Anyone using other website builders other than wordpress

23 replies
I was going over some things yesterday and it popped into my head that I need to broaden my skills to stay competitive in this industry. The other day I was building a site and it dawned on my that really the only sites I know how to build are wordpress sites.

Not that this is a bad thing but it had me seriously thinking what if. What if someone didn't want a wordpress because they are considered more blogging sites than anything although you can make them look anything but a blogging site. What if a theme or template a customer came to the table with was joomla or drupal?

So my question is do any of you use multiple site builders other than wordpress, yahoo site builder, or homestead? I know there are many out there joomla, drupal, and many others but what are some that are the next best thing you are using. I know wordpress seems to be the norm and I dont forsee this changing for a long time seeing how it has evolved much more than it has in the past.

Just something I thought I might get some feedback on before I try to take to much time trying to learn another system.
#builders #website #wordpress
  • Profile picture of the author spesialis
    There's a learning curve to everything

    there's a quote once I read here in WF (forgot who've said it) "Do you really want to be an underpaid web designer or an internet marketer?"

    From what I see here in offline forum, the best skill you must start to learn is 'how to outsource things cheaply and efficiently'

    Anyway, try dreamweaver, and browse to thousands of business html template out there
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  • Profile picture of the author scarab
    I use WP only. It used to take me weeks to get a Dreamweaver site site built and tweeked to clients liking. WP let me do it in about 2 days, huge time saver. What I really like and how I sell the WP sites is letting the client know that they can make updates and post articles themselves any time. That saves them money and lets me get on to other business. The plugins free or commercial really extend WP while HTML coding requires me to hack away at code and again that is time spent building a site.

    gmoney38, I see you are located in OK, so am I. What part of the state are you in. I am in the NE part and live in Ketchum.
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    • Profile picture of the author AdwordsMogul
      Originally Posted by scarab View Post

      I use WP only. It used to take me weeks to get a Dreamweaver site site built and tweeked to clients liking. WP let me do it in about 2 days, huge time saver.
      For the benefit of newbies... strictly speaking there is no such thing as a Dreamweaver site.

      It's just software used to edit code and build sites.

      I use Dreamweaver to build and edit Wordpress themes, amongst other things.
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  • Profile picture of the author George Pitts
    Thanks specialis! One thing you are right about is outsourcing. I have done a great job with that on the wordpress and SEO side of things. Time to make a new plan and make this more efficient. Thanks for the info!
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    Don't just follow the Pack...Lead the Pack

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  • Profile picture of the author naughtyneo
    I use xsitepro for smaller site.
    It is specifically designed for internet marketers. It is much easier to learn and work with than dreamweaver. However I have only seen one or two sites that offer decent template for xsitepro and it lacks the flexibility offered by dreamweaver.

    -Neo
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  • Profile picture of the author George Pitts
    Hey Scarab!

    Thanks for the info. I havent tried to use dreamweaver but I heard it is complicated to use. I like wordpress because you can have a site up within a day or two like you said and all the plugins makes customizations very easy. I am in Central Oklahoma in Edmond Ok.

    Hey Neo,

    I havent heard of xsitepro before. I will check it out this weekend and mess with it. Seems like a sure thing especially since it isnt as complicated as dreamweaver thats what makes it so difficult to use
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  • Profile picture of the author Digital Traffic
    If I'm not using wordpress, this is the software I use.

    It has about a 4 to 6 hour learning curve. Version 5 just came out, I think you can buy Version 4 for half price.

    They have a very active forum.

    Web Design Software - Serif Store
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  • Profile picture of the author George Pitts
    Does Drupal or xSite have plugins like wordpress for you to customize and things of that sort?
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    • Profile picture of the author zulfnore
      Originally Posted by gmoney38 View Post

      Does Drupal or xSite have plugins like wordpress for you to customize and things of that sort?
      Drupal and Joomla don't use plugin as such - they use what they call modules to add extra functionality much like you would with plugins for WordPress.

      I rarely ever use Drupal, Joomla or Dreamweaver as the learning curve is very steep - most of my site and those of clients are WordPress based and for those that want/require html driven sites I use Notepad++ for coding - Keeping it simple and its working just fine
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  • Profile picture of the author Russell Hall
    Hey GMoney38,

    I'm a WP man and have been for years now but I'll have to admit that at times earlier on in the learning curve I seriously considered some other platforms. The reason for that being that WP can get a bit sticky is because the platform does change (upgrades) a LOT,.. that can be good but overall it can be a bit of a pain and does cause coding issues that have to be fixed up. The other thing I found was that there was such a wide contrast in the working mechanisms of many different themes (and plugins) and so I found it best when I was designing/building to stick with just a few theme platforms such as StudioPress, Woo, and Thesis and that way you can become accustomed to the back end mechanisms and save a ton of time.
    Other platforms I've worked with and know to be good are:
    *XsitePro (very user friendly)
    *Homestead (basic but versatile and easy to set up)
    *Joomla ( a great php platform that is actually a lot more consistent than WP and has some killer templates to work with). My brother builds entirely with Joomla and runs a 7 figure PA web design business in Australia so I know its a winning system (he and I do have a running argument though about how WP wins in the SEO stakes...and that for me is a big deal).
    Hope that helps.
    Main thing is to find a system that you personally feel comfortable with and that you won't spend ages fighting with. Stay focused and keep your eyes on the money and not the machinery!

    Best regards,
    Russell Hall
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  • Profile picture of the author George Pitts
    Thanks Russell!

    This was awesome advice brother and it helps me alot to really know that I need to find some platforms im most comfortable with and stick to them. As you know there are so many platforms out there that it is difficult at times to choose from.

    I think im gonna stick with wordpress however I may build a test site for learning other programs just to have a backup. I love wordpress so much cause its scalable the plugins allow you to bring almost anything to life for your clients (within reason) and its evolved so much with the different platforms you can never tell its even a blog.
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  • Profile picture of the author sconlinemarketing
    I only Wordpress, and unless something better comes along, I will continue using it.
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  • Profile picture of the author Nick Surran
    I just built the first site I've worked on in over six years. I have no WordPress knowledge, so I just went back to what I know and that's FrontPage. I have so much to catch up on...
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  • Profile picture of the author ganesh
    I love opensource CMS. I use Joomla , Drupal, Wordpress and some others. It really depends on the kind of use and what will match the clients present and future requirements. Every script for that matter has a learning curve. If you are looking for a easy to use, free and very powerful CMS then I would suggest using Open Source Content Management System - Open Source CMS - CMS PHP - CMS Made Simple.
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  • Profile picture of the author J.M.Wilson
    Wordpress for the business owner who wants to add his own content over time as it is stupid simple for them to do so.

    XSitePro for other cases.

    I do love Wordpress though. It's so easy and I can have a site done in a matter of hours.
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  • Profile picture of the author George Pitts
    Thanks Guys! This is good stuff. Wordpress just seems much more better to use than any other platform out there
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  • Profile picture of the author KabirC
    Don't fix it if it ain't broke. Wordpress is great, and works like a charm! Why would you want to try something else?
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  • Profile picture of the author George Pitts
    Well its not that I want to try something else. I just want to learn something else just in case something doesnt float with a customer on the wordpress theme side I have another platform in my arsenal that I can show them
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    • Profile picture of the author Alex Tran
      Nowadays, I use Wordpress 99.99% of the time. The CMS is proven and there are so many useful plugins.

      Previously, I used Joomla and HTML. One time, I converted a Drupal site to Wordpress.

      If you don't have too, I suggest you stick with the industry standard. It makes it easier for you to support.

      Even within Wordpress, I have standardized on a theme platform. Pick one where you can load a child theme over the base theme. This makes it easier to train your staff.

      Best of luck.
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