How WordPress powers communities
WordPress is a powerful, flexible web content management system that makes it easy to set up web sites.
In 2025, WordPress continues to be the backbone of accessible, customizable web publishing, especially for community organizations, libraries, and small businesses. Built on a robust open-source database, WordPress empowers users to organize content intuitively through categories and tags. Categories help group broader topics like "Digital Literacy" or "Community Programming," while tags such as #Python, #GoLang, or #JavaScript allow for granular indexing and discovery.
Whether you're building a site for a local library, launching a community initiative, or simply blogging your journey, WordPress remains one of the most inclusive, flexible, and empowering platforms available. It's more than just a web content management system, it's a tool for connection. Here are a few ways that WordPress empowers communities to go online:
In libraries
In the Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Library System, WordPress has become a cornerstone of digital outreach. Each member library, from rural branches to urban hubs, can maintain its own affordable, mobile-friendly website. These sites are tailored to local needs, whether that means promoting youth programming, sharing health resources, or hosting community events. With responsive themes and accessibility plugins, WordPress ensures that every visitor can engage with ease, on desktop or mobile.
For culture and commerce
WordPress isn't just for nonprofits. It powers millions of sites across industries, including cultural institutions, local businesses, and grassroots movements. The WordPress Showcase highlights how diverse communities use the platform to tell their stories, sell products, and organize for change.
Easy to install
Linux users can install WordPress on distributions like Ubuntu, Fedora, or Debian with minimal fuss. Prefer a pre-configured solution? Turnkey Linux offers a ready-to-deploy WordPress virtual machine. You can download the ISO and launch it in your favorite virtualization environment. The source code for their WordPress build is available on GitHub.
Blogging on the go
In today's mobile-first world, WordPress keeps pace with a sleek mobile app for iOS and Android. Whether you're documenting a community event or updating your blog from the road, publishing is just a tap away.
Learn more
New to WordPress? The official documentation is a treasure trove of tutorials, guides, and community wisdom. For hosting, WordPress recommends several commercial providers that balance performance with affordability. If you're in education or just starting out, platforms like WordPress.com and Edublogs offer free sites with built-in support, though plugin options may be limited.
Open source
WordPress thrives because of its vibrant global community. Developers, designers, educators, and advocates contribute daily to its evolution. The core source code is open and available on GitHub, and if you're ready to dive in, join the community and help shape the future of the web.
This article is adapted from Empowering Communities with WordPress by Don Watkins, and is republished with the author's permission.
