Yes, we’re all aware of WordPress, HubSpot, and Joomla, and Wix, but what about those content management systems that are challenging the leaders in the industry?
It’s only fair to highlight and delve a little deeper into the broader options available for organizations that are seeking out strong CMS solutions.
So, let’s get into them.
Blogger
The clearly-defined CMS Blogger has been around for a while – pre-millennium, in fact, being set up since 1999, originally as a blogging platform.
Blogger is a free service that is provided by Google and can be spotted by “blogspot” in the domain name.
But what are the specific strengths and weaknesses of Blogger? Let’s see.
Strengths
It is very simple to get started with, as a blog can be set up within minutes. Its user interface design makes it great for writing and publishing content.
The platform comes with a host of gadgets that can be added for free so that users can include aspects such as contact forms and advertisement.
The platform is also hosted by Google, so there is nothing to install, and there are no necessary payments for having to host it yourself.
And finally, Blogger provides wide open spaces for you to write and exhibit your best work. In fact, there is no limit on how many posts you can have on the platform, while the limit of static pages goes all the way to 20. Plus, any images that are used are stored on Google Drive, which has a nice limit space of 15GB.
Weaknesses
Well, put simply, Blogger is more geared towards blogging. If you’re wanting a digital product to run a website, then Blogger isn’t going to be anyone’s number one. And with no ecommerce functionality, it is out of the question to use it as an online shop.
Also, while we said that they provide a lot of themes, the majority of them (if not all of them) are fairly standard.
Finally, if you are on the Blogger platform and decide to switch from Blogger to WordPress, for example, you’ll need to copy your pages manually. Yikes.
Bitrix24
The not-so-simply named platform Bitrix24 is a business tool that also provides content management system capabilities, alongside others such as project management abilities and customer relationship management.
It’s free to use at the basic level and provides an all-in-one solution for smaller businesses.
Here are the strengths and weaknesses of Bitrix24.
Strengths 
In addition to being free to use, there is a large number of features that are out of the box with Bitrix24, which provides pretty much all you need for you operate a small (or even medium-sized) business.
The digital platform has a drag-and-drop interface that is simply to use and includes capabilities that stretch into creating landing pages and ecommerce capabilities.
Plus, the website hosting is absolutely free on the basic plan.
Weaknesses
Bitrix24’s strength is in its use as a customer relationship management solution, and so its CMS capabilities take on a secondary role. Yet if you’re looking for both a CMS and CRM then it may be the ideal fit.
One of its strengths, the abundance of features, tips it into a weakness also, as it makes the platform’s interface tricky to navigate.
Magento
Better known for its ecommerce functionality, Magento also carries out content management system capabilities.
There is a free version of the powerful open-source ecommerce platform, called Magento Open Source, with the easiest way to get started with this being hosting it on SiteGround Magento.
Now over to its strengths and weaknesses.
Strengths
Magento’s structure means that you can handle a lot of products as well as customers. At its core, it holds strong scaling capabilities. It is also highly customizable, offering plenty of third-party extensions that you are able to add.
As a big name with an international reputation, Magento is used by some of the biggest and most famous brands, such as Nike, Coca Cola, and Ford.
And finally, you can connect different payment methods, including PayPal, cash on delivery, and bank transfer.
Weaknesses
Magento does have a higher learning curve than other digital platforms, and so for beginners, it may seem a bit overwhelming.
Secondly, it’s usually difficult to find good developers for Magento projects, which also means they’re usually more expensive to hire.
And when it comes to the support system, it can vary a bit, especially if you’re relying on help forums for Magento Open Source.
Textpattern
This simple and straightforward content management system has been on the market for 8 years. Textpattern is an open-source platform and has stacks of documentation to help you out.
Strengths
The platform has a flexible approach when it comes to how you can structure content. Using categories and sections helps to organize content, with readers able to subscribe to specific RSS feeds.
Plus, there are plenty of modifications on Textpattern as well as plugins, templates, and designs that are all free to use.
Weaknesses
The installation process for Textpattern isn’t so simple with major web hosts as there is no one-click solution. It’s not incredibly difficult, yet you’d need to be comfortable with creating a database on your web host.
Also, given that Textpattern is not very well known, it is likely more difficult to find and hire developers who are familiar with the content management system.
TYPO3
Another content management system that mixes letters and numbers, TYPO3 is also another free and open-source platform that is actually older than Blogger by a year.
TYPO3 is useful for creating internal company sites given that it’s an enterprise content management system.
Strengths
The platform has the strength to handle very large websites, including sites that have multiple websites in multiple languages. This makes it a great option for international companies.
TYPO3 can be extended however you want given that it’s open source – as long as you’re willing to hire a developer.
Modifying access rights is easy to handle both for individuals as well as groups. And with more than 6,000 extensions and apps, you can add plenty of features to your TYPO3 website.
Weaknesses
TYPO3 lacks depth in available themes, which increases the likelihood that you’ll have to hire a developer to create one.
And finally, you’ll need quite a high level of technical expertise to get your TYPO3 website up and running – and to maintain.
PS: ArganoUV is one of the world’s leading Contentful development teams. Contact us to see how we can work together.
