As Umbraco continues to mature and confidently establish itself in the enterprise content management sphere, there’s increasing discourse around the merits of transitioning from Sitecore to Umbraco. Both platforms have their unique strengths, but understanding why Umbraco might be an attractive alternative and what such a migration entails is crucial for organisations considering this move.
Before we start, it’s probably important to say that Absurd have and do work with both Sitecore and Umbraco, and this isn’t about Sitecore vs Umbraco.
Sitecore is a robust, enterprise-level CMS renowned for its powerful ecosystem that emphasises advanced personalisation, A/B testing, marketing automation, and deep analytics. It is tailored for organisations that require sophisticated marketing tools and are willing to invest significantly in licensing and ongoing maintenance to leverage these advanced capabilities. It’s not unusual for license fees to get into the millions based on the size of the solution.
Umbraco, on the other hand, is an open-source CMS celebrated for its flexibility and user-friendly interface. It boasts a rich ecosystem of community-driven tools and integrations, making it particularly suitable for organisations focused on content management and looking for a lower total cost of ownership.
Cost Efficiency
Sitecore, while feature-rich, comes with substantial licensing fees and maintenance costs. Umbraco’s open-source nature eliminates these expenses, offering a more budget-friendly alternative without compromising on essential CMS functionalities. That’s not to say there aren’t costs associated with Umbraco, as a minimum there are hosting costs, but you can also take advantage of Umbraco’s own cloud offering and a number of their new products have license fees too.
User-Friendly Interface
Umbraco provides an intuitive and straightforward interface, enhancing productivity for content editors and developers. Its ease of use reduces the learning curve and allows teams to manage content more effectively. Whilst Sitecore is getting better, it is still a different experience to Umbraco.
Flexibility and Customisation
Umbraco’s highly customisable framework allows organisations to tailor the CMS to their specific needs. This flexibility is ideal for businesses that require bespoke solutions without the complexity often associated with enterprise-level systems. We’re not saying Sitecore isn’t capable of the same, because it is, but you just have to bear in mind speed to market.
Active Community Support
A vibrant community of developers continuously contributes to Umbraco’s growth, offering plugins, extensions, and support resources. This collaborative environment ensures that the platform stays up-to-date with the latest trends and technologies. This isn’t really the same for Sitecore with them being so enterprise-led.
While the benefits are compelling, migrating from Sitecore to Umbraco involves several challenges that need careful consideration.
Content Migration
Transferring existing content—including pages, media assets, and custom data—is a complex process. It requires mapping Sitecore’s content structures to Umbraco’s schema, ensuring data integrity and continuity.
Rebuilding Custom Data Models
Custom data models and content types used in Sitecore must be redefined within Umbraco. This might involve redevelopment to accommodate differences in data handling between the two platforms.
Integration Reconfiguration
Existing integrations with CRM systems, marketing tools, and other third-party applications need to be reconfigured. Ensuring these integrations function seamlessly with Umbraco is critical for maintaining business operations.
Front-End Redevelopment
The website’s front-end may require redevelopment to align with Umbraco’s framework. This ensures that the user interface remains consistent with branding and provides a cohesive user experience.
Training and Adoption
Umbraco’s backend and content editing processes differ from Sitecore’s. Training your team to navigate and utilise the new CMS effectively is essential for a smooth transition.
Migrating platforms presents a unique opportunity to reassess and optimise various aspects of your digital infrastructure:
Front-End Hosting on Vercel
Consider migrating your front-end applications to platforms like Vercel for improved performance and scalability.
Backend Optimisation
Transition backend services to optimised hosting environments, such as Linux-based systems, to enhance cost efficiency and performance.
Updating Front-End Frameworks
Use this chance to upgrade front-end technologies, like moving to the latest version of Next.js, to improve development workflows and application performance.
Content Audit
Evaluate existing content for relevance and effectiveness, ensuring it aligns with current business goals.
SEO Optimisation
Implement updated SEO strategies to improve search engine rankings and visibility.
Performance Tuning
Optimise code, databases, and server configurations to enhance site speed and responsiveness.
Security Enhancements
Update security protocols to protect against modern threats, ensuring compliance with the latest standards.
Loss of Advanced Features
Umbraco may lack some of Sitecore’s advanced features, such as sophisticated personalisation engines and in-depth analytics.Mitigation: Identify critical features that must be retained and explore third-party plugins or custom development within Umbraco to replicate necessary functionalities.
Scalability Concerns
While Umbraco is scalable, organisations with extremely high traffic volumes or complex requirements might need additional configurations.Mitigation: Work with us to architect a solution that leverages Umbraco’s scalability features effectively and load test prior to go-live.
Training RequirementsThe shift to a new CMS necessitates training for your team, which can temporarily impact productivity.Mitigation: Plan comprehensive training programmes and provide ongoing support to ease the transition.
Strategic Planning
Develop a detailed migration roadmap that outlines objectives, timelines, resources, and a comprehensive RAID.
Stakeholder Engagement
Involve key stakeholders early to ensure alignment with business goals and to address concerns proactively.
Incremental Migration Approach
Consider migrating in phases, starting with less critical components to minimise risk and allow for adjustments based on initial learnings. Our Technical Director, Adam, has done plenty of sessions regarding Strangler Patterns and migrating in phases.
Robust Testing
Implement thorough testing protocols at each stage to identify and rectify issues before they impact the live environment.
Leverage Expert Support
Collaborate with professionals experienced in both Sitecore and Umbraco to guide the migration process and provide specialised expertise.Migrating from Sitecore to Umbraco can offer a pathway to cost savings, and a more streamlined content management experience. Some may say it is more flexible, but we’re strong believers that the CMS experience is down to implementation rather than the product - both CMS’ use a familiar tree navigation.
While the transition presents challenges, there are also plenty of benefits to reap particularly across cost.By taking advantage of the migration to also review and enhance your infrastructure and technology stack, you can ensure you are making the most of the program of work.
With extensive experience working with both Sitecore and Umbraco, we understand the nuances of each platform. Our expertise enables us to support organisations in navigating the complexities of migration, ensuring a seamless transition that aligns with your strategic objectives.
If you’re considering a move to Umbraco or want to explore how such a migration could benefit your organisation, feel free to get in touch.
For further discussion or to schedule a consultation, please contact our team. Contact us at hello@thisisabsurd.com / +44 (0)161 713 0430
Our expert teams are eager to collaborate, design, and develop solutions tailored to your unique challenges. Let's create a strategy that drives results and growth.
Talk to us
We love to talk, meet new people and learn about their specific challenges. Whether you have a project requirement or are just exploring your options, leave your details and one of our co-founders will be in touch shortly.
