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Goodbye Drupal 7, hello WordPress!

March 9, 2023 Gabriel Website Design, WordPress

As of November 2023, Drupal 7 will no longer be supported, marking the end of an era for the content management system. While many Drupal 7 users may be hesitant to switch to a new platform, WordPress is a better choice for a number of reasons.

Firstly, WordPress is the most widely used content management system in the world, with over 40% of all websites on the internet powered by WordPress. This means that there is a large and active community of developers constantly improving and updating the platform, ensuring that it remains secure and functional.

In contrast, Drupal has a smaller user base, which means that updates and improvements may be slower to come and may not be as extensive as those for WordPress. This could potentially leave Drupal users vulnerable to security breaches and other issues AND it makes experienced Drupal developers much harder to find.

Secondly, WordPress is incredibly user-friendly, with a simple and intuitive interface that makes it easy for anyone to manage a website. This is especially important for small businesses and organizations that may not have the resources or expertise to manage a complex CMS like Drupal.

Drupal requires an understanding of nodes, taxonomies and modules and can be quite difficult to learn and use. It frequently requires significant technical expertise to fully utilize. This can be a major barrier to entry for many users, and often leads to frustration and a lack of engagement with the platform.

Thirdly, WordPress is highly customizable, with thousands of themes and plugins available to help users create unique and engaging websites. This allows users to easily add features and functionality to their sites without having to rely on complex coding or development work.

Although Drupal also offers a high degree of customization, the process is much more complicated, time consuming and expensive.

While the end of Drupal 7 may be a difficult transition for many website owners, WordPress offers a superior alternative with a larger and more active community, a user-friendly interface, and a wide range of customization options. For these reasons, WordPress is the clear choice for anyone looking to create a powerful and engaging website.

Migrating from Drupal 7 to WordPress

Unfortunately, migrating from Drupal 7 to WordPress requires a website rebuild. The new WordPress website could be identical to your Drupal 7 website or this could be an opportunity to roll out a new and improved web presence for your company or organization!

Although re-platforming can be a challenge, moving to WordPress can be seen as a long-term solution that can stand the test of time. Unlike Drupal, WordPress upgrades are extremely easy to implement and new versions of the platform come with automatic upgrades for previous versions.

We can help!

Let’s talk about your Drupal 7 website and discuss the best route forward!

523 N Higgins Ave, Missoula
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Chandra Brown a month ago
The decision to invest in a new, professionally-constructed website was not a casual one for my small company. The Gecko team was supportive and enthusiastic from our first interaction and throughout the duration of the project. They demonstrated the value of working with talented, committed designers to create a functional, beautiful new online home for our work. I am grateful, and recommend Gecko without reservation.
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Robyn Windham 3 months ago
Gecko recently launched a new website for my organization (Headwaters Foundation) and they knocked it out of the park! They were receptive to our wants and needs and very responsive throughout the process. We enjoyed working with their team; they really have begun to feel like my 'communications coworkers down the hall.' I am looking forward to working with them on more projects.
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D'Shane Barnett 4 months ago
Gecko was selected through a competitive process to assist Missoula Public Health in our modernization and brand redesign campaign. Their staff have been immensely helpful. They've helped guide our process toward results that are stellar. We presented our updated branding to our board and they loved it--comments were "two thumbs way up", "this is exactly what we needed", and "love it!" We will definitely look forward to working with them in the future.
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ITdept MRFD 4 months ago
Gecko Designs quickly identified and efficiently fixed a problem we were having with our website AND pointed out some other items that needed attention. Very professional and congenial. I highly recommend them.
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Markki Johnston a year ago
We worked with Gecko Designs to completely revamp our website for Northern Rockies Orthopaedics. It took us over 2 years to get everything how we wanted it and all ideas for our physicians incorporated. Grace and the team at Gecko were so accommodating and patient with us. Highly recommend using them for all web design needs!