Knowledge is power, and pursuing knowledge has become easier with the advent of the internet and search engines. I’m a very technical person by nature and love to learn more about how things work. After I retired from Hewlett Packard in 2009, I wanted to start my own web design business since I did have knowledge of website support. My knowledge in this field consisted of HTML, CSS, Pearl, C, and JavaScript. I also knew a little bit about databases.

A Little Bit About Me

When I first started my business, I used these HTML templates that I could customize. It took a while, and it was not too profitable. I did some research and found that there were website platforms where anyone could create a website. I also found other website platforms that were more complex. I was looking for one that was the best of both worlds. I wanted to learn a website platform that was easy to learn technically, user-friendly, customizable, robust, and scalable.

My Quest

I did a Google search and didn’t realize there were so many. Based on the information I gathered, here are some of the best web design platforms I found:

• WordPress is a popular, open-source platform that allows for extensive customization. It’s widely used for blogging but can be adapted for any website.
• Joomla is another open-source platform slightly more technical than WordPress but offers great flexibility and scalability.
• Magento is a robust e-commerce platform owned by Adobe, ideal for online stores selling a wide range of products.
• Wix is a user-friendly, drag-and-drop website builder that offers a variety of templates and allows for extensive customization.
• Squarespace, known for its sleek, professional templates, Squarespace is another great drag-and-drop website builder for creatives.
• Weebly is an easy-to-use platform with plenty of design options. It’s particularly good for small businesses.
• Shopify is a leading e-commerce platform that allows businesses to create online stores and sell products.
• Adobe Dreamweaver has professional-grade web design software from Adobe. It allows for both visual design and direct coding.
• Adobe XD  is a user-experience design tool for web design and mobile app creation.
• Webflow:  is a no-code web design tool that offers a visual canvas for custom website creation.
• Google Web Designer is a free tool from Google that allows users to create HTML5-based designs and motion graphics that can run on any device.
• Canva,  while primarily known as a graphic design tool, Canva also offers web design templates.

Each of these platforms has its strengths and might be better suited to certain types of projects or levels of technical expertise.

My Decision

I decided to go with WordPress because it was one of the most popular content management systems (CMS). Here are some of its key advantages:

1. Ease of Use: WordPress is known for its user-friendly interface. Even those without a technical background can easily create and manage a website.
2. Flexibility: WordPress is incredibly versatile. It can be used to create a wide variety of websites, from personal blogs and portfolios to e-commerce sites and news portals.
3. Customization: With thousands of themes and plugins available, you can customize your WordPress site to look and function exactly how you want it to.
4. SEO-friendly: WordPress is designed to be SEO-friendly out of the box. Plus, numerous SEO plugins can help you optimize your site even further.
5. Strong Community Support: WordPress has a large and active community. This means you can access many resources and support, from forums and tutorials to developer meetups.
6. Open Source: WordPress is free to use and modify as an open-source platform. This also means developers around the world constantly update and improve it.
7. Scalability: WordPress sites can be easily scaled as your business grows. You can start with a simple blog and eventually expand it into a complex e-commerce site.
8. Multilingual: WordPress supports over 70 languages, making it a great choice for multilingual websites.
9. Integration: WordPress integrates well with many third-party tools and services, from email marketing software to payment gateways.
10. Security: While no system is 100% secure, regular updates and various security plugins make WordPress a safe choice for most websites.

These advantages suited my needs because it was a good platform that could be used for businesses and individuals alike.

I found a wealth of information about WordPress development through my research via Google search. I originally just bookmarked website links to reference but found it was not easy to refer back to, so I brainstormed and thought I would create an online knowledge base. This would enable me to store and retrieve information faster. It would also allow me to share what I found with others that were interested.

Web Design Answers

I called my online knowledge base Web Design Answers. It’s my alter ego website. It is a collection of web tips, tricks, tutorials, and resources I have found. My goal is to help people build beautiful websites without the need for coding knowledge. Whether they are just beginning or more advanced users, my website can provide them with the necessary information and resources needed to get their project off the ground. It also welcomes them to chat live with geekyG, my alter ego.

The website has been growing over the years. I welcome web design professionals to contribute content. I love adding new content and sharing the bounty of knowledge I’ve found. It all looks foreign to others, but if you’ve put frequent flyer miles on this website, it’s a goldmine. Simple and informative. It helps people grow their online presence. Web Design Answers is a great resource for those looking for advice or inspiration on building websites with WordPress and other web platforms. We provide tutorials, guides, and resources related to web design, WordPress development, SEO, and more.