The only constant in life is change, and that old bromide applies to technology more than anything else. Businesses that aren’t leveraging the latest tools often miss out on superior functionality, connectivity, and security, and a website’s content management system (CMS) can be a game-changer. For example, some business websites continue to rely on legacy content management tech, which is increasingly expensive to support, has limited functionality, and poses security risks to boot. Other companies see their website goals shift as they grow and evolve, which often means that their current content management system (CMS) no longer meets the needs of their customers or employees.
A CMS is designed for building, editing, and managing websites as easily and quickly as possible. While there are dozens of CMS platforms, there are a lot of very good reasons why the most popular one is WordPress, from offering almost limitless customization options to being effortless for non-experts to understand and work with. Migrating a business website to a more robust content management system (CMS) like WordPress is a smart way to stay current with the latest tech trends, offer useful features to your customers, improve security, and gain more agency over your site. Our experts offer insights into why, and when, a CMS migration might be right for your business.
1. Is your business growing?
When you’re just starting out, a barebones platform might be exactly what your website needs. As a business grows and scales, however, its website typically has to accommodate more site visitors and to use tools that its current CMS might not support. In fact, business growth is one of the most common reasons for migrating from one content management system to another. For instance, you might need to connect with and manage a growing client database with online signup forms or email marketing, and not all CMS providers can offer that.
While a CMS migration and a website refresh are often paired, a business can certainly opt to have one without the other. The migration process occurs “under the hood,” meaning that nobody has to know you’re moving to a different platform. Your site can look exactly the same—except it will load more quickly and have the functionality that your visitors require – more on that next.
2. Do you want updated functionality?
Modern businesses often take advantage of multiple SaaS applications—for example, think of cloud storage companies like Dropbox or cloud apps like Google Calendar or your preferred online payment system. A CMS migration might be in order for your business if your current platform doesn’t support the features your team needs to stay productive and operate smoothly.
Plugins, which are simply third party software add-ons that “plug into” your website, enable businesses to customize their sites by integrating functionalities and features. Think of it like apps on your smartphone that enable you to easily perform a variety of useful tasks. Great CMS platforms have a massive library of plugins (or “apps,” which is what platforms like Wix call them) to choose from for any kind of business, from a small ecommerce store to a major brand.
3. Is your current CMS underperforming?
If your current platform is experiencing any of the following, it might be time for a CMS migration:
Slow load times
If your page takes longer than 3 seconds to load, whether that’s due to traffic or server issues, it translates to higher bounce rates and a lower ranking on Google. A CMS migration to a high-quality platform like WordPress will result in quicker load times, higher search rankings, and happier users.
Inadequate support
Not all CMS providers have a helpful customer service team or a robust support community. If support is important to you and your current provider offers none, or if the support community is thin on the ground, it might be hard to get your questions answered or find solutions to everyday problems.
Unable to integrate with advanced tech
Some CMS platforms have an impressive library of extensions—think tens of thousands—that you can add to your site for free, spanning everything from contact forms to comments to social media buttons. Other platforms are more bare bones, offering only a few hundred options, and they might require monthly payments. If there are certain functionalities that your business can’t do without, then a CMS migration is probably in the cards.
Cybersecurity issues
A weak content management system can expose your business and customers to cyber-threats or data breaches, while a robust CMS is constantly being updated, fixing bugs, and delivering regular security improvements to keep your website safe. If your CMS isn’t frequently updated, it’s a good idea to look elsewhere.
4. Do you want more control over your site?
One of the top reasons for a CMS migration is that a platform like WordPress, for example, will make your site content much easier to manage, which lightens the load for your staff. If you’ve always had to rely on a dedicated “IT guy” or gal to update your site code anytime you need to add new content, products, or make any other changes to your website, then it will be a welcome relief to make updates yourself—without needing to learn a single line of code!
In fact, some experts say that if you know your way around Microsoft Word, managing your website on a CMS like WordPress will be a walk in the park.
Ensure a Smooth CMS Migration
There’s nothing more satisfying than watching your business expand and grow. If it’s time to transfer your website to a more modern and reliable CMS, or rethink your business site altogether, the tech experts at Buddy Web Development and Design will be happy to chat with your team. We have years of experience building stunning and easy-to-use business websites while always being great to work with. If you’re ready to level up your site, please browse our work here or reach out to us by filling out this form.
