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Picture this: you are building a website and wish to steer clear of the complexity of present day Content Management Systems (due to lack of time and/or other factors). Or, in other words, your website is a rather small entity (that perhaps does not require the collaborative abilities of Wikipedia or the social networking databases of Facebook). In simplest terms, you’re looking for an easy to use and nimble CMS that, though performs all the functions that you want it to, does not talk the geeky lingo.
Alternatively, picture this (comparatively better) scenario: you are a web designer (if you are reading this blog, chances are that you indeed are a web designer). You need a hosted, no-frills solution that lets you create websites for your clients (who may or may not be tech savvy), and resell them.
If either of the above mentioned cases hold true, allow me to introduce you to PageLime, a web-based Content Management System.
PageLime
PageLime is a hosted CMS service that lets you quickly set up and publish websites. Depending on the plan you opt for, you can add features to your site such as custom domain mapping, unlimited users/administrators, etc. You can also use it to re-brand the websites that you create and resell them to your clients. Sound good so far? Let’s dive in to check out its features!
PageLime currently offers four plans, namely:
Also, you can try the Professional and Business plans free for 14 days before making up your mind.
We shall now take a look at the manner in which we can perform basic tasks in PageLime, and how it fares as compared to traditional CMSs. Please note that here, ‘traditional CMSs’ refers to what we’ve been using, such as WordPress, Drupal and Joomla!
Since we are evaluating PageLime as a potential alternative for traditional CMSs, for the sake of simplicity, each category of operation will be looked at individually.
As mentioned above, PageLime lets you create multiple websites (ranging from 3 to infinite, depending on your plan). Each website has its own admin panel, domain/sub-domain, and user accounts. You can login to your master account, and then select the website that you wish to modify/manage.
Running Multiple Websites
Speaking of traditional CMSs, support for multiple websites within the same installation, though possible, is cumbersome to say the least. Movable Type lets you create user blogs and websites within one installation, and so does LifeType. WordPress, on the other hand, tries to make the task comparatively easier, but it too caters to “a large network of blogs“. All in all, PageLime comes with excellent support for multiple websites.
PageLime offers an easy interface for editing websites – pretty much on par with other CMSs – bit more ‘beautiful’, but nothing out of the ordinary. Once you add the Pagelime editable CSS class to the code, you can edit pages, links and other components of your website. However, since PageLime caters more to websites, rather than blogs/journals, it offers features such as Live Preview that lets you view the changes that you make to your website on the fly. Furthermore, another unique feature includes Content Versioning – your previous drafts are saved, and if you ever mess anything up, simply head to Restore!
Editing Your Websites in PageLime
Among traditional CMSs, many offer the Versioning and Restore feature, and Concrete5 has been supporting Live Preview for quite some time.
PageLime comes with a built-in Image Editor (no, do not expect Photoshop). You can zoom, crop, sharpen and resize images. Beyond that, you can modify colors or use some predefined effects. All in all, you can happily upload images and modify or tweak them for the web within the CMS.
Managing Images
Hardly any other traditional CMSs offer this feature – though some offer file management options, but image editing is something you’re expected to do BEFORE uploading. CMSs especially built for image galleries, such as Piwigo, however, do provide you with such editing abilities.
You can save pages as templates in PageLime for future editing, and it also comes packed with a Code Editor. Further more, it offers several pre-defined ‘templates’ that make your task easier.
Saving Pages as Templates
This is perhaps an area where traditional CMSs do a better job, with no strings attached. While PageLime delivers what one would expect of it – you will definitely miss the freedom of WP Themes and Drupal Modules.
PageLime offers SEO options out of the box – you can edit metadata and other related info easily. Plus, the Business and Professional plans offer detailed statistics for each website that you create.
Detailed Stats
On the other hand, many CMSs such as Joomla and even Concrete5 offer sitemaps and SEO natively. At the most basic level, WordPress does the same by the use of plugins.
Quite unarguably, PageLime’s USP lies in its Reseller Tools. While the Free plan isn’t much, all other plans come with awesome reseller abilities. Apart from hosting multiple websites (each with its own admin panel and domain), you are provided with the option to re-brand and resell the websites (instead of PageLime’s, it shows your logo in the admin panel). Further more, your Reseller Panel shows you client payments, subscriptions and other sale-purchase transactions. And if that isn’t good enough, PageLime can automate recurring payments and invoices to make your life easier.
Reseller Tools
Obviously, such re-branding and reseller tools are not offered in any traditional CMS natively. WordPress and, to some extent, Drupal have plugins/extensions that can help you take care of the same, but the CMSs in particular do not come with reseller features.
So, the bottom line. Who should use PageLime?
Well, if you are a designer or a developer, you should consider using it for the ease of use and the reseller tools that let you offer it to your clients.
Also, if you do not possess the geeky expertise of web administration, Pagelime might just fit the bill for you. However, in this case, you should also bear in mind that in order to get the most out of it in terms of customization, you’ll probably need a rudimentary knowledge of HTML/CSS.
On the downside, the product seems a bit over priced if you do not wish to resell and make money using it. If, for instance, all you need is a simple no-frills website and are considering PageLime in order to avoid the other complex CMSs, even the cheapest plan will cost you $19 monthly (we are not considering the Free option as it does not have custom domain mapping, and a yourname.pagelime.com sub-domain is not something you might want for a website).
At the end of the day, PageLime is described as a “simple CMS for your clients”. In other words, it is full aware of the fact that its forte lies in the Reseller Tools.
Thus, PageLime should be in your arsenal if you are managing multiple websites or need an easy to use solution for your clients’ needs. For all other reasons, you’ll be better off using tradition Content Management Softwares.
If you have used or are using PageLime, feel free to share your views in the comments!
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Sufyan bin Uzayr is a freelance writer and artist based in India. He writes for several print magazines as well as technology blogs, and has also authored a book named Sufism: A Brief History. His primary areas of interest include open source, mobile development, web CMS and vector art. He is also the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of an e-journal named Brave New World. You can visit his website, follow him on Twitter or friend him on Facebook and Google+.
Tuesday, March 20th, 2012 23:24
They have a new module for SEO… but they are completely NONRESPONSIVE as of late as far as support goes, and their servers are down at least daily. No phone calls answered… no emails replied to…. complete mutiny on their blogs, forums, support sites. Buyer beware.
Sunday, March 11th, 2012 14:24
Is this CMS SEO friendly? So far WordPress is the best CMS I’ve found for SEO and even it has its problems. Any real web designer knows that SEO is a huge part of internet marketing and should not be taken for granted.
Monday, February 20th, 2012 19:34
Is this CMS SEO friendly? So far WordPress is the best CMS I’ve found for SEO and even it has its problems. Any real web designer knows that SEO is a huge part of internet marketing and should not be taken for granted.
Monday, February 20th, 2012 17:25
Sounds like a nice concept. Although in opinion, as a web designer I would rather perfect the craft of creating WP themes and give my client full cms freedom with a WP platform. Pagelime can be used if you need a quick way out :P.
Monday, February 27th, 2012 20:54
Exactly….almost. PageLime is definitely useful if your clients do not require the complexity or powerful features of most traditional CMSs. It makes sense if many features of WP are not even required.
Sunday, February 19th, 2012 11:34
Never heard of Page Lime before, will try my hands on it :) TFS
Sunday, February 19th, 2012 17:39
… or you can learn how to use professional tools.
Sunday, February 19th, 2012 10:34
If we compare this with either wordpress or joomla then can you prove it will be more advantageous CSM than those?
Monday, February 20th, 2012 17:48
Hello TechTushar,
Well, it depends on what you expect out of it. No CMS is ever ‘better’, or ‘perfect’. For eg. WordPress works for my website, and I don’t need Joomla. But for others, Joomla does well, and they need not bother with WP.
Coming to PageLime.
You should consider it over WP/Joomla if:
1. you’re a web designer, and you build and resell websites for clients,
2. your clients may/may not like Joomla/WP,
3. you need an easy-to-use solution, that doesn’t demand much
You shouldn’t if:
1. you’re building something GRAND, like the next 1stWebDesigner :-)
2. your clients insist on WP/Joomla (not many do so, by the way),
3. you want PHP, you code plugins that are awesome for WP, etc.
Again, this list isn’t complete. It all varies on the basis of your needs.
Sunday, February 19th, 2012 03:07
You made it sound like the perfect CMS. I am going to give them a try.
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Iqbal
Sunday, February 19th, 2012 03:07
You made it sound like the perfect CMS. I am going to give them a try.
Bharat
Sunday, February 19th, 2012 11:34
Never heard of Page Lime before, will try my hands on it :) TFS
meh
Sunday, February 19th, 2012 17:39
… or you can learn how to use professional tools.
Tushar
Sunday, February 19th, 2012 10:34
If we compare this with either wordpress or joomla then can you prove it will be more advantageous CSM than those?
Sufyan
Monday, February 20th, 2012 17:48
Hello TechTushar,
Well, it depends on what you expect out of it. No CMS is ever ‘better’, or ‘perfect’. For eg. WordPress works for my website, and I don’t need Joomla. But for others, Joomla does well, and they need not bother with WP.
Coming to PageLime.
You should consider it over WP/Joomla if:
1. you’re a web designer, and you build and resell websites for clients,
2. your clients may/may not like Joomla/WP,
3. you need an easy-to-use solution, that doesn’t demand much
You shouldn’t if:
1. you’re building something GRAND, like the next 1stWebDesigner :-)
2. your clients insist on WP/Joomla (not many do so, by the way),
3. you want PHP, you code plugins that are awesome for WP, etc.
Again, this list isn’t complete. It all varies on the basis of your needs.
Sean
Monday, February 20th, 2012 17:25
Sounds like a nice concept. Although in opinion, as a web designer I would rather perfect the craft of creating WP themes and give my client full cms freedom with a WP platform. Pagelime can be used if you need a quick way out :P.
Sufyan bin Uzayr
Monday, February 27th, 2012 20:54
Exactly….almost. PageLime is definitely useful if your clients do not require the complexity or powerful features of most traditional CMSs. It makes sense if many features of WP are not even required.
Susan Lawrence
Tuesday, March 20th, 2012 23:24
They have a new module for SEO… but they are completely NONRESPONSIVE as of late as far as support goes, and their servers are down at least daily. No phone calls answered… no emails replied to…. complete mutiny on their blogs, forums, support sites. Buyer beware.
Kocluk
Sunday, March 11th, 2012 14:24
Is this CMS SEO friendly? So far WordPress is the best CMS I’ve found for SEO and even it has its problems. Any real web designer knows that SEO is a huge part of internet marketing and should not be taken for granted.
James
Monday, February 20th, 2012 19:34
Is this CMS SEO friendly? So far WordPress is the best CMS I’ve found for SEO and even it has its problems. Any real web designer knows that SEO is a huge part of internet marketing and should not be taken for granted.