A content management system (CMS) is a software application that enables users to create, edit, and publish digital content. When it comes to website development, there are a number of different CMS options to choose from. In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the best CMS options for website development and explore the benefits of each.
What is a CMS and why do you need one for website development?
A content management system (CMS) is a software application that enables users to create, edit, and publish digital content. A CMS provides the framework for a website, which can be used to create and manage web content.
There are many different types of CMS available, each with its own set of features and capabilities. When choosing a CMS for website development, it’s important to consider the needs of your project and select a platform that will meet those needs.
Some of the best CMS options for website development include WordPress, Drupal, Joomla!, and Magento. Each of these platforms has its own strengths and weaknesses, so it’s important to choose the one that’s right for your project.
The benefits of using a CMS for website development
These days it’s very rare to find a website that doesn’t have an integrated Content Management System. That’s because when it comes to website development, CMSs have the following advantages:
- Increased efficiency: A CMS can help you to manage your website more efficiently, saving you time and effort.
- Greater control: With a CMS, you have complete control over your website and can make changes as needed.
- Improved security: A CMS can help to improve the security of your website by providing built-in tools and features.
- Scalability: A CMS can be easily scaled to meet the changing needs of your website.
- Integrations: They make it much easier for you to integrate into other software you may be using like a CRM.
From a developer’s perspective, it allows them to concentrate on the complex part (the fun stuff), leaving tedious content editing and blog posting to the CMS software.
How to choose the best CMS for Website Development
When choosing a CMS, there are a few key factors to consider, including:
– The needs of your project: First and foremost, you need to consider the needs of your project when selecting a CMS. What type of website are you looking to create? What features and functionality will it need? Answering these questions will help you to narrow down your options and choose the best CMS for your project.
– Your budget: Another important factor to consider is your budget. How much are you willing to spend on a CMS? Fortunately, there are a number of great CMS options available that are both affordable and powerful.
– Your level of expertise: It’s also important to consider your own level of expertise when choosing a CMS. If you’re not very technical, you’ll want to choose a platform that is easy to use and doesn’t require much programming knowledge. On the other hand, if you’re more technically inclined, you may be able to handle a more complex CMS.
No matter what your needs are, there’s sure to be a CMS out there that’s perfect for your project. So take some time to research your options and find the best platform for your needs.
The top 5 traditional CMS options for Website Development in 2022
Now that we’ve covered some of the basics, let’s take a look at five of the best traditional CMS options for website development in 2022:
1. WordPress
WordPress is one of the most popular content management systems on the market today. It’s used by millions of websites around the world, including many high-profile brands and organizations. WordPress is a very versatile platform that can be used for a wide range of projects. It offers a huge selection of plugins and themes, making it easy to customize your website to meet your specific needs. WordPress is also relatively easy to use, even for beginners.
2. Drupal
Drupal is another popular content management system that is often used for large-scale projects. It’s a very powerful platform that offers a wide range of features and options. Drupal can be a bit more difficult to use than WordPress, but it’s still manageable for most users.
3. Joomla!
Joomla! is another popular CMS that is used by millions of websites around the world. It’s a versatile platform that offers a wide range of features and options. Joomla! is relatively easy to use, even for beginners.
4. Magento
Magento is a popular eCommerce platform that is used by many online stores. It’s a very powerful platform that offers a wide range of features and options. Magento can be a bit more difficult to use than some other platforms, but it’s still manageable for most users.
5. Shopify
Shopify is another popular eCommerce platform that is used by many online stores. It’s a versatile platform that offers a wide range of features and options. Shopify is relatively easy to use, even for beginners.
The Top 4 New Website CMS Contenders
So the above have been THE contenders for the best website Content Management Systems for years. However, over the last couple of years, we have seen a new bread of website CMSs emerge that are faster, more beautiful, more secure and are not limited by limitations such as plugins, themes or OS upgrades.
1. Webflow
This is definitely my pick and one that I use regularly through our website agency. Here’s what we love about it:
- It’s a visual builder, which means it’s a true no-code option;
- It has so many in-built features to make your site look amazing (way more flexible than any other builder);
- Websites built using Webflow are on average some of the fastest on the web;
- It’s SEO features are second to none;
- It allows you to build CMS components like blogs, e-commerce items and more;
- If you need help getting started, it has one of the biggest template libraries out there, some of which are truly beautiful.
The only potential downside to Webflow is that due to its many amazing features, it is more complicated to use than some of the others on the list.
That said I highly recommend that you jump on for free, buy a template and give it a go!
2. Duda
Duda was one that recently came onto my radar as it become the fastest CMS on the market. That means on average websites built using Duda outperform the competition. For that reason alone, it had to make my newcomers list. Don’t believe me? Check out the report for yourself.
The pure loading speed, along with a clever database schema, metadata inputs and key integrations to Analytics and so on, also make Duda one of the most powerful CMSs for SEO.
I’m still getting used to the platform but while it’s not as flexible as Webflow, the flip side is that it is most definitely easier to use. Getting started is a breeze and there is a list of in-built templates to choose from.
If you are not sure tech savvy but are looking for a high-performance DIY solution, this is the choice for you.
3. Zyro
Zyro is your budget option. Pricing is affordable on the best of days but I often see incredible deals that will allow you to host your site for USD $5pm or sometimes less. It comes with all the necessities from templates to blogs and even a simple e-commerce feature.
But it’s not just cheap and cheerful, you can see from the above chart that it also holds its own I the speed department. That makes it effective for SEO and user experience.
It also has a few AI-generated “gimmicks” that can help you get started, including a logo and content creator.
It is by and far the most simple to use. To put this into perspective, I was able to build a simple 3-page website for an NFT Agency in around 2 hours (FYI we have since added more content to the site).
The downside is just how basic the site designer is. You can make something look fresh but you could never make anything truly unique. It’s also limited by the variety of design elements, transitions and so on.
4. TeleportHQ
This CMS is the most recent to come across my desk and I am yet to do more than play around with it but I wanted to add it to the list for a couple of reasons:
- It’s got a really cool Figma plugin that allows you to push designs directly into the builder;
- It’s flexible like Webflow, with a load of built-in design elements and transitions;
- It has a load of code export options, making it a low code option for building front-end apps as well as websites;
- It comes with affordable inbuilt hosting powered by Vercel, making it another fast option.
The biggest downside I can see right now is the lack of blogging features. I think this will put off a lot of people that know how valuable having a blog on your site is.
These are just a few of the best CMS options for website development, for more check out this article by Hostinger.
The Future of Content Management Systems
As the need for content management systems continues to grow, we can expect to see more innovation in this space. We’ll likely see more powerful and user-friendly CMS platforms emerge in the coming years.
One key trend that is worth noting is the rise of the headless CMS. A headless CMS is a platform that enables developers to build websites and applications without the need for a traditional CMS backend. This can be a great option for developers who want more control over their projects.
Another trend to watch out for is the rise of static site generators. Static site generators are tools that generate HTML pages from data sources such as markdown files or JSON data. This can be a great way to build fast and secure websites.
Conclusion
Content management systems have come a long way in recent years and there are now a wide range of options to choose from. No matter what your needs are, there’s sure to be a CMS out there that’s perfect for your project. So take some time to research!