June 15, 2022 | Awake & Dreaming

1. You Can Use WordPress for All Types of Projects

You might have heard that WordPress is a blogging platform. That’s not technically false, but the way the CMS is built also means you can use it for all sorts of projects. For example, you can use WordPress to grow your business, build virtual classrooms, create forums, run social media platforms, or power pretty much any other type of project you can imagine. If you own a small business, you can even set up an online store with WordPress and the WooCommerce plugin.

2. Learning How to Use WordPress Is Simple

WordPress is pretty easy to pick up, even if you’ve never dealt with a CMS or built websites before. Beginners are welcome! To get started, all you have to do is select a theme, maybe install a plugin or two, and then jump right into creating pages and other content. However, the great thing about WordPress is that there are always more ways you can customize the platform. Once you get the hang of it, you can start implementing more advanced functionality to gain full control over how your site looks. Even for experienced web developers, WordPress has plenty to offer. It provides a foundation you can iterate on more quickly, which is far more efficient than trying to build a site from scratch.

3. Themes and Plugins Give You Full Control Over Your Website

If you’re new to WordPress, you may not be familiar with the concept of plugins and themes. Let’s break down what both of them are:

Themes: These are templates you can use on your website to alter its basic design.
Plugins: These add new features and functionality to your site.

As we mentioned before, there are thousands of plugins and themes (both free and premium) available for WordPress. In most cases, you’ll find there are excellent free options for whatever style of features you want to implement on your site. That is in stark contrast with other CMSs, where some of the best ‘extras’ lie behind paywalls.

4. WordPress Websites Are Easy to Maintain

One thing you may not be aware of if you’ve never set up a website before is that they require a bit of maintenance work. With WordPress in particular, you have to stay on top of the following:

Updating the CMS as new versions come out
Updating your plugins and themes whenever you have the option to
Managing your site’s comments (if you choose to enable them)
Ensuring that your website is fully optimized and secure
Backing up your site often

In practice, none of those tasks should take up too much of your time individually. However, if you want to save time, you can always opt for a managed hosting service. Managed hosting plans get their name because your provider will take care of a lot of maintenance tasks for you.

5. You Can Optimize Your Website for Search Engines

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is all about making sure your website gets the traffic it deserves from the likes of Google, Bing, etc. There are a lot of things you can do to work on your site’s SEO. However, depending on which platform you use, optimizing your content for search engine results can either be simple or an uphill battle. With WordPress, you get access to a lot of powerful SEO plugins, such as Yoast SEO, All in One SEO Pack, The SEO Framework, and more.

6. You Own Your Website and Its Content

WordPress is what’s called a “self-hosted” CMS. That means you can take the software and set it up on any server you want to use to power your website. The advantage of this approach is that you’re not tied to a single hosting platform. With a hosted platform, the provider can always suspend your account for one reason or another. With WordPress, on the other hand, you can switch hosts at any time. You can also make any changes you want to the CMS, and you have full ownership of all the content you create.

Don’t forget to register with the State Migration Service

Foreigners who plan to spend longer than 10 days in Azerbaijan need to register their presence with the State Migration Service. Hotels and hostels usually register on behalf of guests while those staying in Airbnb have to do it themselves. As of 2018, it’s possible to do this online. Failure to do so leads to a hefty fine when leaving the country.

Don’t forget to bring your passport when you go out

According to the law, foreigners need to carry their passports at all times. Police occasionally stop and check the identity of tourists. Anyone who doesn’t have their documents might face a fine. A photocopy is usually enough, but it’s best to double check.

A new law on the media

The legislation, passed by the country’s largely rubber-stamp parliament in late December 2021, places fresh restrictions on the owners of media operating in Azerbaijan as well as journalists, who will be required not only to register with the authorities but to abide by other new rules, including one on the “objective” interpretation of facts and events.

Don’t bring anything Armenian into the country

Because of the conflict, both sides are suspicious. Visitors with an Armenian stamp in their passport might be questioned by immigration officers. Those caught bringing goods from the country-that-can’t-be-named into Azerbaijan may be refused entry. Don’t enter wearing an ‘I love Armenia’ t-shirt.

Don’t make the OK sign

In the West, touching the forefinger against the thumb to make a circle symbolises everything is okay. Not in Azerbaijan culture. The sign is considered to be rude and offensive just like in Turkey. While we’re on the subject, pointing with the finger is a big no-no too. Instead, use the entire hand to gesture in the general direction.