With businesses moving over from Static website to Dynamic website, the rise in the use of Content Management Systems (CMS) has been tremendous. Being open-source and a free to use & download platform, it is also a favourite amongst web designers and developers as they provide them with the flexibility to build a website as per their client’s needs and requirements.
Also, once developed, a CMS allows users the freedom to make changes and modification as and when they require it, without having to rely on a web designer and developer to make basic changes to their website. Content Management Systems are also responsive as well as SEO-friendly and the Top 3 that are most used today are WordPress, Joomla and Drupal.
1. WordPress
With a market share of 59.9%, WordPress is the most popular Content Management System in use today. Powering millions of websites, its rise in popularity is due to the fact that it is the easiest to use CMS and can be used by novice as well as experts without any hassle. Its biggest USP is that it doesn’t require you to have a technical knowledge of HTML or PHP.
Also, it is the most user-friendly platform that makes it easier for users to update, manage and maintain their website through an intuitive dashboard. The reasons for choosing WordPress are many such as cost-effectiveness, robust security, easy website maintenance and SEO-friendliness. In addition, there are innumerable free and premium WordPress plugins and themes available that makes it simpler for users to add different functionality as well as create a responsive and professional website.
To give you a glimpse of how powerful this Content Management System is, here are some of the most popular websites created by WordPress.
- BBC America
- Sony Music
- Time Inc
- Mercedes-Benz
- Harvard Gazette Online
2. Joomla
This CMS has the market share of 6.6% and is the next best CMS after WordPress. Sporting the similar open-source infrastructure, this CMS makes content management easy and provides you with a wide array of extensions that makes it effortless to add extended functionality to your website. Likewise, it also offers you a vast collection of attractive templates that are free to use. Plus, it also has a friendly community support that will help you solve any queries related to Joomla.
All features such as faster website speed, inbuilt caching, robust security, flexibility, ease of editing and updating content that is found in WordPress is also present in this CMS.
The only drawback (not a major one) is that to run this software you need to have a basic knowledge of HTML and PHP. Thus, while not as user-friendly as WordPress, Joomla is nevertheless a great CMS platform especially, for creating an eCommerce website or a social networking site.
Moreover, here are a few famous websites that are powered by the Joomla CMS.
- Harvard University
- The Hill
- Linux.com
- Guggenheim
- The Fashion Spot
3. Drupal
The most technically advanced CMS, Drupal has a market share of 4.6%. The reason for its low popularity, compared to WordPress and Drupal, is because it is the most challenging CMS to work with has it requires you to be technically proficient in HTML, PHP, CSS and to some degree even Python.
However, being a technically advanced CMS, Drupal does provide you with a few benefits namely, feature-rich templates to create an alluring website that captures your audience attention. The wide range of free modules that allow you add specific features to your website. It also offers you constant security through frequent updates. One can also easily integrate 3rd party applications with this CMS. Lastly, it is easily scalable, ensuring that your website’s performance is not comprised as your business grows and acquires more traffic.
So, which are top websites created by using Drupal?
- The Economist
- Tesla Motors
- Webster Bank
- McDonald’s Australia
- The University of Chicago
Which is the best CMS?
The above was a brief overview of the Top 3 CMS – WordPress, Joomla and Drupal and their benefits and features. However, if you want to know more about the differences and commonalities of each of these 3 CMS then here a comprehensive CMS comparison infographic that you can check out.
This infographic provides you with the pros and cons of each as well as offers you insights as to which CMS is better for your business based on individual need and requirements. Best part, you can also download a free PDF of this guide or print this infographic and keep it handy for future reference.
Thus, in order to ensure that you pick a right CMS for your website, one that is user as well as search engine friendly and offers you features like easy content management, air-tight security, clean codes and flexibility, take a look at the below infographic and make a well-informed choice.
