Seattle AI Consultant

Author: Staff Writer

  • From Blog Builder to Business Backbone? The Rise and Limits of WordPress in the No-Code Era

    From Blog Builder to Business Backbone? The Rise and Limits of WordPress in the No-Code Era

    When we talk about no-code development today, the conversation quickly turns to platforms like Bubble, Webflow, and Make. But long before these tools emerged, one name quietly led the charge in democratizing website creation: WordPress.

    WordPress launched in 2003 as a blogging tool. Over time, thanks to its open-source roots and plugin-based architecture, it became a popular platform for everything from personal blogs to small business websites. For a long stretch in the 2000s and early 2010s, WordPress was the web—powering over 40% of websites online by the mid-2020s.

    I find this fascinating because, in many ways, WordPress was the original no-code tool. It allowed non-programmers to spin up websites using themes, plug in functionality like shopping carts or contact forms, and manage content without writing a single line of code. The ecosystem was rich with plugins like Elementor (a visual page builder), WooCommerce (for e-commerce), and Advanced Custom Fields (for structured content). The result? Tens of millions of people, many with no technical background, were able to publish and grow their digital presence.

    But as the no-code movement gained steam—particularly around 2018 and beyond—WordPress started to feel… stuck. While newer platforms were being built from the ground up for visual programming, integrations, and automation, WordPress was still tethered to its blogging legacy and PHP-based architecture.

    Let’s unpack this a bit.

    WordPress: A Pioneering No-Code Platform

    The original no-code promise of WordPress was empowering. Entrepreneurs, small businesses, nonprofits—you name it—could launch a web presence cheaply and quickly. Page builder plugins like Divi, Beaver Builder, and Elementor extended its no-code reach by offering visual drag-and-drop editing. Services like WP Engine and Bluehost made deployment easier than ever.

    For many years, this was enough. And to be clear, it still is—for the right use case. WordPress remains an excellent platform for simple landing pages, personal blogs, and content-focused websites. In fact, this very site is built on WordPress because my goal is to manage blog content quickly and easily without unnecessary overhead.

    Some clients also prefer WordPress for its familiarity and ease of use, and when that’s the case, my no-code app development consultancy is happy to recommend it. It’s still one of the best tools out there for fast, content-first publishing.

    Where WordPress Falls Short for Sophisticated Applications

    That said, today’s businesses often want more than a static site or content platform. They want dashboards. Internal tools. Multi-user portals. Smart workflows that span email, CRM, databases, and AI integrations. And this is where WordPress starts to show its age:

    • Plugin overload: Achieving complex functionality often means stitching together a dozen or more plugins, each with its own settings and compatibility quirks. It’s like building a car from parts that weren’t made to work together.
    • Scalability issues: WordPress wasn’t designed as a platform for dynamic applications with real-time data or advanced logic. The more custom you get, the more you bump into performance ceilings—or require a developer to hack your way out.
    • Limited logic and automation: Unlike tools like Make, Bubble, or Retool, WordPress doesn’t offer native automation, data pipelines, or visual logic flows. You’re on your own integrating with APIs unless you install yet another plugin—or hire a PHP developer.
    • Security concerns: With so many third-party plugins and themes, WordPress sites are frequent targets for bots and exploits. For business-critical apps, this can be a dealbreaker.

    The New Frontier of No-Code

    If WordPress was the first wave, the new generation of no-code tools is the tsunami. Platforms like Bubble allow you to build full web apps with database-backed logic. Tools like Make and Zapier let you automate operations between platforms with ease. And increasingly, AI is joining the party, letting users describe an app in plain English and receive working prototypes in minutes.

    WordPress still holds value. It’s a reliable, flexible choice for clients who want something familiar, fast, and simple. But if you’re building a truly custom application for your business, it may not be the best fit.

    My Takeaway

    As someone who helps small businesses leverage AI and automation, I often see clients start with WordPress out of habit. But when we dig into their actual needs—custom forms, database logic, user accounts, automation—it becomes clear they’ve outgrown what WordPress is really good at.

    That’s when we start exploring more modern no-code or low-code platforms. WordPress helped bring no-code into the mainstream. But for today’s business apps? It’s often just the beginning of the journey.

  • Why Agentic AI Could Be Your Small Business’s Next Big Thing

    Why Agentic AI Could Be Your Small Business’s Next Big Thing

    Hey there, small business owners! Let’s chat about something that’s buzzing in the tech world and could be a game-changer for you: agentic AI.

    According to the AI Glossary, agentic AI refers to:

    Artificial intelligence systems that can autonomously plan, make decisions, and take actions toward achieving specific goals—often with minimal human intervention. Unlike traditional AI models that respond only to direct prompts or inputs, agentic AI exhibits goal-directed behavior, adapting its actions based on the environment, feedback, and outcomes.

    So, why should you care about agentic AI?

    1. Boosting Efficiency: Imagine automating those repetitive tasks that eat up your time. Agentic AI can handle complex processes, freeing you and your team to focus on what truly matters—like growing your business.
    2. Enhancing Customer Experience: With the ability to understand and anticipate customer needs, agentic AI can provide personalized interactions. Think of AI-powered chatbots that handle inquiries swiftly and accurately, keeping your customers happy and engaged.
    3. Scalability on a Budget: As your business expands, agentic AI scales with you without the hefty costs. It manages increased workloads efficiently, ensuring consistent performance without breaking the bank.
    4. Smarter Decision-Making: By analyzing vast amounts of data in real-time, agentic AI offers insights that help you make informed decisions quickly. In today’s fast-paced market, this agility is a significant advantage.

    Before you dive in, here are a few things to consider:

    • Data Security: Protecting sensitive information is crucial. Ensure you have robust security measures in place to safeguard your data.
    • Ethical Use: Transparency in how AI makes decisions builds trust with your customers. Be open about AI’s role in your operations.
    • Cost vs. Benefit: Assess where agentic AI can make the most impact in your business to ensure a good return on investment.

    In a nutshell, agentic AI is on the horizon, poised to transform how small businesses operate. By embracing this technology thoughtfully, you can enhance efficiency, improve customer satisfaction, and scale your operations effectively. Stay tuned—exciting developments are coming your way!

  • Why Writing for Business Still Matters—Even in the Age of AI

    Why Writing for Business Still Matters—Even in the Age of AI

    When I first started writing content for Seattle-area professionals and small businesses, I thought I had it all figured out. I had excelled in English during college and grad school, and I was working as a technical writer at Microsoft. Writing was my thing—how hard could it be to write for local businesses?

    Turns out, a lot harder than I expected.

    Writing for business isn’t just about being good with words. It’s about capturing the voice of your client in a way that feels authentic and elevated at the same time. That takes time. Years, in fact. And with all due respect to the clients I worked with in the early days of my freelance career—thank you for your patience while I figured that out.

    What makes this kind of writing so tricky is the listening. To write well for someone else, I have to get to know them: their voice, their story, their values, the language they naturally use when they talk about their work. This isn’t something you can fully capture through a generic intake form. That’s why I still meet with clients one-on-one—whether in person at a Seattle coffee shop, on Zoom, or over the phone. Those conversations give me the raw material to write something that actually sounds like them, not like ChatGPT’s best guess at what a CEO should sound like.

    Now that I work as an AI consultant through my firm, Avanzar, I often get asked if AI can replace a skilled writer. The answer? Not even close. AI can help you write faster, sure—but only if you already know what you’re doing. If you don’t have a solid understanding of your subject matter or a good ear for language, you’ll just end up with fluff. Generic, lifeless content. The kind of writing that sounds like it was written by a bot. Because it was.

    But in the hands of an experienced writer, AI is a golden goose. Not just because it lays golden eggs (fast drafts, sharper headlines, repurposed content in seconds), but because it keeps laying them—consistently, reliably, and with surprisingly little overhead. It can transform a writing process that once took 10 hours into one that takes two. And that time savings means I can do more for my clients, more affordably, and with no dip in quality.

    Here’s a concrete example: I recently worked with a regional logistics company that had no online content strategy at all—just a static homepage and a contact form. I helped them build a lightweight content management system that fit their needs, then used AI to accelerate the production of blog articles that boosted their discoverability on Google. To make the content stand out, I interviewed the CEO personally—several times—to capture their vision for the industry, their long-term priorities, and the unique ways they were navigating supply chain challenges. We turned those insights into thoughtful, forward-looking articles that positioned the company as a leader in their space.

    Some companies might turn to an internal comms specialist or a PR agency to do the same thing, and that’s a valid approach. But those teams are often stretched thin. That’s where I come in. I build AI-powered systems that support internal teams, automate parts of the content workflow, and enhance what your staff is already doing.

    So no, AI won’t replace the art of good writing. But it can make great writing more accessible, more efficient, and more powerful—if you know how to use it. That’s the sweet spot where I work.

  • Why Generative AI Still Feels Like Trial and Error (And How to Fix It)

    Why Generative AI Still Feels Like Trial and Error (And How to Fix It)

    Generative AI is incredible. It can write essays, plan trips, and even help you brainstorm a business idea. But let’s be honest—it’s not perfect. If you’ve ever tried to use AI for something complex, like crafting a detailed travel itinerary, you’ve probably hit some roadblocks. And as someone who works with small businesses navigating the world of AI, I can tell you: the problem isn’t the AI itself. It’s the way we interact with it.

    AI interfaces today still feel…clunky. Sure, you can ask it to “plan a week-long trip to Italy,” but when it spits out a generic list of cities and tourist attractions, you realize it’s not quite the seamless co-creation experience you hoped for. The issue? These tools aren’t great at managing multiple layers of context, like balancing your love of museums with your need to keep a strict budget.

    As noted in recent discussions, such as this TechCrunch article, AI’s limitations often boil down to poor communication. Humans are nuanced, and our requests can be complex. Without better ways to clarify or refine our prompts, AI struggles to deliver results that truly meet our needs.

    To unlock generative AI’s full potential, we need smarter, more intuitive interfaces—ones that feel more like a collaboration and less like trial and error. Think interactive feedback loops, where AI asks follow-up questions to clarify your preferences. Or modular systems that let you build on AI’s suggestions instead of starting from scratch every time.

    For small businesses, these advancements would be game-changing. Imagine using AI to create an entire marketing campaign, not just piecemeal suggestions. It’s a future worth working toward, and the key lies in rethinking how we design AI interactions.

  • Hello, World!

    Hello, World!

    Hi there! I’m Joe Perez, a technical communications and development professional with a passion for making complex ideas simple and actionable. Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of supporting some of the world’s leading software companies (Google, Microsoft, Amazon) with their technical needs. It’s been an amazing journey, but now, I’m shifting my focus to Avanzar AI & App Studio, where I am helping small businesses, nonprofits, and individual professionals harness the power of AI, no-code, and low-code to create awesome content, automate processes, and build transformative apps.

    Why AI? Because it’s transforming the way we work, connect, and create. And while big companies have teams of experts to tap into its potential, smaller organizations and solo professionals often feel left behind. That’s where I come in. Through my new AI consulting firm, I’m here to bridge the gap, helping you understand how AI tools can solve real problems, save time, and unlock new opportunities.

    This blog, Smart Moves with AI & No-Code, is your go-to resource for making AI work for you. I’ll share tips, tricks, and insights to help you use AI and no-code tools in innovative and effective ways. You’ll also find highlights of interesting use cases from the news, along with practical advice on how these breakthroughs could be applied to your business or nonprofit.

    My goal is to keep things conversational, straightforward, and just a little bit fun—because let’s face it, AI doesn’t have to be intimidating! Whether you’re curious about AI or ready to dive in, this blog is for you.

    Thanks for stopping by. I can’t wait to share this journey with you! Let’s make some smart moves together.