The wrong questions
One of the first questions we’re asked on a website project is, “Which CMS should we use?” It’s understandable. WordPress, HubSpot and the rest all promise to solve your problems. But in our experience, that’s the wrong place to start.
Before you look at platforms, you need to understand what you’re actually building.
Build the foundations first
That means working out what content you have, what content you need, who you’re talking to and how people are going to find their way around the site. If you don’t get that right, it doesn’t matter which CMS you choose you’ll end up with a website that’s difficult to navigate, difficult to manage and difficult to grow.
We spend a lot of time with clients mapping content and agreeing the information hierarchy before we even discuss technology. It isn’t the most glamorous part of a project, but it’s often the most valuable. It gives everyone a clear view of what’s needed and avoids trying to fix structural problems later in development.
Let your requirements lead the technology
The CMS should support your content, not define it.
WordPress might be the right answer. So might HubSpot, Sanity, Webflow or another platform entirely. The decision should come from your requirements, not from what you’ve used before or what’s most familiar.
A well-planned website will outlast the technology it’s built on. That’s why we always start with the structure first. Once that’s right, choosing the CMS is usually the easy part.
Matt is a D&AD award-winning digital designer/developer with 15+ years’ experience creating intuitive, high-impact digital experiences. As Head of Digital, he leads UX-driven websites, apps and immersive platforms—ensuring every build is meticulous, modern and aligned to client goals.
