Hey, everyone! I’m sure most of you have dabbled with a content management system (CMS) at some point, whether it’s for work or a personal project. Some people love 'em, some hate 'em. I’m especially curious about the things that drove you nuts or made the experience less than enjoyable. I’m trying to avoid any pitfalls when we launch ours, so your input would be super helpful!
What do you think? What made you throw your hands up in frustration, and what actually worked for you?
One thing to consider is whether you want to use an open-source CMS or a proprietary one. Open-source CMSs like WordPress and Drupal offer a lot of flexibility and customization, but they can also be more complex to set up and maintain. Proprietary CMSs like Wix and Squarespace are often easier to use, but you may have less control over the design and functionality of your website
I think the user experience is really important, especially for a CMS that you’ll be using on a regular basis. If the interface is confusing or difficult to navigate, it can make your life a lot harder. I’ve definitely had experiences where I’ve felt overwhelmed by a CMS and just wanted to give up
Security is always a top concern for me, and I’ve had my fair share of worries with CMSs. Some platforms have a history of security vulnerabilities, which can be a major risk for your website. It’s important to choose a CMS that takes security seriously and is regularly updated with patches.
I’ve had some terrible experiences with CMS support. When I’ve run into problems, I’ve often found it difficult to get help. Either the documentation is outdated or the support team is unresponsive. It’s really frustrating when you’re stuck and can’t figure out how to fix something.
One thing that really drove me nuts was performance issues. I’ve used CMSs that were so slow and clunky that it was a nightmare to work with. I’m talking about pages taking forever to load and the editor freezing up constantly. It’s a huge productivity killer.
I’ve always been a fan of customization, so I’ve found that some CMSs can be a bit limiting. The templates are often too generic, and it can be a pain to try and make them fit your specific needs. I’ve also had issues with the WYSIWYG editors being buggy or not supporting certain HTML elements.
I’ve used a few different CMSs over the years, and I’ve definitely had my fair share of frustrations. The biggest one for me was always the learning curve. Some CMSs are super intuitive, while others require hours of tutorials and documentation just to get started. I remember one time trying to set up a simple blog post and spending an entire day figuring out how to add an image
I’ve been using Drupal since the D6/D7 days, and I’m still a big fan. It does everything I need without me having to reinvent the wheel.
It’s like a content management framework where even folks with minimal coding skills can build awesome sites. I’m always impressed by it, so it surprises me when people complain — but that often happens when it’s been over-customized.