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Selecting a CMS

By Michael Baxter on 15 January 2013 with tags Into CMS, CMS

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While going through the design phase for a website many wonder which content management system (CMS) is the best choice to use. Here’s a look at the most widely-used ones. All are open-source software, each developed and maintained by a community of thousands. Not only are they free to download and use, but the open-source format means that the platform is continuously being improved to support new Internet technologies. With all of these systems, basic functions can be enhanced ad infinitum with an ever-expanding array of add-ons, contributed from their respective communities.

There’s no one-size-fits-all solution here; it depends on your goals, technical expertise, budget and what you need your site to do. For a simple blog or brochure-type site, Wordpress could be the best choice (while very friendly for non-developers, it’s a flexible platform also capable of very complex sites). For a complex, highly customized site requiring scalability and complex content organization, Drupal might be the best choice (but it is a lot more complex for the end-user to use).

When you have questions or need help, will you be able to find it easily? With all of these systems, the answer is yes. Each has passionate, dedicated developer and user communities, making it easy to find free support directly through their websites or through other online forums or even books. In addition, we here at Utopia have experience in many of today’s CMS systems.

See the comparison chart below for more insight into the differences in these top content management systems:

Wordpress

Great as a simple blogging tool. The administration area can be a little complex but only when compared to other publishing methods. This platform is also prone to hacking as it is widely used and often not patched.

Joomla

A larger system with more community based solutions. Some are paid and you can not always find the exact solution you need and therefore still need to get something coded up, or, adapt your solution. Good for general content publication with access to many add-ons.

Drupal

Although not larger than Joomla it does have a growing user and community base. The administration area uses different terminology to most CMS solutions so it can be difficult for end-users to understand the concepts. This is not to be underestimated if you are training people in how to use it.

CMS Made Simple

Although the name does not sound overly professional this CMS delivers an excellent end-user experience. It has a growing community and is built on modern technology. This is an all round CMS which is growing with each release.

Still not sure which CMS is best to use? Give us a call and we can assist in recommending the best solution, installing it for you, and implement the entire solution.