CMS that is simple for large "existing site"

by 7 replies
8
Hi,
My need is a little different from the other nearby post about content management system.

I have a tiger by the tail! My existing site is between 2000-3000 pages. It was in a good CMS system that shut down and it had to be moved quickly, but without anyway to manage it.

I had a system built, but it is rudimentary, disorganized, and constantly full of bugs I have to get corrected.

This is set up much like an ecommerce site, but it is an affilate site. I really need help.

I am not very techie. I am familiar with XsitePro and could use that, if I split it in sections and then pasted it back together, but I'd have to learn how, as my experience there is with smaller sites. It would also create all kinds of seo problems I would have to work around. They also pointed out that it would be easier if it was siloed, which it is now, but if I recreate it, I want straight navigation as I just don't think that is the right choice for this site.

I've looked online until my head aches. I looked at Joomla, but just didn't take to how it seems to work. I would also like something where I could be re-creating it without publishing, as it is live now and has good search positions I don't want to further mess up.

Another issue I have is that although an online subscription service with some support would be helpful, I don't want to lose control of my content again, and have it locked up where I can't back it up.
#programming #cms #existing site #large #simple
  • You need to be very very care full when moving your site. If you change its design, link structures ect.. dropping your ranks is inevitable and could result in a ban or sandbox rather.

    Optimizing a page for top ranking, then swapping another page in its place once a top ranking is achieved is looked down upon. it could be the same content you had before, but the design and formatting is different and new links going out and in could trigger flags.

    Just be cautious when moving your website! this has happened to me personally to a site that was making me $2,500 PER MONTH and growing. We changed the site redesign entirely and took links out and put updated ones in.. within 8 hours Google had us by the nadz It was such a nice addition to the portfolio. Now we have to wait until Google lets us out to play again.

    Sorry I am not willing to provide information on switching your site to a newer CMS. I would just keep fixing the bugs until you get it stable and slowly develop your own site.
    • [1] reply
    • Yes, I do know about changing url's and losing seo benefit. I move it once before myself, and made sure the structure stayed the same, and the link didn't change in the slightest. Of course, now it is much larger and more complicated.
      I don't totally understand siloeing, just that in this case I don't like it. So I don't know what the effect of that change would be.
      But I will have to make a change, this is too big a site to manage as is.
  • Banned
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  • There are many plugins for joomla wich connected your articles with links.
  • My preference would be wordpress.

    (I personally don't like joomla), I do like drupal, but it is usually overkill unless you have complicated requirements.

    There is also a new one called umbraco that I like, but would be pricey to find developers.
    • [1] reply
    • I know that 2000-3000 pages isn't a huge site, although it may be larger. The reason I stated it that way is that I noticed some CMS systems limit the number of pages.

      This is currently a static website. I looked into Joomla, but didn't like the idea of how it works. I could use Wordpress and just re-create the whole thing and keep it private until I'm done tinkering.

      At this point, I am thinking I will find a programmer to fix some of the bugs in current CMS and see how that goes.

      Thanks all
  • Due to the size of the site I have to agree with the Warriors above recommending to use Wordpress and/or Joomla. Based on your comments about the way Joomla works your best bet will be to use Wordpress.

    Hope that helps.
  • Wordpress has always been my CMS of choice.. I know people normally associated it with blogs but it handles corporate sites and others really well too. The only thing that makes a Wordpress site look like a "blog" is the template. Change that, research plugins carefully and you'll have an extremely user-friendly CMS.

    I would definitely recommend it - but I also have to also echo the concerns of the other warriors here about losing your ranking. So, be careful!
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