Since its release in 2005, Joomla has become the second most popular content management system, behind only WordPress. The platform is used and trusted by companies like General Electric, McDonald’s, eBay, Ikea, and Sony.
But, why is Joomla such a trusted CMS for businesses? Check out the following 25 features (that we’ve chosen) and you might be convinced to take a further look at Joomla. In the interests of full disclosure however, Hostt still recommends WordPress for the majority of people’s needs (including blogging).
1. It’s Free and Open Source
Much like WordPress, Joomla is completely free and open source. This means that not only is the software free for you to use, you – or a developer – can make the modifications needed to create the perfect site for your business.
2. It’s Responsive
Joomla comes equipped with a Bootstrap framework right out of the box. This means your business website will respond to practically any device. In addition to containing a responsive design feature, Joomla also comes with online applications to further enhance the experience of your customers.
3. It’s Multilingual
One of the main reasons why companies should consider Joomla is the fact that it’s multilingual. Because Joomla features more than 64 languages, it’s a great resource for businesses who want to reach a global audience.
4. It’s Not as Popular as WordPress
This may sound counterproductive, but since Joomla isn’t the most popular CMS in the world, it doesn’t have to worry about pleasing the millions of users who rely on WordPress. Instead, Joomla can focus on being a top-notch CMS without the pressure of winning a popularity contest.
5. You Can Create a “Login” Page
If you visit Joomla’s Control Panel you’ll notice that you have the opportunity to create a “Login” page for visitors. This neat little function allows your visitors to sign up for your site in one, easy step so that they’ll be up-to-date on the latest happenings regarding your business.
6. It Has More Than 6,000 Extensions
Similar to the plugins used for WordPress, Joomla has just over 6,000 extensions to improve your site. No matter what your business website requires, you should be able to find the perfect extension.
7. Install From Web
Introduced in Joomla 3.2, the Install from Web features helps you easily and quickly locate the Extensions that will benefit and maintain your website without any headaches.
8. ACL (Access Control List) Support
As Joomla itself states, this “allows you to manage the users of your site, and different groups”. This is a great perk whenever you have to manage large content portals or intranets by creating two separate support systems – one control for what visitors can see and another for what they can do.
9. Access a “User Manager”
This handy feature provides you with a list of all your registered users and their email addresses. It’s a great tool for building an email marketing campaign.
10. It’s Secure
In today’s world, security is a bigger concern than ever before. Thankfully, Joomla should put your mind at ease because it’s extremely secure. For starters, there’s the built-in two-factor authentication. Joomla also uses a Bcrypt Algorithm to scramble passwords.
11. It’s Well Supported
Just like WordPress, Joomla has an extensive community of developers who can offer free assistance on any problem you may run into via forums, blogs, and websites.
12. Frequent Updates
Speaking of developers, Joomla’s dedicated batch of designers and developers are constantly creating extensions and apps to improve your Joomla experience by offering the latest security updates and technologies.
13. Content Creation and Management
With the built in WYSIWYG (what-you-see-is-what-you-get) editor, you have the ability to easily edit your content without any technical knowledge of coding.
14. Frontend Editing
We’re all human and make simple mistakes. So why should you have to go-through the login process because you noticed a minor error in a published blog post or article? Through Joomla’s Frontend editing feature you can simply click on the error and make the edit through the frontend.
15. It’s SEO Savvy
Since the release of 3.0, you have access to SEO Settings under Global Configuration.
16. It’s More Than Just Another CMS
Joomla also offers its Framework, which is separate from the Joomla CMS. This Framework allows developers to create an application specific for a project. In other words, your business could use this Framework to create it’s own unique app.
17. It’s Integrated
Whether you want to share your content on social media, launch an email marketing campaign, or bridge your Joomla and Magento accounts, you can easily do so through the appropriate Extensions. In short, Joomla is able to integrate with some of the most powerful tools available to give your site a boost.
18. You Can Send “Mass Mail”
Another benefit of Joomla is that you’re able to send a mass email to all of your registered users. This means after you compose a newsletter, you can send it out in just one swift move without having to rely on a third-party system.
19. It Has Syndication and Newsfeed Management
Joomla easily allows you to syndicate your content to provide a feed for your fanbase that can be read in their RSS reader of choice. In addition to, you can also integrate other RSS feeds directly onto your site and offer additional information.
20. Smart Search
Another feature your visitors will enjoy is the built-in search and smart search. This gives them the opportunity to discover any information about your business or website they are curious about. There’s also an analytics feature that will give an insight into which kind of content is popular among your visitors.
21. “One Click Version Update”
With Joomla you don’t have to worry about manually updating the software. Joomla has a helpful “One Click Version Update” that will notify you of any update regarding core features or extensions. This will ensure your site remains secure and has the latest versions of your much-needed extensions.
22. Easily Switch Templates
Whether you want to have a festive template for an upcoming holiday or want to give your website a fresh look, you can quickly and easily switch templates with just a click of a button.
23. It’s Flexible
Between the amount of extensions, template designs, and open source capabilities, you can make your site run and appear in a multitude of different ways.
24. Easy Banner Management
This is another powerful feature, which allows you to monetize your site by running ads. You can also take advantage of the banner manager to create clients and campaigns.
25. It’s a Powerful eCommerce Tool
Other CMS’s – like WordPress or Drupal – can be used for eCommerce purposes, but Joomla has also earned its reputation as a solid CMS choice for online stores. Through extensions like VirtueMart, you can quickly and easily create convert your site into a powerful eCommerce site.
