There are various considerations when choosing a content management system for your reseller hosting enterprise. Below are 6 of the top CMS today.
Background on CMS
Content Management Systems (CMS) help users create, manage, edit, and administer web pages on one interface. It enables users to work with efficiency and build pages faster than creating them from scratch. With a CMS, you can develop uniform pages and streamline workflow. It also optimises web pages for search engine page results.
The CMS is a website-building framework that offers advanced and powerful tools as well as reliable customisation. Compared to the pure Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) Editor, CMS is very customisable although you cannot simply edit without a little technical knowledge. Most of the CMS platforms nowadays contain communities creating resources for them. In short, it is possible to utilise modules in adding features to your website.
Here are the top six Content Management Systems that is great for reseller hosts.
WordPress
WordPress started as a basic blogging tool. It later evolved into a versatile Content Management System. The platform supports news websites, e-commerce, and practically all kinds of sites. It is search-engine friendly. WordPress ranks higher compared to websites built on other systems.
This is because the website’s code is clearer making it easier for search engines to better comprehend search terms in ranking WordPress. Aside from this, numerous plugins extend the platform’s Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) capability than its counterparts. More than 19,000 free apps and plugins are available on the said platform. The abundance of applications eliminates the cost of writing custom codes for users.
WordPress also sustains new optimisation standards like schema.org. This set of schemas help webmasters embed organized data on their website pages for different search engines. Besides, WordPress is open-source meaning that developers and programmers globally contribute to the code’s improvement. The software does not require any license unlike similar platforms.
Finally, this CMS runs on Linux. This operating system (OS) as against Microsoft is safer and less vulnerable to attacks. It has better uptime since it does not issue security patches often. These patches require rebooting which translates to downtime for the website.
Squarespace
Squarespace refers to the compact website building platform with tools for sharing stories online. It is used to design websites, purchase custom domains, or build online shops. This CMS contains built-in features. Thus, there is no need to perform troubleshooting, worry about compatibility issues, or deal with concerns outside the platform’s customer support/knowledge base.
It is a CMS noted for good-looking templates. Each one provides users with multiple options with regards to functionality and appearance. You will find it easy to create a beautiful site even with limited know-how in web development and coding. With Squarespace, you can simply make and manage any changes. The CMS hosts all its sites. Unlike WordPress, there is no need to find a service provider for your hosting requirements.
Squarespace boasts of a style editor with robust customisation functions. It has pre-fabricated and trendy templates for the straightforward web design process. Other valuable features include the following:
- Addition of logos
- Inclusion of icons for sharing and comments
- Modify colors and fonts for links, headers, and buttons
- Online image editing due to integration with Aviary photo-editing platform for iOS.
Weebly
Weebly is hyped as one of the simplest website builders available in the market. With this Content Management System, you can just drag and drop content into your site. It is natural and not complicated. Building websites literally entails dragging Weebly’s elements into the website.
- Images
- Videos
- Paragraphs
- Maps
- Contact Forms
- Buttons
With this CMS, you organise and save all completed tasks without the risk of accidental deletion, overwriting, or damage. The user auto-saves files as preventive measure for possible hardware crashes. Weebly also has a spell-checker for students and new writers. Users do not have to download any software or plugins. This platform can export data from your site using zip files. It also edits HTML and CSS codes for customised templates. Your website becomes mobile responsive automatically.
Wix
Wix is one of the newest platforms in this industry. It was built on the concept of a drag-and-drop interface as well as customised templates. The CMS was designed to assist non-web developers in creating a practical website. Your website looks good on any mobile device due to optimszation.
For example, with the Wix Editor, the user can start from scratch or use more than 500 designer-built templates. The cutting-edge design features make websites look more vibrant with animation, scroll effects, and videos. You can choose from over 100 fonts and upload more from the web.
Wix was designed for amateurs notwithstanding customisation limits. This website builder is the typical What-You-See-Is-What-You-Get. In other words, you drag and drop content, photos, slideshows, and shopping cart buttons to the builder before creating your site.
The Wix technical team perform all updates before automatically deploying them to your website. You do not even know the update was made. This is a benefit for users without any technical expertise.
Joomla
Joomla is also a free and open-source CMS for publishing content on the web. It follows the framework of model-view-controller web app run independently of the Content Management System. Joomla has emerged as one of the most accepted website applications because of these features:
- Accessibility
- User-Friendliness
- Multilingual Functions
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
- Responsiveness
The platform is in between Drupal and WordPress in terms of difficulty. However, Joomla basically offers the same modern features. The visually-focused interface makes this CMS more manageable with an easier learning curve than Drupal. However, it offers fewer themes compared to WordPress.
Joomla is perfect for web developers, individuals, and companies with requirements that are more complex than the core packages of other systems. Its powerful app helps developers come up with innovative add-ons. This feature extends Joomla’s capabilities into almost unlimited directions.
The essential Joomla framework allows developers to effortlessly and promptly build the following:
- Tools for data reporting and communications
- Inventory control systems
- Custom product directories
- Application bridges
- Comprehensive e-commerce systems
- Complicated business catalogs and indexes
- Reservations systems
Joomla is based on MySQL (Structured Query Language) and PHP (Hypertext Processor) database management systems. Hence, users can look forward to building potent apps on an open-source platform. Anybody can use, support, and share Joomla.
Drupal
Drupal is considered an enterprise-level heavyweight. This platform’s useful toolbox consists of multifaceted portals as well as advanced security. The tools are more powerful compared to other CMS platforms like WordPress. It needs less memory than WordPress.
In other words, Drupal will perform better on the same hosting package. However, it is not amateur-friendly. The system is quite confusing with respect to building convoluted functions. The learning process takes longer. Unless you are a developer, it becomes necessary to employ an expert in Drupal to build your website.
Users acknowledge Drupal as having numerous features and being highly-customisable. Satisfied customers say it shines as a Content Management System. The user interface enables you to develop and publish content without difficulty.
- Drupal accommodates unlimited types of content to include text and media. It can deal with customisable forms.
- This CMS retrieves, screens, and presents content using simple but powerful tools.
- The platform has built-in content creation capabilities plus effective editing tools. Drupal regulates access to features and content using superior classification and permissions systems.
Administrative along with end-user functionalities originate from modules. These include basic features, ability to log in, creation of content, production of photo galleries, and intricate voting systems. Once you download from Drupal.org or Drupal Core, you can look forward to common modules used for building websites. At the same time, developers have contributed modules available for free on Drupal Core.
Drupal represents an efficient web development platform. It conforms to contemporary object-focused programming patterns, HTML5 and Yet Another Markup Language (YAML) standards, and PHP best practices. It integrates outstanding web technologies like:
- CK Editor (WYSIWYG text editor)
- Symfony2 (PHP web app)
- Twig (PHP Engine Template)
- Backbone js (JavaScript Library)
- Guzzle (HTTP Client Library)
The CMS extends functionality and achieves control over designs via the assorted add-ons that take the form of themes and modules.
How to Make a Good Choice
Content Management Systems offer formidable building tools for websites. There will always be a platform that will conform to your preferences and prerequisites. Stakeholders say it is an advantage to select a CMS with a large community of users. The bottom line is to go for the biggest and wide-ranging options. You have just seen each of the six platforms above. This guide can help you make a practical choice.
To sum up, here are the vital considerations in deciding which Content Management System to acquire:
- Popularity of platform as well as easy installation
- Complexity of your website
- User’s technical understanding
- CMS security features and frequency of updates