Most serious Content Management Systems are used to develop and maintain content rich web sites that will be around and updated for a long time. So one important criteria for selecting a CMS platform is the likelihood that it will be available and improving for years to come.
You never want to get locked out of your chosen Content Management System, because it went away or the pricing became unreasonable. At a minimum, you want all data stored or backed up to a standard format. (And, it goes without saying, you’ll always keep an offline backup of all your data.)
For serious content management, I tend to favor popular open source platforms. Open source means no owner can take it away from you or cut you off. And if a lot of smart people are working with that platform, it means lots of smart people are constantly making it better. It means a larger pool of plug-ins, extensions and themes from which to draw, if ever the core system doesn’t meet your particular needs. It also means more third parties making it their business to actively support the platform with hosting and other related services. Look to who else is using a Content Management System. If large, stable and tech savvy organizations rely on the same tools as you, you have some reassurance it will be supported and improved in the years ahead.
These are especially important considerations for intermediate to higher end web sites, where you want plenty of room and options to grow. For smaller or short term projects, I’m usually more interested in how quickly and cheaply I can deploy a good looking web site, concerning myself less with its long term prospects.
It all depends on your particular needs. There are dozens of Content Management Systems to choose from. Honestly, it’s hard picking the best one, because the most popular tools are all improving very quickly, frequently adding similar and overlapping features. If you’d like to discuss some possibilities, I invite you to contact me.
