Approximately one-third (36 percent) of all small business owners say that they do not have a website set up yet. Are you part of this group? Are you in the process of establishing your online presence?
When you’re putting together a website, you need to think beyond the website itself. You also need to think about how you’re going to optimize that website and how you’re going to manage all the content you publish on it.
A good content management system (CMS for short) is a must for all business websites, especially those that are going to have a blog attached to them.
If you’re having a hard time deciding between popular CMS options like Drupal and WordPress, keep reading. In this article, you’ll learn more about the Drupal vs WordPress debate and figure out which option works better for you and your business.
What is Drupal?
Drupal is a CMS that has been around for a long time -- even longer than WordPress, as a matter of fact. Drupal was originally launched all the way back in 2000. It currently powers about 2.3 percent of all websites on the internet and takes up 4.6 percent of the CMS market.
Several popular websites are run on Drupal, including The Economist, the University of Colorado, and even NASA.gov.
What is WordPress?
WordPress has not been around for as long as Drupal. However, it’s definitely the more popular of the two. Since its launch back in 2003, WordPress has come a long way, and it now powers 34 percent of all websites. It also takes up a whopping 60.8 percent of the CMS market.
Some of the most popular websites that run on WordPress include WhiteHouse.gov, The New Yorker, and TechCrunch.
Drupal Pros and Cons
Clearly, if major organizations like NASA are choosing to use Drupal, it must have some advantages to bring to the table. It does come with some drawbacks as well, though.
Listed below are some of the most important pros and cons you ought to consider when deciding whether or not Drupal will work better for you:
Pros
One of the most frequently touted benefits of Drupal is the fact that it is highly functional. It can do a lot more than WordPress can, so if you’re looking for a CMS with all the bells and whistles, Drupal is definitely worth considering.
It’s especially worth learning how to use Drupal if your website is going to require multiple page templates and types of content. This content management system will allow you to customize each page to fit your specific needs and goals.
Drupal is more flexible, too, and is designed for those who are interested in custom development. It does come with some pre-made templates and themes, but there are also lots of opportunities for you to create a website that is completely your own.
Websites that use Drupal are often more secure than WordPress sites, too. This is especially true if you use the right hosting platform (such as Pantheon or Acquia).
Cons
Drupal is known for being harder to learn than WordPress. Once you get the hang of Drupal, you’ll find that it’s fairly straightforward. However, the learning curve is a lot steeper. This can be a turn-off to many people, especially those who are not particularly tech-savvy.
If you’re considering hiring a developer to help you with your website, keep in mind that you may have to spend more money to find one who specializes in Drupal. Because of WordPress’s popularity, it can be harder to find Drupal developers, and they often charge more for their services because there are fewer of them out there.
Because it’s less popular and takes up less of the market share, Drupal also does not have as many plug-ins available. Depending on the complexity of your websites and your business needs, this may not be a problem. It can be frustrating, though, especially when you’re looking for a very specific tool and cannot find it.
WordPress Pros and Cons
WordPress is a popular option that a lot of people swear by. That doesn’t mean it’s not without downsides, though. Here are some key WordPress pros and cons you ought to keep in mind:
Pros
Compared to Drupal, WordPress is much easier to learn and use. You do not need to have any coding skills in order to start using WordPress, so the barrier to entry is much lower.
Because more people use WordPress than Drupal or other content management systems, there’s a larger community out there for you to connect with. This can come in handy when you’re looking for help with a particular issue.
There are also many more developers who are versed in WordPress compared to Drupal. This, in turn, makes it easier (and more affordable) for you to get help when working to develop or improve your site.
WordPress offers tons of plugins to help you maximize your site and get the most out of it. Whether you need help with SEO, analytics, or anything else, there’s a good chance there’s a plugin designed with that particular need in mind.
Cons
All the different plugins available to WordPress users can be helpful. However, installing them can sometimes make your site more vulnerable to security breaches. WordPress sites tend to be more prone to security issues when compared to Drupal sites.
WordPress sites also are not able to handle large amounts of data with the same ease that Drupal sites can. If you’re running a very large or complex website, it may not be the right CMS for you.
Drupal vs Wordpress: Which Should You Choose?
Now that you know more about the pros and cons of both Drupal and WordPress, do you know which one you’re going to use for your website?
Both of these content management systems have their benefits and drawbacks. It’s up to you to decide which one is a better fit for you.
Keep this information in mind and you’ll have a much easier time making this decision.