When it comes to creating a website, one of the biggest decisions a business or individual has to make is choosing a content management system (CMS).
With so many options available, it can be overwhelming to determine which one is the best fit for your specific needs.
Factors that most web developers and digital marketers alike consider include performance, flexibility, ease of use, community support, search engine optimization (SEO), and integrations with other business platforms.
Here’s my list of the best content management systems gaining traction in 2023, and some details to help you figure out which one might best suit your needs.
1. WordPress
WordPress is an open-source platform, which means that it is constantly being improved upon by a global community of developers.
The result of this is a platform that is incredibly flexible and customizable.
Whether you need to create a simple blog, a complex ecommerce website, or anything in between, WordPress has the tools and functionality to make it happen.
Furthermore, with thousands of plugins and themes available, you can easily add new features or change the look and feel of your website without needing to know how to code.
WordPress is best for individuals and businesses building a website with content at the forefront.
Popularity
WordPress is one of the most popular content management systems in the world.
In fact, it powers over 40% of all websites on the internet. This means that it has a large and active community of users who share tips and tricks and support one another.
Additionally, because it is widely used, there are countless resources available to help you get the most out of the WordPress platform, including tutorials, forums, and blogs (evidenced by the countless Google search results when searching “wordpress help”).
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
When it comes to SEO, WordPress has a number of built-in features that make it a great choice for both businesses and individuals looking to improve their search engine rankings.
For example, it is easy to optimize your website for search engines by adding meta descriptions, keywords, and other essential elements.
Furthermore, WordPress generates clean, semantic HTML code, which is important for search engines to understand and index your content.
Additionally, there are a number of plugins available that can further improve your SEO, including Yoast SEO, All in One SEO Pack, and more.
2. Adobe Commerce (Formerly Magento)
Adobe Commerce is a powerful and flexible open-source ecommerce platform that is widely regarded as the best CMS for online stores.
With its robust feature set and user-friendly interface, Adobe Commerce makes it easy to create, manage, and grow a successful ecommerce business.
Adobe Commerce is best for ecommerce businesses building a website meant to scale.
Scalability
One of the key benefits of using Adobe Commerce for ecommerce is its ability to scale.
Whether you are just starting out with a small online store, or have an established business with thousands of products and customers, Adobe Commerce can accommodate your needs.
Its modular architecture allows you to add and remove features as your business grows, ensuring that you are always able to deliver a seamless shopping experience to your customers.
Features
In addition to its seemingly unlimited customization options, Adobe Commerce also offers a wide range of ecommerce functionality.
This includes everything from product and order management to shipping, tax calculations, payment, and security features.
With Adobe Commerce, you have everything you need to run a successful online store – all in one platform.
B2C Integrations
Another important benefit of using Adobe Commerce is its ability to integrate with a variety of third-party systems and tools geared toward B2C online business models.
This includes payment gateways, shipping providers, marketing automation tools, and more.
With Adobe Commerce, you can easily connect your online store to the systems and tools that you already use to run your business, making it easier to manage your operations and drive sales.
3. HubSpot CMS
HubSpot offers an integrated CMS platform that seamlessly connects all your marketing and sales efforts.
This integration provides a centralized platform for managing all your marketing and sales activities, including email marketing, social media management, lead generation, and customer relationship management.
The result is a streamlined workflow that enables you to easily track and manage your marketing and sales efforts, ultimately saving you time and effort.
HubSpot is best for individuals and businesses that are building a website with an integrated marketing funnel.
Landing Pages
HubSpot provides a range of customizable landing pages that can be used to promote your products and services.
These landing pages can be easily customized to match your brand and include all the information you want to share with your audience.
This is a great way to create a unique and engaging user experience for your customers and to promote your products and services effectively.
Lead Generation And Nurturing Tools
HubSpot is packed with lead generation and nurturing tools that help you to attract and convert leads into customers.
This includes lead magnets, lead forms, and lead nurturing workflows that help you to engage with your leads and guide them through the sales process.
These tools are designed to help you to generate more leads and to close more sales, ultimately helping you to grow your business.
Support And Analytics
HubSpot provides comprehensive analytics and reporting features, allowing you to track and analyze your website and marketing performance.
From website traffic and conversions to email opens and click-through rates (CTRs), you can gain valuable insights into what’s working and what needs improvement.
On top of this, HubSpot offers a wealth of resources and support to help you make the most of your CMS. From a vast library of educational content to a thriving community of users, you can get the help you need to succeed.
Additionally, HubSpot’s customer support team is available 24/7 to answer any questions or concerns you may have.
4. Hygraph (Formerly GraphCMS)
Hygraph is an enterprise-grade content management system built for industry leaders and challengers.
Hygraph is the best headless CMS for businesses looking to improve their digital experiences and reach new heights in content creation, management, and distribution.
Hygraph is best for large teams with a lot of content across multiple websites.
Performance
Hygraph is a “headless” content management system, which means it’s inherently decoupled from your website’s front end.
This helps process large amounts of data and traffic with ease, making it an ideal choice for high-traffic websites and applications.
Its powerful graph database architecture allows for fast querying and retrieval of content, ensuring that your site remains fast and responsive even as your content grows.
Additionally, Hygraph’s built-in caching and optimization features help to further improve performance, making it an excellent choice for businesses looking to deliver a fast, seamless experience to their customers.
Want to learn more about headless content management systems? Read more here.
Content Federation
Hygraph offers a unique approach to content federation, enabling you to manage and reuse content across multiple channels and platforms in a consistent and reusable way.
With Hygraph, you can create and manage your content in a single central repository, and then distribute it to multiple websites, apps, and other platforms with ease.
This makes it easier for large teams to collaborate, streamline content creation and management, and help ensure a consistent experience for your customers, regardless of where they engage with your content.
It’s perfect for businesses with a lot of cooks in the kitchen.
Content Types
Hygraph provides an intuitive and user-friendly interface that makes it easy to manage and publish content.
The platform also supports a wide range of content types, including text, images, videos, and audio.
This makes it easy for businesses to create and publish content in a variety of formats to reach their target audience.
Conclusion
When choosing a content management system, it’s important to consider the specific needs and goals of your organization, as well as the technical capabilities and resources available.
Remember that while there isn’t a “best” CMS out there, there’s probably one that’s best suited for your particular business and website.
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