WordPress is popular for a reason: it gives you categories, tags, archives, and “just publish” UX. But it also gives you plugin bloat, runtime overhead, and a security surface area you may not want as a small team. An indie newsroom stack should keep the WordPress information architecture while shipping static speed.
This briefing outlines a simple stack you can assemble in a weekend: a static-first build for routing and content collections, Vue islands for interactive widgets, and a content workflow that scales from markdown to a headless CMS later.
Core stack (small, fast, composable)
- Static-first build for speed and SEO-first routing
- Vue islands for the bits that benefit from interactivity (carousels, filters, small widgets)
- Markdown content for day-one publishing
- Ad slots as reusable components (so layouts stay predictable)
Why this architecture works
A static-first build lets you ship mostly static pages (fast, cacheable) and sprinkle Vue only where you need it. That keeps bundles small and improves Core Web Vitals.
Information architecture (what WordPress gets right)
A newsroom site is not a feed; it’s an archive.
| Concept | Why it matters | URL pattern |
|---|---|---|
| Post detail | deep reading, shareable | /posts/<slug> |
| Category archive | topical structure | /category/<category> |
| Tag archive | discovery + long-tail | /tag/<tag> |
| Pagination | performance + UX | /page/<n> |
Rule of thumb
If you can’t explain your URLs in one sentence, crawlers can’t either.
Launch checklist (weekend edition)
- Define 4–6 clear categories that mirror your navigation.
- Publish 10–20 “evergreen” posts (they anchor search).
- Add internal linking via tags (readers should never hit a dead end).
- Reserve ad containers early so the layout doesn’t jump (CLS).
- Keep the homepage simple: hero + latest + category sections.
A minimal post template (markdown)
## What happened
One paragraph.
## Why it matters
Short, explicit context.
## Key takeaways
- bullets
## Sources
- linksPerformance guardrails (don’t ship regressions)
Static sites can still get slow if you’re careless.
- avoid huge images without dimensions
- keep interactive widgets isolated (Vue islands)
- watch CLS (ads and images are common culprits)
Quick test table
| Test | Tool | Target |
|---|---|---|
| CLS | Lighthouse | < 0.1 |
| LCP | Lighthouse | < 2.5s |
| JS size | bundle analyzer | “small enough to not matter” |
Monetization options (start simple)
You don’t need a complex ad system at launch. Start with:
- Google AdSense (baseline RPM, easy to set up)
- direct sponsorship cards (higher margin, more work)
- affiliate links (niche categories often convert well)
Predictable layouts protect Core Web Vitals, and Core Web Vitals protect revenue.
Upgrade path (when you outgrow markdown)
Markdown is perfect until you have multiple editors or scheduled publishing requirements. Then you can add:
- a Git-based CMS UI (still commits markdown)
- or a headless CMS that outputs markdown or JSON
The key is to keep your URLs and metadata stable so you don’t break search.
If you build the archive correctly on day one—categories, tags, outlines, and clean internal linking—you get the best WordPress advantage without the WordPress baggage.