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Why choose Umbraco as your CMS?


Portrait of James Hamilton
By James Hamilton

18 September 2018

Umbraco has earned a reputation as one of the most powerful and popular platforms in the world. Find out why.

You’re looking for a content management system (CMS) and find yourself overwhelmed with options. After all, content is the beating heart of the internet, so it makes sense that there is an abundance of ways to publish it. WordPress, Joomla, Drupal, Magento and even our good old buddy SharePoint are all popular content management systems. But, have you ever thought about Umbraco?

Built on the Microsoft ASP.NET framework, Umbraco is a cloud-based, open source content management system. With over 400,000 websites live to date, Umbraco has earned a reputation as one of the most powerful and popular platforms in the world. But, why choose Umbraco over all the other options out there?

What is a CMS?

Before we get into the intricacies of Umbraco, let’s define what we mean by a CMS. A content management system is a software or application that enables the creation and publication of content on the web. While it is possible to hard-code content onto a website, a CMS allows you to publish content without any coding knowledge and facilitates editing of that content online.

Content management systems keep content editing separate from design so it can be changed without affecting the functionality of the site. Using a CMS also allows for greater collaboration across teams, as permissions can be set for who can access what. Ultimately, a CMS keeps all your content in one place that can be easily accessed and edited without any technical knowledge.

Why choose Umbraco?

So, why choose Umbraco as your CMS? While all content management systems provide the basic infrastructure to control content on your website, it is the features that make all the difference. When there are so many options to choose from, it’s crucial for each platform to set themselves apart from their competitors. With that in mind, what makes Umbraco stand out from the crowd?

Free

As an open source platform, Umbraco is completely free to use. This means there is no licencing fee to use it and you’re not tied into any contract, so you’re able to move to another platform if you find it’s not for you. However, there are costs attached to downloading extra features and packages, but this is common with most content management systems.

Flexible

If you can dream it, you can make it a reality on Umbraco. As it is open source, you’re not limited as to what you can create; simply modify the code to your needs. You can also easily customise the CMS with themes, plugins, and more, which is especially useful if you don’t have a team of developers to help you.

Scalable

The beauty of being able to customise Umbraco means small and large businesses alike can use it, as well as small businesses that become larger. Umbraco has the ability to grow with your organisation, so you’ll never need to switch CMS. Whatever growth looks like to you, whether that be offering more services or expanding your product range, Umbraco can accommodate.

Responsive

Since Google made mobile-friendliness a ranking factor, ensuring your site is responsive across all devices has never been more vital. Umbraco puts responsive design at the forefront, allowing your content to be rendered across different devices. The CMS uses a drag-and-drop grid editor to help you build experiences that work across desktop, mobile and tablet.

Supportive

The Umbraco community is one of the largest and most supportive in the developer world, which really sets it apart from the competition. With over 220,000 active members, you’re never too far away from advice if you need it. If you have an idea you’d like to build in Umbraco, chances are someone will have already built something like it and can help you out.

Reputable

There’s a reason why Umbraco has over 400,000 installations across the globe. Some of the biggest brands in the world, like Peugeot and Costa Coffee, use it as their chosen CMS, so you’ll be in good company. What’s more, as it is built on the Microsoft .Net stack, it’s a reliable platform that can be trusted.

Umbraco is one of the best open source content management systems there is. With the flexibility to build whatever you envision, the ability to grow alongside your business and the support of a huge community, it’s hard to fault. Our talented team of Umbraco developers can help your dream website become a reality. Get in touch with us today to get the ball rolling.