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Weighing the Pros and Cons of WordPress vs. DNN for your Website
Sprocket Websites has long been a leading integrator of DNN software, but we have also built websites in WordPress for a dozen years or more. Each platform has strong points, but let your needs guide you.
Briefly, here are the differences:
DNN is a content management system based on Microsoft’s .NET technology. You build a DNN website with modules that perform specialized functions, including blogs.
WordPress is a blogging platform based on PHP and MySQL. You build a WordPress website with plug-ins that perform specialized functions other than blogs.
If your company’s IT department works with .NET technology, then DNN is your obvious website choice. If this is not an issue, then WordPress is an option. Both platforms can provide incredible capability and stunning design when in the hands of experts.
But the thrill of pushing code to its geeky limit isn’t what motivates most small-to-medium businesses. Folks request a WordPress website because someone said it was a cheap and easy option. We build and maintain many WP sites, so here’s our expert opinion when making your choice:
Hosting your website
There are fewer options for DNN website hosting, and it costs a bit more. WordPress hosting is plentiful. and there are some very cheap plans being offered. We advise you to pick the hosting service with the best support record even if they are more expensive. Search online to read reviews of hosting companies.
Sprocket Websites also hosts WordPress websites. The budget hosting companies may charge a little less, but our hosting plans include all basic updates to the WordPress platform, theme updates, and any major-brand plug-ins as part of our standard hosting service.
Themes vs. Skins
Both WordPress and DNN can change the look of your site without changing the content. WP has themes; DNN has skins. DNN skins tend to be more universal while WP themes are more specific. What that means is you are less likely to lose functionality with a DNN skin change than with a WP theme change.
Updating your website
All technology becomes obsolete, and you will need to update your website sooner than you think to keep it functioning. When the core platform updates, your DNN modules or WP plug-ins may no longer work together properly. This can happen with either platform, but statistically, your WordPress site is more likely to break because there is a wider variety of WP plug-ins.
As we mentioned above under “Hosting,” when you host your WordPress website with us, we handle updates to major-brand plug-ins and themes, along with the basic platform updates, giving you peace of mind that your website won’t suddenly break.
Adding custom code
This is where we see the most angst from our WordPress clients. As we said, WP themes are specific so if you choose a theme that doesn’t provide the functionality you need, your web developer may write some custom code to give the theme you like do the functionality you need. You probably won’t even know that new code was added. Everything works fine and dandy until your platform updates or you install a new theme. Suddenly, code breaks, plug-ins don’t work, and the original web developer is long gone.
Customized DNN websites can also have this issue, which is why we put great effort into researching and assembling tested modules that naturally provide the functionality a client needs rather than whip out some custom code as a stop-gap measure. Keeping your code as clean as possible will save us time and save you money if there’s a problem down the road.
So, which is the better platform?
Both are great tools for your website when in the hands of experts, and Sprocket Websites is well-versed in both platforms. Our goal has always been to be your website partner so you can concentrate fully on your business, so if you need help updating your old website or want to build something new, give us a call. We’ll help you choose the right solution for your specific needs.
Photo by Katrin Bolovtsova
This article is an update to “Is a WordPress Website Worth It to Your Business?" dated 11/9/2015.
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Kate Gingold
I have been writing a blog with web marketing tips and techniques every other week since 2003. In addition to blogging and client content writing, I write books and a blog on local history.
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I have been writing a blog with web marketing tips and techniques every other week since 2003. In addition to blogging and client content writing, I write books and a blog on local history.
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