CMS Cage Match: Choosing the Right Content Management System

All that content your company produces is only as effective as the platform it’s delivered on. Learn how to choose the right content management system that balances your company’s needs with essential elements like promotion, price, and practicality.

 
Like CRM software for sales and marketing organizations, a content management system (CMS) is the heart of a functioning content factory. It takes much of the coding legwork out of publishing and distributing the content you create and allows you to manage the myriad content related activities in a single, flexible interface.
Of course, there isn’t just one universally lauded CMS for your company to choose from.
In fact, there are numerous CMS options available today, and choosing a content management system for your company is critical to getting your content strategy up and running. WordPress, Joomla!, and Drupal are very often named among the best of those platforms, but which one is right for managing your expansion-stage company’s content strategy? And does one system boast the holy triumvirate of CMS benefits (ease of use, cost, and reliability)?
Below, we’ll cover the factors that you should consider before investing in a CMS and pit the three popular CMS options listed above in a triple-threat cage match. Three enter, one will leave. Which solution reigns supreme as the champion of the CMS universe?

4 Factors to Consider Before Choosing a CMS

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See the full infographic from DCI.
While many CMS options are open-source software, that doesn’t mean it’s a cheap tool to implement.
Outside of the monetary investment of actually purchasing the software (if applicable), learning to use the CMS also requires time — a resource that many expansion-stage companies tend to be short on. And if you choose the wrong CMS, you’ll not only be out the cash used to purchase the platform, you’ll also likely lose all of the data and content that you already uploaded to that CMS.
Translation: Don’t rush into a decision and choose a CMS on a whim.
Before selecting the content management system that will, more or less, package and ship the fruits of your content marketing labor, be sure that you consider these four questions to help guide your search and narrow your options:

1) At a Minimum, What Should a CMS Deliver?

There are numerous tools, features, and plugins offered by the variety of CMS options out there, but it’s critical that you ensure the platform you choose is at the very least:

• Easy to learn and use, with an intuitive administrative interface
• Able to easily export content and migrate into another system in the future, if necessary
• Capable of integrating with third party systems
• Expandable and flexible, boasting helpful plugins and options that make publishing, editing, and optimizing content relatively simple
  

2) Is There a Strong Company or Community Backing the CMS?

Down the road, you may need to make changes to your site’s structure, layout, or presentation which require more than simply selecting a different radial button. When that happens, it’s critical that the CMS you’re using has an active company or community behind it. Without that, transitioning your repository of content will be a challenge (to put it lightly), if you’re able to do it at all.
It’s particularly important to be cautious of open-source CMS options, which may not have a traditional company supporting the platform around the clock. If you do go the open-source route, then make sure there are communities around the CMS large enough to answer any questions you may have. If you are purchasing a content management suite, then make sure the developer has the resources to support its product – and that the company will still be around in five or 10 years when you inevitably need to update your website.

3) What Types of Content Will You be Publishing?

Depending on what you envision using your website for, the CMS that suits you best can vary greatly. For example, a large corporate website with hundreds of static pages would be better suited to a different CMS than that of a news-focused website publishing and updating pages on a daily basis. Similarly, if you want to build an active community where users can create substantive profiles and spark discussions, then you need a CMS that supports forums.
Be sure to consider the vision for your site ahead of time so that you know what CMS features are must-haves on your shopping list.

4) What is your budget?

Many of the most popular CMS options are open-source, but even if there is no cost to download and install your new software, transforming that blank slate into your vision can be a serious undertaking.
There are a number of different platforms (PHP, Java, Perl) on which open-source CMS software is built, so consult your development team to find out what they’re most comfortable with before making a selection. Or, if you know you’ll need extra help, be sure to factor in design and development contracting costs.
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Analyzing the Top 3 CMS Options

The list of choices for a content management system is extensive. However, there are three options in the top million websites, according to a March 2013 assessment by BuiltWith.com, that have pulled away from the rest of the pack: WordPress (65% of the top million websites), Joomla! (11%), and Drupal (9%).

 
All three platforms have distinct strengths and weaknesses, and the one that’s right for your content marketing needs might be very different from another company your size.
So, which one should you choose? Let’s start by exploring the features and benefits of each CMS before we crown anyone champion.
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The Decision: Which CMS Reigns Supreme?

OK, so maybe this wasn’t a death match, after all.
Truthfully, all three CMS options above are quality products with unique strengths and weaknesses. The key is to decide which features are most important to your content factory and then evaluate which product delivers the best experience and value.
Before you choose a CMS, make sure you know exactly what you plan on using your site for. If you’re focused more on quick, dynamic content that’s updated regularly, choose WordPress. If you’re building a large corporate intranet, choose Joomla!. And if you have a strong development team and you need to build a complex, community-driven site, then you’re better off with Drupal.
Computer World extensively reviewed and compared WordPress, Joomla!, and Drupal on a number of different criteria, so consider reading their take on the three most popular CMS options if you’re still unsure of which is best for you.

Additional Resources

Choosing an Open-Source CMS (Part 1: Drupal; Part 2: Joomla!; and Part 3: WordPress) by Computer World
How to Choose a CMS by ElcomCMS
Infographic: Choosing the Right CMS for Your Business Needs by Dot Com InfoWay