Content management systems (CMS) have long been the most popular way to build websites. However, with a growing number of platforms now available, it can be difficult to choose between them. In this post, we look at the main things you need to consider when choosing the best CMS for your business.
Contents
What is a CMS?
A CMS is a specialised software that allows you to build, manage and update almost any kind of website without having to do any coding, including online stores, blogs and business sites. With a CMS, not only can you build a site with the layout, design and features you need; you can also manage and update its content, make customisations, control user access and everything else needed for long-term maintenance.
While all CMS share these attributes, the various platforms work differently, and this can affect your website’s speed, security and SEO. Moreover, some platforms have more features than others, are easier to use, and have large online communities where you can find guidance and advice.
Key factors to consider when choosing a CMS
Ease of use
Most CMS platforms aim to be easy to use, however, there will be a learning curve for all new users. Those with limited technical know-how should look for a CMS that has a visual editor or drag-and-drop builder. This makes it easier to create pages with the features and layouts you need, while letting you see any changes as they happen.
Customisation
Again, all CMS offer some degree of customisation. This can be achieved by choosing different themes or templates and modifying their colours, fonts and layouts to suit your purpose. Some themes are easier to customise than others, and some offer greater customisation options.
Some CMS platforms also have more themes available than others. WordPress, the world’s most popular CMS, has around 10,000 free themes and a similar number of premium themes – far more than all the other CMS. Additionally, WordPress’ new block editing features mean you can now build your own design from scratch.
For more information, read: How WordPress Revolutionises Full Site Customisation
Features
As a business, there may be certain features that are essential for your website, such as a booking form or image gallery. While CMS platforms may contain some features out of the box, far more are available through plugins (also known as extensions, modules, add-ons or integrations). These are additional software that integrates with the CMS to add specific features.
Plugins are available for an enormous variety of things, from adding eCommerce functionality and membership options to SEO and security tools. As an open-source CMS, WordPress has over 60,000 free plugins available, plus thousands more premium options. By comparison, Adobe Commerce (previously Magento), another popular platform, only has a few thousand extensions and most of these need to be paid for.
eCommerce readiness
Most CMS enable you to build stores and sell products or services, allowing you to create product pages, shopping carts and checkouts, as well as track orders and inventory. Some CMS add this functionality via a plugin, while others, like Magento and Sitejet, have the functionality already built in.
Performance
How fast your site loads is vital for both user experience and SEO. Lightweight CMS and those that support caching use fewer server resources and generally load faster. If you install lots of plugins to your website, this can also slow site speed, so only use those that are essential. Choosing the right hosting solution can significantly improve loading and response times.
Security
Websites are a major target for cybercriminals, so it is essential to choose a secure CMS. Make sure your platform receives regular updates to avoid it being targeted for vulnerabilities and check it supports security best practices, such as SSL encryption, access control and two-factor authentication. Again, your choice of hosting provider can considerably enhance your site’s security.
Comparison of leading CMS platforms
WordPress
- Strengths: Ideal for everything from personal blogs to complex business sites, WordPress is a user-friendly platform that offers a vast number of free plugins and themes with which you can build feature-rich sites without needing technical skills.
- Weaknesses: Adding too many plugins can impact speed and increase vulnerabilities when auto-updates are not implemented.
Adobe Commerce (Magento)
- Strengths: Magento was developed specifically for building eCommerce websites and offers extensive functionality for product management, multi-store setups, customer segmentation and dynamic pricing. Ideal for medium to large eCommerce platforms but can be overkill for smaller stores.
- Weaknesses: It can use a lot of server resources and require technical expertise to run efficiently. It may need a more powerful hosting package, making it potentially more costly to run.
Joomla
- Strengths: A more structured platform than WordPress, with strong access control and built-in multilingual features. This makes it ideal for creating complex site layouts, managing users and running multi-language sites.
- Weaknesses: It has a smaller plugin library and is less beginner-friendly.
Drupal
- Strengths: An enterprise-level CMS that offers exceptional security and scalability. It also supports complex data structures, API integrations and advanced permission settings.
- Weaknesses: Not for beginners, as it requires technical expertise to customise and maintain.
Need more details? Read: WordPress vs Joomla vs Drupal vs Magento – A Comparison
Sitejet
- Strengths: Designed for beginners, agencies and web developers, Sitejet combines visual, drag-and-drop website building with built-in project management, client collaboration and AI content creation tools. Ideal for individual website owners and agencies managing their clients’ websites.
- Weaknesses: Sitejet is a paid-for CMS and has a smaller number of themes and add-ons.
For more information, read: How Sitejet Offers Web Developers Flexibility and Speed
The importance of web hosting
When choosing a CMS, it’s important that you choose the right hosting provider. A good web host will offer dedicated hosting solutions for specific CMS platforms, such as WordPress Hosting or Magento Hosting.
These solutions will be built to suit the needs of individual CMS, providing the hardware, server configurations and performance enhancements needed to ensure optimal speed and reliability. At the same time, security will be customised for the needs of the platform and the threats it faces. A good web host will also provide 24/7 technical support, managed services and a range of other helpful options for your chosen CMS.
If you opt for a commercial CMS that comes with web hosting included, check carefully that the hosting meets your current and future needs, and that it offers value for money, before locking yourself into a subscription.
Conclusion
Choosing the right CMS is vital to ensure that you can create the website your business needs and that you can manage it effectively. Which you opt for should depend upon the specific features of the platform and the technical skills and know-how within your business.
Looking for CMS specific hosting? Webhosting UK is one of the few service providers that offer dedicated hosting for all the major CMS platforms, with each solution built around the needs of the platform and its users. For more information about each, visit our WordPress, Joomla, Magento, Drupal and Sitejet pages.
