“We can build you a beautiful WordPress site for just $3,000.”
That’s what Mike heard from three different web agencies.
Sounds like a steal, right?
Two years later, Mike’s WordPress business site crashes weekly, loads slower than dial-up, and converts visitors worse than a broken vending machine.
He’s spent $8,400 trying to “fix” his $3,000 website.
WordPress: Great Tool, Wrong Purpose
Don’t get me wrong—WordPress is excellent for what it was designed for: blogging and content management.
This very blog runs on WordPress because it’s perfect for:
- Publishing articles regularly
- Managing categories and tags
- SEO-friendly blog structure
- Easy content updates
But here’s where business owners go wrong: using WordPress for their main business website.
The Business Website Problem
Here’s what agencies promise for WordPress business sites:
- “Easy to update yourself”
- “Thousands of themes and plugins”
- “SEO-friendly out of the box”
- “Mobile responsive”
- “Professional looking”
Here’s what Mike actually got for his business site:
- Updates break his site monthly
- 23 plugins slow everything down
- Gets hacked twice in 6 months
- Looks generic like 2 million other sites
- Converts visitors at 0.8% (pathetic)
Sound familiar?
Why WordPress Business Sites Struggle
Problem #1: Plugin Dependency
Business WordPress sites need plugins for everything: contact forms, SEO, security, speed optimization, backups.
Each plugin adds weight, creates conflicts, and opens security holes.
Problem #2: Generic Templates
Your business site looks identical to thousands of others using the same theme. You blend into the crowd when you need to stand out.
Problem #3: Conversion Confusion
WordPress themes are built for content, not conversion. The layouts don’t guide visitors toward becoming customers.
The Smart Website Strategy
Here’s what I do (and what smart business owners are doing):
For Business Pages: Custom Code
- Homepage, services, about, contact
- Built for conversion, not content
- Lightning-fast, secure, unique
- Designed to turn visitors into customers
For Content: WordPress Blog
- Subdomain like blog.yourbusiness.com
- Minimal plugins, professional theme
- Fast VPS hosting (not shared)
- Skilled setup to avoid common mistakes
The Hybrid Approach That Works
Business Site (Custom-Coded):
- Loads in under 2 seconds
- Converts at 4-6% instead of 0.8%
- Never crashes or gets hacked
- Looks uniquely yours
- Professional maintenance starting at $89
Blog (WordPress Done Right):
- Fast, minimal setup
- Professional theme with custom styling
- Quality hosting on VPS
- Strategic plugin selection
Real-World Example
This blog you’re reading? WordPress. Why? Because I publish content regularly and WordPress excels at content management.
My business site? Custom-coded. Why? Because it needs to convert visitors into customers, load instantly, and never go down.
WordPress vs Custom: The Real Numbers
WordPress Business Site:
- Initial cost: $3,000
- Plugin fees: $50/month
- Fixes and updates: $2,400/year
- Conversion rate: 0.8-2%
- 3-year total: $12,000+ with poor results
Custom Business Site + WordPress Blog:
- Custom site: $4,500
- WordPress blog: $1,500
- Maintenance both: starting at $89 monthly
- Conversion rate: 4-6%
- 3-year total: $9,204 with triple the results
Make The Smart Choice
WordPress isn’t evil—it’s just the wrong tool for your main business website.
Use custom code where conversion matters. Use WordPress where content management matters.
Your business deserves a website strategy that actually works.
