Should You Use a Custom CMS?

Last Updated: 

April 28, 2024

Today, you can easily search through hundreds, if not thousands, of free content management systems on the internet. With all due respect, why would anyone suggest a custom CMS? Well, it's kinda simple, but kinda tricky.

If you're a small business happy with staying small, we wouldn't suggest you any custom software. It's like buying an expensive car when all you need is just a bike. 

a monitor on the wordpress home page
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But is that always the best choice, or could a custom software be better for your specific needs? If you’re looking for an actual answer, it's within the question itself. 

Let's take WordPress as an example. This CMS is great at managing website content, but if you want it to handle heavy traffic or do things like Instagram does, it will fail. Instagram has a ton of unique features that a standard website doesn't, right?

So, if you’re going to use website development services to build something fast and cool, it makes sense to also order a custom CMS. Simple enough? Below, we’ll get into tech details! 

Let’s start with the core stuff.

Key Takeaways on Using a Custom CMS

  1. Tailored Solutions: Custom CMS offers personalised tools tailored to specific business needs, enhancing efficiency and productivity.
  2. Flexibility and Scalability: Unlike ready-made options, custom CMS can adapt and grow with your business, accommodating evolving requirements.
  3. Advanced Features: Custom CMS can include advanced features such as SEO tools, integrated help desks, content personalisation, indexing, and search capabilities.
  4. Long-Term Investment: Despite initial higher costs, custom development often pays off in the long run by enabling business growth and providing lasting solutions.
  5. Development Time Consideration: While standard CMS may offer quick setup, custom CMS requires upfront work but results in a website perfectly suited to your audience.
  6. Clean Code and Performance: Custom development ensures clean, efficient code leading to better performance, compared to standard CMS which may contain unnecessary code causing slowdowns.
  7. Security and Integrations: Custom software tends to be more secure and allows seamless integrations with third-party tools, offering enhanced data protection and flexibility.
Online Business Startup

What Is a Custom CMS?

A custom CMS is a personalised tool for making, keeping, and sharing digital stuff. Unlike ready-made options, a custom one is created from the ground up to suit what you need.

Its main features? A custom content management system boosts how fast your employees can create, share, and use content, making things more efficient. 

For instance, it can often have these built-in features:

  • SEO tools;
  • Integrated help desk;
  • Content personalisation tools;
  • Indexing and search.

Here’s a fact: in 2023, about 55% of websites were made using custom content management systems.

a computer screen with a bunch of text on it
Photo by Unsplash

Why To Choose a Custom CMS?

Making your own content management system might be a good idea if you can't find one that works for you, or if the one you have now is far too small for your needs.

But why exactly should you choose custom CMS? It’s up to you! But here are some factors you should think about to make a decision:

Price

Although custom development can seem more expensive at first, it usually pays off in the long run. How? Because it can help you make more money over time by helping your business grow. Finally, custom software is made to last and can easily change and grow with your business.

Development Time

Standard CMS can save you a ton of time since you can quickly plug in ready-made features and templates. But going custom requires some upfront work to create the perfect setup for your audience. This can take a bit longer, but the result is a website that's perfectly suited to your needs.

Clean Code

Clean code might not be something you first think about, but it's really important. Custom development means clean, easy-to-understand code that makes future updates really simple. Normal CMS, on the other hand, can get loaded up with unnecessary code that makes things move slowly.

Security

These days, more than ever, security is a big worry. Just because it was built from scratch, custom software tends to be safer. A standard CMS depends on platform updates to keep you safe, which isn't always the best thing.

Performance 

Most of the time, custom sites work better because they only have the things that are needed. For a standard CMS, on the other hand, all the extra code might cause it to slow down.

Integrations

Lastly, let's talk about integrations. Pulling in data from other systems? Connecting with third-party tools? That’s not a problem, if you have your own developer. Custom software lets you connect everything you need, while standard CMS have limitations.

Bottom Line

Well, you still have got options: use a ready-made solution or buy a custom one. 

Ready-made CMS are quick to set up and use, but they might not fit your business perspectives. Your software should be flexible, just like your business. Custom CMS, on the other hand, are made exclusively for your needs, but they can be pricey.

So, to choose the right CMS, think about what your business needs now, and in the future… and don’t forget about your current budget!
Already looking for a custom CMS developer? DigitalSuits may be a perfect fit for you! For over 8 years, we've been making custom web software that’s more than just a service. Visit our site to learn more.

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