CMS, or... do you like the updating facility on your website?

[Neyl]

Whether you've a web site you have CMS (Content Management System) with, or you produce CMS websites, you can give a view here. It's a bit of an informal survey on my part, as I'm considering migrating a low-tech site I have into a blog-cum-site.. yeah, I know, well anyway. Question....

If you know what the CMS your website has been set up with (there are loads): what is it and how do you find it? What would you recommend based on your experience?

List fo a few: Drupal, Joomla, Mambo, WebGUI... there are loads.

Thanks for your views.

Erm, not really interested in the really techie aspects, I can look into those. I'm interested in people's actual day-to-day experience of using CMS to update sites.

[TechFox]

I use WordPress for three of my web sites. The admin panel is very easy to use which is good for updating the sites.

[pluggyboy]

My general experience of CMS's is that unless you're looking to do something particularly complex, Wordpress is by far the best solution. Great software, SEO out of the box, huge community and a broad range of themes and plugins. Clients love the simple web interface and the ability to 'roll back' any mistakes made with the content

[los_design]

Whether you've a web site you have CMS (Content Management System) with, or you produce CMS websites, you can give a view here. It's a bit of an informal survey on my part, as I'm considering migrating a low-tech site I have into a blog-cum-site.. yeah, I know, well anyway. Question....

If you know what the CMS your website has been set up with (there are loads): what is it and how do you find it? What would you recommend based on your experience?

List fo a few: Drupal, Joomla, Mambo, WebGUI... there are loads.

Thanks for your views.

Erm, not really interested in the really techie aspects, I can look into those. I'm interested in people's actual day-to-day experience of using CMS to update sites.

I ahve extensive experience with two of the most common CMS options out there and my thoughts are as such;


Wordpress = Smooth learning curve, rapid SEO results (content dependent of course), popular, well supported, regular updates, cost effective pro design themes available (some wordpress themes (http://www.losdesign.co.uk/template-shop/wordpress-themes) here for example). IMHO this is best for simple websites looking to ease the burden of updating 1 or 2 pages per day/week/month.
Joomla = Steep learning curve, longer term SEO results gaining excellent results, as above it is popular, well supported, flexible and its limits are bound only by your aspirations. (I use it for LOS Design and love it). IMHO this is THE choice if your online presence requires a long term game plan, you are looking to add functionality for great interactive features AND it is also FREE. Tons of design options at great prices too. (some Joomla themes (http://www.losdesign.co.uk/template-shop/joomla-themes) for example).
It all boils down to what you want and what you want your site to do. And of course, there are other options out there but I ahve just mentioned the ones I have experience with.

To sum up, although the learnin curve is steeper for Joomla, I think the long term benefits far outweight Wordpress. But that is just my two cents.

Regards
Daren

[Neyl]

Thanks for these responses. The 'Free' aspect is important, as well as the SEO. I want something to enable me developing my web "presence" to the 'next level' whatever that is - moving key sites on a bit. It's more an exercise in visual 'persona' and 'impression' than shopping carts or 'product/service info'. At the moment, I've two sites I'd like to push through the same framework., there may be more in future, so I want to be able to commit to it and know it'll stay the course. Thanks again.