Content Management Systems – Which To Choose?

Content Management Systems – Which to choose?

I’ve been working with a few different content management systems over the past few years and have found that each one has features and benefits that would recommend them. Do I have a favourite? Well, the jury’s still out. Here are the main three that I’ve used:

Dot Net Nuke – I have been using DNN the longest so would be inclined to recommend it since I am most comfortable with it. There is a lot of functionality. I’m happy with how well the multi-language modules work to maintain a site in both English and French. I find the file manager a little clunky but I’ve gotten used to it. There are page settings and module settings to customize every element of the page including some behind the scenes options such as meta description and keywords. I find the form module quite comprehensive and have been able to make some complex forms that enable me to export data to an Excel spreadsheet. Overall, the DNN has a lot of functionality but some parts are cumbersome and time consuming.

WordPress – I’ve worked with a couple WordPress sites and the system is fine but not nearly as comprehensive and DNN. I find that the navigation is awkward and not user-friendly. I’m sure there are many WordPress enthusiasts who would argue and they likely will have more experience with more add-ons. I like the feature that allows me to go back to a previous version of a page if I’ve made an error in editing. When I was finessing a home page on a recent site, this feature alone was a godsend. I wouldn’t choose WordPress if I had the choice but that’s not to say that I would refuse to work on it and get more practice if the opportunity came up.

Joomla – I’m newer to Joomla and have started using it at the recommendation of a friend. I find that it has many parallels to the DNN set up which minimized my learning curve. I like the layout and find it very user friendly. The behind the scenes SEO features are straight forward to encourage their use. I like the layout of the media manager making my access to and uploading of pictures easier and straight forward. Layout of blog articles has some flexibility; a little more than what I could manage with DNN.

All in all, any of these three systems work well and make beautiful websites. Given a little training and practice anyone can become proficient in their use.

I’ve been working with a few different content management systems over the past several years and have found that each one has features and benefits that would recommend them. Do I have a favourite? Well, the jury’s still out. Here are the main three that I’ve used:

Dot Net Nuke – I have been using DNN the longest so would be inclined to recommend it since I am most comfortable with it. There is a lot of functionality. I’m happy with how well the multi-language modules work to maintain a site in both English and French. I find the file manager a little clunky but I’ve gotten used to it. There are page settings and module settings to customize every element of the page including some behind the scenes options such as meta description and keywords. I find the form module quite comprehensive and have been able to make some complex forms that enable me to export data to an Excel spreadsheet. Overall, the DNN has a lot of functionality but some parts are cumbersome and time consuming.

WordPress – I’ve worked with a couple WordPress sites and the system is fine but not nearly as comprehensive as DNN. I used to think that the navigation was awkward and not user-friendly but it’s evolved and I’ve learned so I’m more comfortable using this platform. I like the feature that allows me to go back to a previous version of a page if I’ve made an error in editing. When I was finessing a home page on a recent site, this feature alone was a godsend.

Joomla – I’m newer to Joomla and have started using it at the recommendation of a friend. I find that it has many parallels to the DNN set up which minimized my learning curve. I like the layout and find it very user friendly. The behind the scenes SEO features are straight forward to encourage their use. I like the layout of the media manager making my access to and uploading of pictures easier and straight forward. Layout of blog articles has some flexibility; a little more than what I could manage with DNN.

All in all, any of these three systems work well and make beautiful websites. Given a little training and practice anyone can become proficient in their use.

MarnieHughes is an SEO copywriter, author and online marketer. She works with small and medium-sized businesses to develop their marketing and communications and expand their customer base.