Top 10 CMS Platforms 2023
In these digital times, having an effective and up to date website is essential to successful inbound marketing. You need a website to post content regularly and to set up new web pages, not only to show your expertise and build trust with your audience but also to get found on search engines such as Google. Currently, over 64 million active websites use a content management system. Building and managing a website isn't easy especially if you are not a web developer, however, the right CMS platform will help you achieve your website goals without learning the hard development stuff. There are around 1000-2000 content management systems available, and it is continuously growing. Each CMS has its target market and provides different features, the choice needs to reflect the intent and scope of the website. Choose a platform that best suits your needs and budget. With so many platforms to choose from we have put together 10 of the best CMS platforms for 2023.
What is CMS?
CMS stands for Content Management System. It is a software application that allows a user to build and manage a website without the use of coding. It is a user-friendly interface that enables you to create, manage, modify, and publish different content. The Content Management Software market size was worth around US$ 17.5 billion in 2021 and is estimated to hit approximately US$ 25.5 billion by 2028.
Top 10 CMS Platforms
Here are the most popular CMS options for 2023. Some are free and open source, while others are commercial products.
- WordPress
- Square Space
- Drupal
- Magento
- HubSpot
- Woo Commerce
- Wix
- Ghost
- Shopify
- Blogger
1. WordPress
WordPress is one of the most widely used content management systems in the world. It is a hugely popular website builder and very efficient. Launched in 2013, it now powers about 43% of websites on the internet. From small-scale personal blogs to some of the biggest news websites in the world, they are all supported by WordPress. WordPress is free and has endless features for the user.
Key Features:
- The largest theme and the best plugin directories
- Built-in SEO features
- Convenient platform
- WP tool kit extension is available for the Plesk hosting platform
- Incredibly safe platform
- Mobile responsive content
WordPress is the ideal platform for both developers and novices. WordPress can support a variety of different apps. The CMS manages a gallery of over 58,000 WordPress plugins which will allow a user to create any type of website. WordPress offers an XML download option for all content making it easy for you to switch to another platform in the future if needed.
2. Squarespace
Squarespace is an all-in-one CMS and website builder. It will allow a user to create and maintain their own website. The website builder prioritises professional looking pages and efficient publishing. Compared to other CMS platforms, square space has a unique selling point in its gorgeous designs. It has the best free and paid templates, some of which have won design awards. Squarespace is hugely popular with musicians, creative workers, and artists due to its contemporary designs.
Key Features:
- Unlimited design templates
- Friendly SEO tools
- Free domain for the first year
- Built in marketing tools
- 24/7 customer assistance
- Excellent eCommerce and blogging capabilities
- Free logo making tool
- Third-party extensions
With its many features and tools, you can build a very professional website for your business. It is known for its straightforward and clean design, drag, and drop interface. The platform also allows users to customise their own images, fonts, and colours.
3. Drupal
Drupal is an open-source PHP CMS platform often utilised for developers, agencies, and marketers. It is very flexible and ideal for those with coding experience. Compared to WordPress and Joomla, Drupal optimises its built-in features for better security and performance. It can be used to make dynamic websites through PHP scripting language and MySQL databases for its operation.
Key Features:
- Drupal is a great fit for E-Commerce
- The platform can be significantly improved
- It is the best PHP content management system for busy websites
- Regular updates improve platform security
4. Magento
Magento is one of the highest quality CMS platforms on the market. It is ideal if you are looking to optimise your site. The platform's focus is security, customisation, and SEO to optimise any type of website. Magento's powerful capabilities power many well-known websites such as Nike, Ford, Fox connects, and many more. The platform can feature a large number of products and orders for those bigger online stores. It can manage multiple stores in various locations using different currencies and languages.
Key Features:
- Magento is user-friendly
- The platform is adaptable and can support larger apps
- The CMS has enough features to support contemporary eCommerce sites
- The community creates plug-ins and extensions regularly
5. HubSpot
HubSpot CMS has a fully integrated content management system for business owners and marketers. The platform features a subdivision CMS hub built on top so this will include access to market automation, services, sales, and operation tools. It is user-friendly so no technical skills are required. It has built-in SEO tools, drag and drop editor, and contact attribution. These features will make creating and optimising your website and content more accessible. There is a dedicated team to monitor the platform 24/7 to check for attacks and deal with virus scans on a regular basis.
Key Features:
- Built-in security safeguards
- Intelligent content options
- Configurable theme choices
- Serverless operations
6. Woo Commerce
Woo Commerce is one of the most popular and highly ranked e-commerce platforms in the world. It is an open source and free platform allowing a user to sell anything online. It is easy to manage and very flexible. With this CMS like platform, you can choose from many themes and extensions for your site. You can sell physical and digital products directly on your website and even attach affiliate links.
Key Features:
- Lots of Woo Commerce themes available
- The platform comes with Stripe and PayPal payments by default
- You can manage and keep track of all your stock
- It includes CMS functions such as email marketing, SEO integration, mobile access, data security, and more.
7. Wix
Wix CMS platform is ideal for new entrepreneurs seeking to establish their online presence with the use of its straightforward setup and drag and drop interface. Over 800 designer made templates and over 100 fonts are available to choose from, with 500 of these to access freely. The standard Wix editor or editor X can be used to build a site. Editor X offers features such as more access to design templates, creating custom codes, and enabling mobile readiness.
Key Features:
- Use columns to create order
- Add animation effects and Parallax scrolling to your site
- Engage viewers with Cinema graphs
- Slideshows
8. Ghost
Ghost is a free CMS specifically designed for bloggers in the blogging industry. Ghost was created in 2013 as an alternative to WordPress. Currently, more than 100 thousand websites use Ghost as their CMS. Some of these sites include codeacedemy.com and unsplash.com. It is a simple yet elegant CMS to use. It can be customised through themes and plugins. It is designed for security, speed, and scalability.
Key Features:
- If you want to run an online magazine or publication that people pay for, you can do this with Ghost. Ghost is set up to charge a consumer for content
- Ghost has a content editor that uses cards. This works like WordPress blocks
- The CMS offers great support for SEO
9. Shopify
Shopify is the ideal all in one CMS platform perfect for those who are looking to open their own online retail shop. The platform offers a drag and drop interface. Shopify allows the acceptance of debit and credit cards through the integrated payment solution. Some shop owners can easily set up and maintain their online storefronts through the Shopify hosted service. Through the dashboard, the entire store can be managed.
Key Features:
- All Shopify packages come with hosting, support, and security
- For customers purchasing on the website, it is a seamless and easy checkout
- Perfect for new retailer store entrepreneurs
- Minimal technical expertise is required for setting up
10. Blogger
Blogger is a free service provided by Google specifically set up for blogging. The software was launched in 1999. It has recently become very popular with bloggers as it is very user-friendly and requires no programming skills for updates or customisation. A user can set up a blog in minutes with its user-friendly interface. The CMS is designed perfectly for writing and publishing posts. Your blog is hosted by Google. It is free so you don’t need to install anything, update anything, or pay for hosting.
Key Features:
- Tools for collaboration
- Options for publishing content
- Categorization/grouping
- Manage your content
A great CMS platform should be:
- It should be intuitive and easy to use
- It should have a solid customer service base
- It should be customisable and stand out for all the right reasons
- Security should be a top priority
The digital world is always changing and fast paced. You choose a CMS that is suitable for your business and website. All CMS platforms vary and have unique benefits to the user. It should be able to manage your website, allow you to create a unique website, and easy to use for everyone involved. It is best to think what the best option for your business is before making an informed decision. Do your research and read reviews online before investing in one.
