![[Infographic] Effective Business Websites: Key Features That Make a Difference](https://webdesignvalley.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/How-Responsive-Web-Design-Will-Increase-Your-Accessibility-And-Benefit-Your-Business-1-1.png "[Infographic] Effective Business Websites: Key Features That Make a Difference")
Whether in flexibility or customization capabilities, Drupal is the best CMS platform option for businesses seeking to build an organizational website. We’ve compiled a list of reasons to illustrate how and why Drupal is the best choice.
But before we get started, you might be wondering, what exactly is CMS?
CMS stands for content management system, which is used to manage content on informational sites, social media sites, member sites, intranets, web applications and more. Drupal functions a bit differently than the average CMS, as it is a platform that combines modules to provide a CMS system that is tailored to meet your business’ exact needs.
1. This, and the fact that it is a second generation CMS, makes Drupal quite different from the other CMS platforms. What’s the difference between a first generation and a second generation CMS platforms? First generation CMS platforms like Sitecore or SiteVision require any new or customized functionality to be added through modules that need to be developed by specialists using a separate script like Java. This usually results in a monopoly with the original development team, which can be difficult for your business’ site if you decide to switch to a different provider. Drupal is a second generation CMS platform, which means you can have any Drupal web designer create new or customized functionality without the help of the original provider. This gives you a great deal of freedom to find a provider that actually meets your expectations.
2. Drupal provides open source content.
This means that you don’t need to pay any licensing fees to access their basic modules and pre-designed themes. Instead, Drupal is maintained in collaboration by thousands of programmers around the world, who create modules and templates giving you access to tools that are designed for ultimate functionality, rather than to make a profit. In addition to giving you access to high-quality tools, Drupal’s open source policy allows you to put your business’s resources towards other web-related projects, like web development and customization.
3. Drupal is incredibly customizable.
With over 14,000 available modules to choose from, finding a unique and professional module for your business’s website is easy. If you’re looking for increased personalization, Drupal has got you covered. Their modules are designed to be customizable in functionality, layout and design. Your site can be as basic or layered as you require. Plus, if a Drupal website or module doesn’t have what you want, the code can be adjusted or built upon by a Drupal web developer to fit whatever you have in mind, from advanced menu management to graphics modification tools.
4. Drupal sites allow for easy and organized management.
Drupal’s modules allow its users to be able to make adjustments and changes without the help of the original creators, which gives you detailed control over your site and its fluctuations. In addition, Drupal allows for multiple users, with adjustable permission settings and roles for each unique user. This feature makes it easy to assign different roles and responsibilities between your business’ team, keeping your website management experience streamlined and organized.
This management strategy leads to sustainable and low-cost maintenance practices, as your team can gain experience and familiarity with your site without paying for continual site upgrades and professional coding.
5. Drupal is incredibly secure.
A team from Drupal is constantly working to track maintenance, security and upgrades within the platform, which means they are also constantly monitoring and addressing any issues that might arise. As if that weren’t enough, you can rest easy knowing that Drupal allows system scalability, which means your site traffic can be deployed on a single server or across a load-balancer, distributed server cluster if need be.
6. Drupal is used by the professionals.
Finally, Drupal’s success has been proven, as it is currently in use by some of the biggest names in the world. A small sample of its users includes The United Nations, Google, Yahoo, Harvard University and Disney, to name a few. It’s reliability and popularity can be seen in its download rates: According to Drupal.org, Drupal is currently downloaded approximately 150,000 times each month. Created in 2001, Drupal is a mature product and has provided reliable sites and modules to all kinds of organizations for more than a decade.
We hope to have given you an idea of all the benefits that Drupal can offer your organization. If you are interested in learning more about what Drupal CMS website can do for your specific needs, give our team of Drupal web developers a call today at (612) 590-8080 for a free consultation.
