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What are the benefits of using a pre-made content management system (CMS) website over a custom website made from scratch?
There are many advantages to starting with a Content Management System (CMS) rather than building every part of a website from scratch.
The biggest advantage is simple: you don’t have to reinvent the wheel.
A good CMS can give you a substantial foundation of already-built functionality, while still allowing you to customize the website and add functionality of your own. That can save considerable development time and cost without requiring you to settle for a generic-looking website.
1. You can get your website up and running faster
Building a website completely from scratch means developing and testing all of the underlying functionality yourself.
A capable CMS already has much of that foundation in place. Instead of spending development time recreating functionality that has already been developed, you can start with what is already there and concentrate on the parts of the website that are specific to your project.
For example, UltimateWB has a large collection of built-in website features, so you can start with functionality for things such as content management, forms, e-commerce, forums, social networking, photo galleries, directories, and more.
2. It can reduce development costs
Custom development can become expensive because you are paying for development time from the very beginning of the project.
If a CMS already provides functionality that your website needs, there is no reason to spend that development time building the same functionality again.
That doesn’t mean a complex website won’t require development. It means that you can spend your development resources where they provide the most value – on the things that make your website different.
3. You can manage your website more easily
A CMS gives you tools for managing the website after it has been built.
Instead of requiring a developer to manually edit website files every time you need to add or change content, you can use the CMS’s administrative tools to manage your website.
This is particularly useful for websites that are continually growing and changing.
4. Built-in functionality can eliminate unnecessary third-party dependencies
Many CMS platforms let you add functionality through plugins or extensions. That can be useful, but depending on a large collection of third-party components can also introduce additional compatibility, security, and maintenance considerations.
A CMS with substantial functionality already built in can simplify that.
UltimateWB has many features integrated into the platform rather than requiring you to assemble your website from a collection of separate third-party plugins. See all of the built-in UltimateWB features.
5. A pre-made CMS does not mean a pre-made-looking website
This is an important distinction.
One of the misconceptions about using a pre-made CMS is that your finished website will necessarily look like everyone else’s.
That depends on how flexible the platform is.
You can see this by looking at websites built with UltimateWB. Gym Chat, Shout Out Universe, HealthRefs, and SmiliesOn are all built with UltimateWB built-in apps, yet they have very different designs, layouts, purposes, and functionality.
So you don’t necessarily have to choose between a website built from scratch and a cookie-cutter website.
A flexible CMS can give you a foundation while still allowing you to create something that looks and works very differently from other websites using the same platform.
6. You can go beyond the built-in functionality when you need to
The flexibility can go even further.
Some websites built with UltimateWB have added their own custom functionality using PHP/MySQL. Examples include Me We Too, Friends Match Me, TopXPicks, Cards Match Game, and Flashcards Club.
These aren’t examples of people simply accepting whatever functionality happened to come with a CMS. They are examples of using an existing platform as a foundation and then extending it for the particular needs of the website.
That’s a very different approach from either extreme of “use a cookie-cutter template” or “build absolutely everything yourself.”
You can use the functionality that already exists and add your own PHP/MySQL, HTML, CSS, or JavaScript when you need something additional.
If you’re interested in the different ways UltimateWB can be used by people with different levels of technical experience, read The Powerful Website Builder for Beginners and Coders.
And for a more developer-focused discussion of using an established website-building platform instead of coding an entire website from scratch, read Why Should a Developer Use UltimateWB Website Builder Instead of Coding From Scratch?.
7. You can create something unique without custom coding everything
There is another important point here: customization does not always require custom programming.
A flexible website builder can allow you to make substantial changes to the design, layout, styling, content, navigation, and functionality using the tools already provided.
The websites mentioned above – Gym Chat, Shout Out Universe, HealthRefs, and SmiliesOn – are a good illustration of how different websites can be built on the same underlying platform.
So even before adding custom PHP/MySQL functionality, you can create a website that is distinctly your own.
And if your website eventually needs functionality that isn’t already built in, you have the option of extending it rather than starting over with an entirely new platform.
8. You have room to grow
A website that starts relatively simply can become much more sophisticated over time.
You may eventually want to add more users, content, e-commerce, forums, social networking, directories, custom functionality, or other features.
Starting with a flexible CMS gives you a foundation that can grow with those requirements.
UltimateWB has been used for everything from individual and business websites to large, feature-rich social networks. You can see examples in the UltimateWB showcase.
So, is a CMS better than a custom website coded from scratch?
The real advantage isn’t that a CMS magically makes every website better.
It’s that you don’t have to build something from scratch just for the sake of building it from scratch.
If a platform already provides functionality that you need, you can use it. If you want your website to look completely different from other sites, you can customize it. And if your project requires functionality that isn’t already there, a flexible platform can allow you to add it.
In other words, you can use the CMS as a foundation, rather than as a limitation.
That’s why the distinction between a “CMS website” and a “custom website” isn’t always as clear-cut as it sounds. A website can start with a pre-built CMS foundation and still become a highly customized, highly specialized website.
You don’t have to reinvent the wheel to build something unique.
Ready to design & build your own custom website – with or without custom coding? Learn more about UltimateWB! We also offer web design packages if you would like your website designed and built for you.
Got a techy/website question? Whether it’s about UltimateWB or another website builder, web hosting, or other aspects of websites, just send in your question in the “Ask David!” form. We will email you when the answer is posted on the UltimateWB “Ask David!” section.