
# Next.js or WordPress? How to choose in 2026

Both ship a site. The question is not which is trendy: who will update it, how many languages, how critical are catalogue, forms, and performance.

## When WordPress is enough

- The content team publishes often; engineering is thin
- Blog and page editing dominate
- Plugins will be managed deliberately

## When Next.js is a better fit

- There is a product UI or decision tool ([Hangi Yağ](/projeler/hangi-yag), [gelir.ai](/projeler/gelir-ai))
- Multiple languages, headless CMS, APIs
- You want control over speed, previews, and technical SEO

On B2B work like [Ship Glass Tech](/projeler/ship-glass-tech) and [Ekopsan](/projeler/ekopsan), catalogue and service families sit cleaner on a Next.js spine.

## The agency-theme trap

A ready theme looks fast. Then language, quote forms, PDF catalogues, and measurement get patched on. Write the need first; pick the stack second.

## How we look at it

At Mercimeks the primary path is [web development](/hizmetler/web-yazilim): Next.js / React and headless CMS. We also discuss migrating WordPress when that is the right scope.

To clarify the choice, [write to us](/iletisim).
    

Next.js or WordPress? How to choose in 2026


# What is Directus? When do we use it?

Directus is a headless CMS that serves content (posts, projects, product rows) over an API. If the site is Next.js, fields edited in the panel flow into product or corporate pages.

## What it is good for

- Marketing updates copy without waiting on a deploy
- The same content is held in TR/EN (or a third language)
- Blog, projects, FAQ, catalogue rows can share one model

Strapi, Contentful, and Sanity are in the same family. On Next.js work we often prefer Directus because the panel is clear.

## When you do not need it

A one-page campaign or a rarely changing card site. CMS is not mandatory on every project.

Under [web development](/hizmetler/web-yazilim) we design the model, roles, preview, and publish flow. With [digital strategy](/hizmetler/dijital-strateji) we clarify which fields feed SEO.

To talk headless, [get in touch](/iletisim).
    

What is Directus? When do we use it?


# What to watch when commissioning a corporate website

Telling an agency you want a “modern site” is not enough. On delivery day ask: can visitors find the right door, get a reply when they write, and which page does search see?

## 1. Split the services

If one generic “solutions” page is not enough, you need [service families](/blog/sanayi-sitesinde-hizmet-ailesi). We keep each discipline on its own page: [brand](/hizmetler/marka-kimligi), [UI/UX](/hizmetler/ui-ux-tasarim), [web](/hizmetler/web-yazilim).

## 2. Keep the quote path visible

Phone, form, WhatsApp. Hidden contact breaks trust — see [B2B trust](/blog/b2b-web-sitesinde-guven).

## 3. Language and catalogue

If you export, language is not decoration. If you have a catalogue, the line comes before the hero — [catalogue-first B2B](/blog/katalog-odakli-b2b-site).

## 4. Measurement

Which form, which page, which locale? [SEO / strategy](/hizmetler/dijital-strateji) helps here.

## 5. Ask for live work

See [projects](/projeler). Same sector is optional; similar decision quality is not.

For a short need summary, [write to us](/iletisim).
    

What to watch when commissioning a corporate website


# What are the SEO advantages of Next.js?

Next.js is not “SEO magic.” Set up well, it makes these easier:

- A solid base for speed and Core Web Vitals
- Control over URLs, meta, canonical, hreflang
- JSON-LD and service / article schemas
- SSR / SSG so bots can see the content

Without content, service pages, or a clear FAQ, the framework will not save you. That is why [digital strategy](/hizmetler/dijital-strateji) and [web development](/hizmetler/web-yazilim) sit at the same table.

Structured FAQ, consistent NAP (for us: Ankara), and clear entity copy help machines answer “What is Mercimeks?”

Example spine: [services](/hizmetler), [projects](/projeler), [FAQ](/sss).

To talk it through, [contact](/iletisim).
    

What are the SEO advantages of Next.js?


# What to look for when choosing a web design agency

Cheap packages and “unlimited revisions” usually cost more later. Keep the checklist short:

## Live examples

[Projects](/projeler) should show real URLs. Matching sector is optional; matching decision quality is not.

## Is the process clear?

Discovery → scope → design / build → launch. Check how timing and pricing are explained on the [FAQ](/sss). We do not publish fixed packages; scope comes through [contact](/iletisim).

## Is the stack clear?

Not “we do everything,” but doors like Next.js, headless CMS, UI/UX. Ours sit on separate [service pages](/hizmetler).

## Location and language

Remote is fine; the entity should stay consistent. Mercimeks is based in **Ankara**; we work in Turkish and English.

## Who decides?

One counterpart, a clear brief, measurable delivery. If the agency can say “no, that page is not needed,” that is a good sign.

For a short intro, [write to us](/iletisim).
    

What to look for when choosing a web design agency


# On a B2B site, the catalogue is the real job

An export or manufacturing site can have a strong hero image. The real question is simpler: can a visitor find the right product in three clicks?

A landscape photo or a general “engineering story” will not produce a quote on its own. Purchasing looks for a line.

## How purchasing reads

Usually in this order:

- Product family first: window, porthole, fire-rated system?
- Then the line: fixed or opening, material, mounting
- Last: PDF, certificate, who to write to

We rebuilt [Ship Glass Tech](/projeler/ship-glass-tech) around that order. The old face felt like a generic corporate site; the new one sits on catalogue cards, technical documents, and a Turkish / English quote path.

## Do not show everything at once

Dumping the full list on the first screen tires specialists too. Show families first; leave detail for the next page. People choose a class, then go deeper.

## Keep language consistent

Terms like A60, porthole, or MED should mean the same thing in every language. On export work like [ADP Group](/projeler/adp-group), language choice is an entry point — not decoration.

If you need a similar catalogue, see [web development](/hizmetler/web-yazilim) or [write to us](/iletisim).
    

On a B2B site, the catalogue is the real job


# How to separate services on an industrial site

On critical electronics or machinery work, visitors are not looking for “reliable solutions.” They want a door: repair, production, or field support.

If everything sits in one hero paragraph, purchasing cannot find the right place.

## Work first, then sector

Write what you do first: repair, assembly, R&D, reverse engineering, production, on-site service. Then who you serve: defence, medical, aviation, automation.

Do not mix both on the same card. On [Ekopsan](/en/projeler/ekopsan), services and sectors stay separate. [Axa Makine](/en/projeler/axa-makine) and [ADP Group](/en/projeler/adp-group) follow a similar order: who you are, what you do, where you work, how to reach you.

## Do not hide contact

Address, phone, WhatsApp, and a form should stay visible. On critical work, “fill the form and we’ll get back” as the only channel weakens trust.

## When simple is enough

One service, one plant, one market — a short corporate site is enough. Three doors need structure, not just a new theme.

To clarify that split, [get in touch](/en/iletisim).
    

How to separate services on an industrial site


# When does AI belong in a product?

Adding AI is not a line on a feature list. It belongs when the user cannot finish a decision alone and a model can close that gap. Otherwise it becomes noise in the interface.

## Decision first, model second

Do not pick a model before three questions are clear:

- What does the user not know?
- Is the answer a forecast or a record?
- What does a wrong output cost?

In personal finance, people do not want complex formulas. They want cashflow and how long a goal will take. That is not stock advice. [gelir.ai](/en/projeler/gelir-ai) produces scenarios — not guarantees.

## Where it should stop

Investment promises, medical diagnosis, legal outcomes — a model that looks “sure” does harm. If the screen shows a score or a scenario, say clearly that it is not advice. Trust comes from the limit, not the claim.

## When to skip it

No data, the answer already sits in a table, or one search finishes the job — skip it. [Hangi Yağ](/en/projeler/hangi-yag) is a decision tool: category, step-by-step fields, one search. No model; the form is set up correctly.

## How we look at it

We do not sell “AI integration” before the need is clear. If the product truly needs it, data, limits, and interface sit in the same job. If not, a site or a brand is enough.

To see if it fits, [write to us](/en/iletisim).
    

When does AI belong in a product?


# When should a corporate site be rebuilt?

A corporate site outlives a business card. It still does not need a new theme every three years. Rebuild when the workflow breaks — not when the look feels dated.

## When the site is not doing the job

If two of these are true, it is worth discussing:

- A service or product takes more than three clicks
- Quote, appointment, or WhatsApp is missing; the form is dead
- Menu and main copy clip on mobile
- There are customers outside Turkey and no language option

“Looks old” alone is not a reason. If the catalogue is clear and contact works, a colour and type pass is often enough.

## The cost of template corporate

Navy hero, four icon cards, “20 years of us” — that language does not build trust for export or manufacturing. On [ADP Group](/en/projeler/adp-group) and [Axa Makine](/en/projeler/axa-makine) the order was: who you are, where you work, how to reach you.

## What a rebuild includes

Usually design, software, and content structure together. A design file alone is not enough; URLs, titles, and contact share one spine. If there is more than one language, language choice is an entry point — not decoration.

To clarify scope, see [projects](/en/projeler) or [write to us](/en/iletisim).
    

When should a corporate site be rebuilt?


# How trust is built on a B2B site

A B2B visitor is not looking for “innovative solutions.” They want the standard, who makes it, and who to write to. Trust is those three things sitting together.

## Proof instead of slogans

- Technical language on the product line: measure, material, region
- Office, plant, or export line — where the work happens
- Hours, email, WhatsApp — contact that is not hidden
- Catalogue or reference rhythm; not a pile of stock photos

[Ship Glass Tech](/en/projeler/ship-glass-tech) kept product families and a quote path in one flow for marine glass. [ADP Group](/en/projeler/adp-group) made language choice an entry, not decoration.

## Visual language

An industrial site does not need glossy agency effects. Dark or light does not matter; type stays calm, cards stay measured, the button does one job. A “digital transformation” headline often lowers trust.

## First screen

A clear claim and a real image in the main section is enough. Then capability, then category, then contact. If visitors get lost, they will not submit a form.

For a B2B face, [write to us](/en/iletisim).
    

How trust is built on a B2B site


# When the interface is a decision tool

A discovery site and a decision tool do not share a template. On a decision tool the user does not want to wander; they want the right result. If the form bloats, they leave.

## Narrow first, then ask

[Hangi Yağ](/en/projeler/hangi-yag) opens with vehicle type. Five options, then brand, model, year. Fields depend on each other. Dumping the full list on the first screen tires specialists and first-timers alike.

The same logic works for camps, spare parts, technical products, or rental sizes: class first, detail second.

## One primary action

On a decision page the second button should not be “blog” or “campaign.” One search, one result. FAQ and articles can come after the result.

## Visual consistency

If colour and logo share a family with the search button, the form does not look like a ready-made template. The decision stays clear.

For a similar product, see [projects](/en/projeler).
    

When the interface is a decision tool


# A rental site is not a buy-now shop

Buy-now ecommerce sits on cart and shipping. Rental needs stock, dates, and a fitting. The same theme will not carry both.

## What breaks

- Size and variant show “sold out” without a rental calendar
- Appointments leak to a separate WhatsApp; the site stays a shopfront
- If the collection reads as a catalogue, not fashion, rental value drops

[Mai Dress Studio](/en/projeler/mai-dress-studio) was built rental-first for bridal and occasion wear: wide imagery, collections, and appointment need in one experience.

## Interface order

Collection first, then product (size, duration), then appointment or booking. Payment last. Brand colour should not live only on the shopfront — tags, buttons, and empty states stay in the same family.

## Operations

A beautiful site is not enough. Availability and return / handover rules belong in the copy. Otherwise the work runs on the phone and the site does not scale.

For rental or a custom flow, [write to us](/en/iletisim).
    

A rental site is not a buy-now shop


# Multilingual sites: language choice is not decoration

If there is export or a second market, language cannot hide in the footer. Visitors should see which language they are in and switch it on first glance.

## URL and search

Default language (Turkish) can stay unprefixed; English takes /en. If the Turkish and English versions of a page share the same short name, search engines can bind them correctly. Separate short names create duplicate content and broken alternates.

Titles and descriptions are translated; keywords are not stuffed. Product names stay stable across languages.

## Interface

Keep the language switch visible in the header. [ADP Group](/en/projeler/adp-group) made Turkish / English / Russian an entry point — because for an export firm, language is not decoration.

Copy shortens in English and lengthens in Turkish. Buttons and main text have to flex; fixed widths break.

## Content

Machine translation shows immediately on corporate B2B. Terms like catalytic, flexible, or glass standard should stay consistent inside each language.

For multilingual work, [write to us](/en/iletisim).
    

Multilingual sites: language choice is not decoration


# Brand identity is not a logo

Identity does not end when the logo is delivered. If visitors do not see the same family on the site, the quote PDF, and the card, the brand is ignored.

## What is held

- Primary colour: buttons, accents, sometimes the mark
- Ground and type: readable contrast
- Typefaces: a heading and body pair — not one flashy display font
- Corner radius: buttons and cards on the same scale

[gelir.ai](/en/projeler/gelir-ai) uses a teal square and a mint dot; the button stays in the same green family. It does not split. At Mercimeks the orange–red gradient sits on buttons and rules — not as glow on every card.

## On the site

The logo should keep the same stroke on a light header and a dark hero. The PDF colour should not become “approximately orange” on the web. If colour codes and typefaces are written down, the next page does not drift.

## When a mark is enough

Internal use, one card, no product yet — a mark is enough. When a customer-facing surface opens, identity needs a system.

For identity and site, see [projects](/en/projeler).
    

Brand identity is not a logo


# One page or a corporate site?

A single page does one job: one offer, one button, a measured campaign. A corporate site does another: who you are, what you do, where you are, how to write. The same design template will not solve both.

## When one page is enough

- One product or one event
- Traffic from ads
- A form or a store as the only goal

The menu does not bloat. FAQ stays short. No blog is fine.

## When corporate is needed

- More than one service or product family
- Export, language, a plant
- Search: service pages, work, contact

[JoinCamp](/en/projeler/joincamp) is discovery and booking; it does not end as one page. [Axa Makine](/en/projeler/axa-makine) needs categories and contact.

## What happens when they mix

A corporate menu on a single page hides the main button. Campaign copy pasted onto a corporate home hurts both trust and search. Split the need first; design second.

If it is unclear which one you need, [write to us](/en/iletisim).
    

Short notes.