While Open Source CMS applications have over a decade of development behind them, currently, 33% of the world's websites are built using one of these platforms. Yet, there are still business owners questioning whether it's right for their company's website. In this article, we present seven reasons to consider redesigning your website using a CMS.

As discussed previously on Your Web Advisors Blog, Content Management Systems (CMS), are software programs that create a support framework for content creation and management, mainly on websites.

With the advent of Open Source software, communities formed around these types of applications. Initially, these platforms were created for idea discussions in forums, sharing personal blogs, and designing websites. Many of these communities have existed for over a decade and are backed by business entities. Below, we'll examine reasons why using these systems for your website development can be beneficial.

1. Cost savings in human resources.

As previously mentioned, a CMS has a community supporting it. This community includes web designers, graphic designers, database administrators, programmers, and cybersecurity experts, covering all necessary IT areas for web development.

Only large transnational corporations or those with substantial financial capacity can afford an IT department with such a variety of specialists, and perhaps none of them possess this diversity. However, even these large corporations are adopting CMS platforms in their operations. Notable examples include CNN developed on WordPress, Vodafone on Joomla, and Red Hat on Drupal.

It's worth mentioning that currently, 33% of websites worldwide are built on some CMS program, and this figure continues to rise as new sites are created and existing ones are redesigned.

2. Enhanced platform security.

Daily, dozens of new viruses, malware, and other threats emerge on the internet. While we protect our computer systems with antivirus software, the question arises: How do we ensure our websites' security?

Within each CMS community, hundreds of cybersecurity specialists stay informed about new forms of attacks and defense methods. A clear example of this is Google's Recaptcha, integrated into Joomla's core for years, and in other CMS like WordPress, it's installed as a plugin.

 

For a company, it's more beneficial to have a webmaster keeping these applications updated than having an entire IT security department solely to protect their website. Additionally, we always recommend installing a Web Application Firewall (WAF) to maintain website or application security.

3. Periodic and constant platform updates.

The previous point leads us to consider the importance of platform updates. It's well known that technology advances rapidly year after year; what was cutting-edge two years ago is considered outdated today, and in another year, it'll be obsolete.

This same phenomenon is reflected in web technology. If your website isn't supported by a CMS, updating the programming language it's built on can be more costly than the initial development. This is because, after several years, the programming language may no longer be relevant in the market.

On the other hand, a CMS remains in constant update. For instance, in the case of WordPress, updates can be executed automatically, while in other CMS, manual intervention is required. I personally prefer manual updates because, while an update can enhance the platform, it could also create incompatibilities with certain site implementations. Therefore, a review by the webmaster before proceeding is a preferable measure.

Whether the update is manual or automated, it's simpler and more effective in a CMS than in custom development. In the latter case, the update process can be much more complex and labor-intensive.

4. Cost savings in maintenance.

A website is akin to a person in the sense that its only constant is change. What's liked today in blue letters might be preferred in red tomorrow. Preferences can also vary from images to icons, and connections with desired suppliers, collaborators, or clients can change from one day to the next.

CMS platforms have a "BackEnd" or Admin Panel that allows for many minor changes without requiring programming knowledge, similar to uploading or deleting photos on Facebook. In contrast, on custom-developed websites, even adding a simple accent would require a programmer's intervention.

5. Web 2.0 Website.

We're all drawn to current technology for its interactive capability. The ability to customize our mobile phones to change the ringtone or download apps, whether games for the young or productivity tools for work, is something we appreciate. Accessing social networks, expressing opinions, and connecting with those who share our interests further strengthens our bond with technology, creating a solid connection.

Integrating this same interactivity into your website can have a positive impact on your business. However, for a company not specialized in software development, implementing this interaction through in-house developments with their IT team could present challenges and considerable costs. In contrast, CMS platforms were specifically designed to simplify this task. Nearly a decade since their inception, CMS platforms have matured enough to be effective tools in managing web 2.0 platforms.

6. Easy incorporation of new website features.

Your business and your clients' needs are in constant evolution. Currently, you may require your website to have an online store, a room or seat reservation system, or perhaps your clients need to log in to access their reports. Opting for custom development for your website would require regularly hiring a programmer and an entire team to develop and implement new features.

In contrast, communities surrounding CMS platforms already offer a wide range of applications to cover various needs. This makes implementing these functionalities much simpler compared to building them from scratch.

Returning to the central point of this article regarding labor cost savings, it's important to understand that custom development would only benefit a single website. In this case, the developer could only bill their hours to a single client. On the other hand, applications designed for CMS platforms are sold to multiple websites, significantly reducing the cost. This is because programmers can distribute their work hours among mass-selling the application, resulting in considerable economic benefits.

7. Cutting-edge Websites with New Web Technologies.

Very closely related to platform updates is the continuous development of new web technologies. An example is HTML, used for website construction, which evolved from its version 4 to the current HTML5 in approximately five years. Improvements in this language not only enable the creation of more modern and visually appealing websites but also introduce security enhancements.

Browsers like Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Internet Explorer are implementing these improvements. As users update their browsers, websites built with older HTML versions will begin to experience changes in appearance.

In reality, it's not that the presentation itself changes; rather, the browser simply stops interpreting certain parts of the code, resulting in the omission of certain site actions or functions. If your website was custom-developed, you'll face high maintenance costs to stay ahead of new technology. On the other hand, if the site was built using a CMS, a simple update will suffice. It might be necessary to update the template, platform, specific component, or perhaps all of these options at once. Nevertheless, it's safe to say that updating will be less costly and complicated compared to custom development.

Whether you need to develop a website, redesign an existing one, or simply aren't sure if your website is developed using a CMS platform, feel free to contact us. We'll be pleased to provide our expertise.