- It’s Open-Source
WooCommerce is an open-source platform used by millions of people around the world for creating and managing eCommerce stores. This includes all aspects of business, from online store management, accounting, in-person point-of-sale (POS) transactions, marketing, analytics and more. Open-source means that developers are free to and encouraged to create additions to the modular system it operates on.
WooCommerce has a core set of features which are then extended and enhanced on through the use of extensions and WordPress plugins, fully customisable to fit your business. Open-source has allowed a community of talented and skilled developers to utilise those skills and even earn from them in some cases. Another beauty of open-source is that it’s always growing, meaning that as your business grows, your online store will grow with you, whatever you may need.
- The Plugin Software is Free
When running your own business, you’ll want to make sure that you’re saving money in every way that you can. The best resources are those that are low cost and highly valuable, giving you the best return on investment. WooCommerce is a completely free WordPress plugin software, along with the initial WordPress Content Management System (CMS) for your eCommerce site.
Some costs come with running a secure and safe online shop, which is vital for business success. These costs come in the form of domain registration, hosting fees, payment gateways, SSL certificates, SEO & digital marketing, and third-party security. Like WordPress, WooCommerce has thousands of free storefront themes where you’re bound to find the one perfect for your eCommerce business.
- Creative Freedom
WordPress is well-known for its giant catalogue of free and practical themes. WooCommerce equally has thousands of free themes, fully compatible with WordPress. Each theme will have benefits and detriments to the layout of your eCommerce site, depending on your personal style.
Look for a theme that has been updated recently, as this will show that the developer is performing regular maintenance. For those business owners who have more advanced needs and growth, there are paid themes that can range in price, depending on their complexity. Paid themes also provide customer service support in using the theme to its most potential.
- Designed for Selling
WooCommerce is designed for selling; for eCommerce shop owners to grow their business and connect with customers. With mountains of support and official guides, how-to videos and community advice, there is always an answer to any question you may have. WooCommerce seamlessly supports all of your business.
WooCommerce has tons of safe and simple extensions such as Square for WooCommerce and PayPal Zettle. Other extensions available are there to help you manage all aspects of your shop, from accounting to merchandising to stock management. However, these may incur charges to use, so make sure you read the fine print.
- Security
WooCommerce is a well-trusted and reliable platform used across the world. It doesn’t get to that level without being considered safe against cyber-attacks, hacks, and data losses. However, nothing is completely safe from harm and it is invaluable that you go to extra steps to protect your site, store and customer information. WooCommerce has highly compatible security extensions and WordPress extensions to protect your store and data as well as comply with regulations such as GDPR.
Thankfully, Jetpack provides a free guide to help you make your WooCommerce site as secure as possible. WooCommerce also teams with Jetpack to offer consistent security and data protection in extensions Jetpack and Jetpack Backup. These come at a price, so make sure you read the terms and conditions.
- SEO Compatible
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is a vital element for any online eCommerce store. SEO gets your storefront onto Google’s search engine results page (SERPs), in front of potential customers. There are many SEO practices that you may have implemented without being aware of it, such as image alt text descriptions, meta tags, keyword research, quality content and more.
WooCommerce SEO extension helps you optimise your store and content. Creating back-end data, such as custom URLs, to get your eCommerce site picked up by Google will also make it easier to assess your site’s analytics and customer behaviour. Again, WooCommerce has great extensions for that, including Google Analytics.
In Conclusion…
Your online store is like a 24-hour employee, ready to assist people in their customer journey from browsing to checkout and beyond. WooCommerce helps you build the best experience for the customer and for you and the store owner.
At Dentons Digital, our experts specialise in WooCommerce stores and have years of experience maximising them to their potential. We take the hassle of finding and implementing the best extensions and plugins suitable for your business.
We also provide other digital services for businesses including basic and enhanced SEO, Google Ads PPC, Web Design, and Social Media. Get in touch with us today to discuss your purpose-built website and digital marketing. Call us on 01373 580 126 or Contact Us online and we’ll get back to you.
