CMS Comparison: Wordpress vs.Concrete

When deciding on the right content management system (CMS) for our client websites, the choice boils down to choosing the one with the right balance of functionality, flexibility, economy, security and ease of use for that client's budget, internal expertise, and functional requirements. For years, Concrete CMS (previously Concrete 5) has been Trivera's first choice for our client websites. But, with so many new clients in recent years coming to Trivera with existing WordPress websites, or a strong preference to build any new website on WordPress, it has become essential for us to master that platform. Our WordPress experience and team expertise has now grown to the point where we now can objectively recommend one or the other based on our client's needs.

As each platform has its distinct advantages and idiosyncrasies, our approach has been to first discover our client's needs and then to recommend the one that best meets their specific needs. Here are some of the factors that we consider to help our clients make that important choice.

WordPress:

Overview and Strengths WordPress is one of the most widely used CMS platforms globally, known for its simplicity and extensive ecosystem. Initially designed as a blogging platform, it has evolved into a comprehensive solution capable of managing complex websites.

• Extensibility: WordPress's greatest strength lies in its vast array of plugins and themes. With over 58,000 plugins, businesses can easily add functionalities ranging from SEO optimization to social media integration without extensive coding.

• Community and Support: Being an open-source platform, WordPress has a massive global community. This community provides extensive support through forums, tutorials, and guides, making it relatively easy to find help or hire skilled developers.

• SEO Friendliness: WordPress is known for its strong SEO capabilities, crucial for digital marketing. Plugins like Yoast SEO provide powerful tools to optimize content and technical SEO aspects.

Limitations

• Security Concerns: Due to its popularity, WordPress is a common target for hackers. While regular updates address security vulnerabilities, maintaining a WordPress site's security requires constant vigilance and updates.

• Performance: With the addition of multiple plugins, WordPress sites can become slow and bloated, potentially harming user experience and SEO if not properly managed.

• Awkward Administrative Backend: WordPress's backend can be unintuitive and cumbersome for those unfamiliar with web development. However, addons like Elementor enhance usability by offering a drag-and-drop interface, allowing more user-friendly and visual content management directly from the frontend.

Concrete CMS (formerly Concrete5):

Overview and Strengths Concrete CMS is renowned for its user-friendliness and robust in-context editing capabilities. It positions itself as a practical choice for those who need a more intuitive content editing experience.

• In-context Editing: Concrete CMS allows users to edit website content directly on the page, unlike WordPress, which primarily uses a back-end editor. This can be particularly useful for marketing teams that frequently update content and prefer a more visual editing process.

• Security: Concrete CMS has a strong emphasis on security with permissions and security updates managed centrally, which, along with its smaller market share makes it less susceptible to common vulnerabilities.

• Structured Data Handling: Concrete CMS excels in handling structured data and complex content relationships. It's particularly beneficial for websites that require detailed data organization and display, such as product catalogs or customer databases.

Limitations:

• Plugin Ecosystem: While Concrete CMS offers various add-ons, its marketplace is not as extensive as WordPress's. This could be a limitation if a business requires highly specific functionalities that are not covered by existing add-ons.

• Community and Support: Although there is support available, the community around Concrete CMS is smaller than WordPress's. This might impact the availability of third-party resources and professional help.

Comparison for a Digital Marketing Team

The choice between WordPress and Concrete CMS should consider several factors:

• Ease of Use: If the team prioritizes ease of use and prefers a more hands-on, visual approach to content management, Concrete CMS's in-context editing would be advantageous.
• Functionality Needs: WordPress, with its larger ecosystem, might be the better choice if the team requires extensive custom functionalities that can be addressed through plugins.
• Security and Maintenance: For teams that might not have extensive technical support, Concrete CMS offers a more secure out-of-the-box experience with less maintenance overhead.
• SEO Capabilities: If organic search is a major component of the digital marketing strategy, WordPress's advanced SEO tools and plugins might be more appealing.

Ultimately, the decision should align with the team's specific needs, technical capabilities, and long-term digital strategy. WordPress offers flexibility and a rich feature set through its plugins, suitable for those looking for extensive customization. Conversely, Concrete CMS provides a more streamlined and secure experience, ideal for teams who value simplicity and effectiveness in managing structured data. Ultimately the decision needs to be made based on what is the better choice for you.

If you're going to be working with a digital marketing or web design firm, make sure that their recommendation is based on that fact and not on their lack of experience.

About Tom Snyder

Tom Snyder, founder, president and CEO of Trivera, a 28-year-old strategic digital marketing firm based in suburban Milwaukee. Tom has been blogging since 1998, sharing the insight gained from helping businesses and organizations reinforce their brands by taking full advantage of digital and web technology as powerful tactics.

Photo Credit: Adobe Stock

Looking for an improved web presence?  

Let's talk about strategy and your business.

 Get Started

Share this article