Choosing a CMS for a small website: ready-made, custom or builder
What a CMS is, and how a ready-made system such as WordPress, a custom site and a website builder differ in control, speed, freedom and upkeep.
A CMS, short for content management system, is the part of a website that lets you change texts, images and pages yourself without editing code. When you plan a site, one of the first decisions is what it will run on. There is no single right answer, only the one that fits your situation.
Three common options
- A ready-made system. WordPress is a well-known example. You get a ready admin area and many ready-made themes and plugins, so a lot can be done quickly. The price is that you carry the upkeep: updates, plugin compatibility and security.
- A custom site. Built for exactly what you need, with an admin area limited to what you actually edit. You do not carry features you never use, and you have more freedom for unusual functions such as booking or a link to a CRM. It usually takes longer to get going, and changes go through a developer unless an editing area is part of the project.
- A website builder. A hosted service where you put the site together from blocks. It is quick to start, and the provider looks after the technical side. In exchange you are limited to what the builder offers, you depend on its terms, and moving the site elsewhere can be difficult.
What to compare
- Control. Who owns the site, where it is hosted, and whether you can take it with you.
- Speed. How quickly you can launch, and how quickly later changes can be made.
- Freedom. Whether it allows what you will need in a year, not only today.
- Upkeep. Who does the updates, who is responsible when something breaks, and what that costs you in money or time.
Questions to ask before you decide
- Who will edit the content day to day, and how comfortable are they with technology?
- Which functions do we need now, and which within a year or two?
- Who does updates and security, and how often?
- Can I export my content and move to another provider?
- What happens if the person who built the site is no longer available?
- Whose name are the accounts, the domain and the code in? See who owns your domain, hosting and code.
If you are unsure, describe what the site should do and who will edit it, and I will tell you which option I think fits and why. For an online shop the same question is covered in WooCommerce or a custom e-shop, and for choosing who builds it in how to choose a web developer. You can also write to me or see website development in Bratislava.