:23)