Why WordPress is bad for web design

Simon Edward • 28 March 2025

Getting ready to build a website? Discover 5 reasons why, in our opinion, WordPress is a bad choice.

"If everybody's doing it, it must be good." This isn't something many people say out loud. But in the world of web design and digital marketing, it's an unspoken mantra that stunts growth for many brands.

Take the case of WordPress. This is a website builder that began life as a blogging tool. Advocates point to its open-source nature, its flexibility and its low costs. What they don't tell you is that it's slow, complicated, difficult to secure and restrictive in its design options.

Despite all this, it remains a popular option for businesses. So, what's going on? Why is our opinion so at odds with WordPress's reputation?

Well, there are two main reasons people use WordPress when they could choose a better option. The first is that it has a very low bar for entry. You don't need to be a tech whizz to build a serviceable web page with WordPress.

Secondly, many web agencies are unwilling to evolve. They tell you WordPress is the golden goose because it's the only goose they've got. The result is that many businesses end up lumbered with outdated, under-achieving websites.

It pains us to see this. It's like watching a promising young racing driver attempt the F1 in a road-worn Peugeot 106. The fact of the matter is that your business deserves better.

Here, then, are five reasons why you should give WordPress a wide berth – and why we think you'll like our alternative option.

1. It's built for blogging, not business

WordPress is good for blogs. It's not good for business. It's a classic example of a platform over-extending its usefulness.

Sure, you get a website at the end of it. But it's typically a website that performs poorly and loads slowly. And at a time when even casual customers have high expectations, this just won't cut it.

Fact number one: eCommerce has unlocked selling opportunities for myriad businesses. Great! Fact number two: eCommerce has saturated the market, meaning potential customers are just a click away from abandoning their carts and shopping elsewhere. Not so great!

This means you need to give people a reason to choose you. And if your website is slow and saggy, people are unlikely to give you the benefit of the doubt.

2. It's restrictive

WordPress is built around templates. Some of them are pretty cool. However, they often stop users from getting the design freedom they desire and deserve. The result? Homogenous websites that don't reflect your brand's personality.

This is one of the key advantages of working with a bespoke digital marketing agency. Because these agencies aren't tied to templates, they can build a website that's yours and yours alone. This gives you a greater chance of standing out in a crowded marketplace.

3. It's hard to secure

Critics of WordPress like to say that it's not a secure platform. This isn't strictly true. It's fairer to say that WordPress makes it hard for you to build a secure website.

Cybersecurity, after all, is an industry in itself. It's not easy to bake security into your website. If you don't have the knowledge, WordPress doesn't make it easy for you.

This is the reason for scare stories about WordPress's vulnerability to hackers and malware. Essentially, WordPress expects you to be a security expert as well as a website builder. For many businesses, this simply isn't practical.

4. It's slow

Once upon a time, we waited for pages to load. Oh, how we waited. Today, if a page doesn't load in a second or two, we're liable to click away.

There's no getting around the fact that WordPress websites are on the slow side. This is a problem for two reasons. First, it drives away users who are used to snappy loading speeds.

Secondly, it has a way of driving your website down the search engine rankings. Speed is good for SEO – so why hobble yourself with a subpar website?

Picture of someone wearing a ball and chain.

These speed issues are largely due to WordPress's plugins. They jam the system with bloated code, ruining your site's loading speeds and driving customers away.

Want to publish a text-heavy blog? WordPress will do just fine. Want a responsive website that sells your services? It's time to look elsewhere.

5. It lacks dedicated customer support

WordPress offers customer support – allegedly. In reality, web designers the world over find it about as useful as an umbrella made of tissue paper.

On top of this, most WordPress websites are based on third-party themes. If you run into design or performance difficulties, you've only got the theme designer to turn to – and often, this isn't forthcoming.

Sure, you can ask questions on forums and search YouTube for answers. If you like a challenge, go ahead! But if you want an easy life, there are better alternatives to WordPress.

By contrast, a digital marketing agency like ours can give you plenty of attention and support as we realise your vision and translate it into compelling web content.

Why work with us?

What's a website for? It's not just a dumping ground for information. It's a place where your messaging and branding can shine, turning potential customers into loyal supporters.

Your website can only do this, however, if it's easy to manage at your end and easy to use on theirs. And in our opinion, WordPress simply doesn't cut the mustard.

Work with us at My Digital Hero, however, and you can expect a professional, flexible service which puts your branding first and delivers a high-performing, highly secure website.

And because we're a small, close-knit team, we're able to work closely with you. If you run into any problems, we're on it – no ifs, no buts and no disruptive delays.

So, if you want a website to help your business grow, get in touch with My Digital Hero today – or learn more about our web design and web development services.

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