Anybody here use Wordpress?

[nemeton]

I am contemplating building a new website to replace my sadly neglected one, which is neglected because it's created with software that makes it a complete pain to alter and maintain. I am also contemplating starting a blog. So it seems to me that a 'content management' site created with Wordpress might be a good way to go, so that I can have everything in one place and easily updateable - and also the capacity to be interactive and integrated with facebook/twitter/Etsy and so on.

But I don't really know much about this way of working and am struggling to get my head round it a bit - does anyone here use a similar system and is it as good and as simple as it looks, or are there hidden drawbacks and complexities that I haven't thought of?

We already have an ISP that will host Wordpress, so that isn't an issue. It's more a case of whether the thing is simple to use on a daily basis or whether it will simply drive me mad! 

[SilverGems89]

Wordpress is a really nice system Lynn, i used to manage the website of a company i worked for and they used wordpress, i had someone show me the basics but then i found it really easy to learn more of the in depth workings myself.
I'm not sure if you can set up any kind of shop/cart system though so that mmight be something you need to look into, or hopefully someone here knows about that!

[julieHB]

From what I understand both wordpress and blogspot are great and easy to use. Here's a comparison you may find interesting:

http://pulsed.blogspot.com/2007/07/blogger-wordpress-chart.html

If you are going to use it as a website as well I'd probably go with wordpress, as you can have a content page as your home page, whereas I think with blogspot your blog will be the home page.

Please correct me anyone if my info is outdated 

[MadelineBunyan]

I only use wordpress as a simple blog, but it is very easy to use.

there is I believe a thing you can set up as a cart with it (when you host it yourself), Dad looked into it a while back, but I can't remember why he didnt go with it in the end, I'll ask him and get back to you!

[MadelineBunyan]

http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/wp-e-commerce/faq/

this is what he looked at, he wanted something that looked different,not your usual shape/layout. so he went elsewhere, but he nearly used it!

[Princess Peggy (Priscilla McGirr)]

I have two separate blogs on Wordpress an I've found it really easy to use and to update.  there's a huge choice of free styles, and you can put in links to just about everything including facebook and flickr, plus I have a link to my Etsy shop, so sales are not a problem.  You don't have to buy a domain name through them but you have the option to I believe.  I chose Wordpress because Scarlet used it and I reckon she knows what she's doing!

[ScarletLeonard]

I had a wp site for ages

I used WP-e-commerce, Hubby had to hack the code because it doesn't recognise UK postcodes (it's only set up to accept numbers and postcodes include letters.)

It's not very geared for OOAK either.

Not to put you off because after the postcode issue it worked and I got orders.
There's a newsletter plug in and all sorts of wonderful tools.

Just I didn't get on with it, never looked right for me.

[Sarah A]

I have a wordpress site. Found it great managed to get it up and running all by myself and I'm not the most computer minded person. Put a shopping cart on it and was able to get it to calculate postage by weight. Never had a problem with postcodes so maybe I used a different shopping cart plugin. There are lots of plugins on wordpress so there are plenty to choose from and many of them are free. I have no idea what ooak is so can't comment about that.

I was very sceptical about it at first but am now converted and am about to make a new wordpress website.

If you do decide to go with wordpress and need any help let me know.

[nemeton]

Thank you all  - that is so helpful 

I saw there was an Etsy plugin so I thought I might start off with that while I looked into the various shopping cart options - this is not going to happen overnight but I will keep you posted as to my progress!

[ScarletLeonard]

If I was going to do it again I would use my artfire rapid cart as my "shop"

less admin = happier scarlet