Over the last 5 years I have been asked the same question by numerous businesses. “Why should we use Umbraco as our content management system over WordPress”?

Really good question and I’ve just been asked it again today so I have decided to blog about it for posterity, here is my answer which I hope you find useful.

As an agency that have designed and developed many websites over many years, we work with a variety of content management systems. Umbraco continually stands out as the favorite for many reasons. When we give a demonstration to new clients they love the simplicity of the system and how quick and flexible it is for them to take total control over their own website once live. We have never come across any design restrictions with Umbraco, unlike WordPress which we must remember was initially created to be a blogging tool. Umbraco always set out to be a comprehensive CMS and provides the ability for full customisation. Umbraco can be tailored precisely to the publishing needs of any website or web application. In my view and anyone who knows about content management systems or has worked with Umbraco, it can be whatever you want it to be. There’s great expectations and enthusiasm with every new Umbraco project we embark on, that it’s just going to be great and there is also the excitement long after the build of what the cms can deliver with the built in SEO and the ability to make changes to content and photography etc.

Once set up Umbraco is like your businesses DNA online, it’s specific to your business and an ideal partner for any business type or size. It’s just so fit for purpose and ready for your online journey for whatever you wish to achieve. Like anything though it’s all in the planning and set up. Here at Retox we know how to get the best from Umbraco for all of the businesses we work with. It can be used to schedule content, hide pages, create new pages, change content etc and it will adapt to any device, it looks totally unique and bespoke to your business. It is able to handle a multitude of plug-in’s for data capture to e-commerce the list is too long to mention.

As a side – Where did the name Umbraco come from? It’s actually the Danish word for an Allen Key – a tool that brings everything together.

For the developers, Umbraco integrates .Net controls along with performance control such as caching, pre-built easy to use API’s and a built in search engine. While offering all this it allows for custom API’s to be created and used without any restrictions.

I am informed by those in the know that security is not likely to be an issue compared to WordPress which can not say the same. This is down to the integrated .Net controls; this is also well documented in the many other blogs on this subject you can find across the net.

It’s well stated that Umbraco uses Microsoft’s latest built in authentication technology ensuring the systems are both secure and robust.

Mentioning the word robust – this is most certainly something I would say Umbraco certainly is from an administers point of view. I have tried to break it, well unintentionally many times but thankfully it is such a great CMS especially for non technical users linked with how intuitive it is you aren’t left scratching your head or reaching for the wine bottle, it’s just a pleasure to use.

Umbraco’s rich text editor gives all users the tools they are used to on word processing solutions such as Microsoft Word, it actually allows you to create and edit content directly from Microsoft Word and Microsoft Live Writer. Along with this Umbraco can deliver rich sites based on flash, Silverlight and HTML5.

You have probably guessed by now that it is our CMS of choice here at Retox Digital and we are constantly been informed on numerous occasions by clients that they find WordPress difficult to use and have opted for Umbraco instead. As far as I’m concerned I let Umbraco sell itself by giving demonstrations on the site, anyone can see very quickly how great it is to use and manage.

We include free training as part of any web project delivered, the truth is once our clients get their first demo link of their new website to view progress and based on them already having a demo from us at the very beginning of the project they know exactly what to do.

So in Conclusion

There’s only one conclusion – Umbraco all the way, not that I’m saying everything else is rubbish, certainly not. I am basing my comments on this subject based on many years of working with Umbraco and the feedback I get on a daily basis amongst a whole host of businesses.

WordPress definitely has a place in the market, with WordPress I have found it’s a bit like Marmite; you either love it or hate it. I have come across considerably more people who hate it because it is difficult to use. At the end of the day you get what you pay for, WordPress in my view and many others is more suitable for a cheap smaller site.

Comparing WordPress to Umbraco is like comparing a Mansion to a Maisonette.

Let’s look at some more evidence on this subject. WordPress can become overwhelming and cumbersome when a larger website structure is required. Let’s not forget as I mentioned earlier it’s a blogging solution. Ideal for many small websites with limited content.

If you want a professional looking site that can adapt around your website as it evolves over time that your business deserves then you should be looking at Umbraco, no question.

If you would like to learn more about Umbraco and would like a demonstration I will be delighted to show you. Get in touch by either email Julie.charlton@retoxdigital.com or Tel 01670 785 786