{"id":78476,"date":"2022-04-28T11:31:00","date_gmt":"2022-04-28T16:31:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/?post_type=resource&p=78476"},"modified":"2023-04-20T09:45:28","modified_gmt":"2023-04-20T14:45:28","slug":"wordpress-for-business-catalyst-users","status":"publish","type":"resource","link":"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/case-studies\/resources\/wordpress-for-business-catalyst-users\/","title":{"rendered":"Why You Should Migrate Your Business Catalyst Site to WordPress (And a Checklist to Help You Do It)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If you’re a Business Catalyst<\/a> user, you know that Adobe is going to discontinue the service. The platform isn’t taking on any more users, and you only have until March 2021 to find a new platform and hosting solution for your business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Switching web hosts and platforms is never fun. However, you can take it as an opportunity to grow your business, by choosing an online marketing solution that provides you with more features. That’s where WordPress and WP Engine come in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this article, we’ll talk about why WordPress is a good option if you need an alternative to Business Catalyst, and how to get started with the process. Let’s get to it!<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

A Quick Comparison of Business Catalyst and WordPress<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

First, it’s important to understand that Business Catalyst and WordPress are fairly different out of the box. The former is a perfect example of Software as a Service (SaaS)<\/a>, as it includes a Content Management System (CMS)<\/a>, eCommerce tools, email marketing, analytics, Customer Relationship Management (CRM)<\/a> software, and hosting in one package.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

WordPress, on the other hand, is a CMS that was originally built for blogging. After 15 years, however, it has evolved via themes and plugins to offer much more flexibility. In practice, WordPress can be more versatile than you might imagine, which could be a welcome surprise if you\u2019re moving away from Business Catalyst.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now that Business Catalyst is nearing its end of life, you\u2019ll need to start looking for a reliable alternative. WordPress has the seal of approval from the Adobe team<\/a>, so it’s a great place to start.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3 Reasons WordPress Is the Best CMS for Business Catalyst Users<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As you can probably tell, we’re big fans of WordPress. Let’s talk about why it can be a great option for you as well!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. It’s an Affordable Solution<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Business Catalyst wasn\u2019t overly expensive. However, WordPress beats it handily when it comes to price. First, the software itself is free. It\u2019s also open-source, so you can host it anywhere you want.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That means you’re free to choose the cheapest web host you can find, or look around for the best service<\/a>. Either way, setting up a new WordPress website should only cost you what you\u2019ll need to spend on a domain and hosting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To be fair, WordPress can get expensive if you use premium themes and plugins. However, there are thousands of free options available in both categories, so you have plenty of choices. Plus, with the money you save on software licensing, you can put your budget towards design, development, and hosting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. WordPress Is Highly Customizable<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A lot of people think that WordPress is ‘just’ a blogging platform. It might have started out as one, and it still shines in that area. However, nowadays WordPress has long since broken out of that shell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Right now, you can set up a WordPress website in less than an hour, install an eCommerce plugin<\/a>, and use the open source platform to power an online store. There are also themes and plugins to turn your site into a portfolio, company site, review site, community forum, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Business Catalyst website had plenty of advanced functionality, such as its CRM, analytics, and email marketing features. Using WordPress, however, you can easily add CRM features to your website through plugins. You can also connect your site to Google Analytics<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The same applies to email marketing. With the right tools, you can easily connect WordPress with your favorite email marketing platform<\/a>, so you won’t miss out on any of the features Business Catalyst offered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. It’s the Most Popular CMS on the Web<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There are a lot of popular CMS options for you to choose from. However, WordPress is in a league of its own when it comes to popularity. The CMS powers more than 40% of all websites<\/a>, and that’s not a typo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Out of the existing websites that use open-source CMSs, WordPress corners the market as well, with around 59.7% of all users<\/a>. Joomla and Drupal are its closest competitors, which hold 6.7% and 4.7% of the market share respectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To be fair, you shouldn’t settle on a platform for your website just because it’s the popular choice. However, WordPress’ popularity offers some very tangible benefits for you, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n