In the digital-first world of media and publishing, your content delivery system is everything. The right platform should empower you to produce, distribute, and monetise content without friction. Many organisations start with solutions like WordPress, Contentful, Adobe Experience Manager, or Ghost—all popular CMS platforms with their own strengths.
But as your content strategy becomes more sophisticated, these platforms can begin to show their limits. Whether it’s editorial workflow bottlenecks, fragmented integrations, or rigid content models, off-the-shelf software can quickly become a constraint.
Let’s take a closer look at these leading CMS options—and why many publishers are turning to custom-built platforms to take full control of their content lifecycle.
WordPress CMS – Customisable Content Management
WordPress powers over 40% of the web, making it the go-to platform for blogs, news sites, and content hubs. Key features include:
- User-friendly visual editor
- Thousands of themes and plugins
- Built-in blogging functionality
- SEO and media handling tools
- Active global developer community
It’s a flexible starting point for digital publishing projects of all sizes.
Limitations:
Despite its flexibility, WordPress can become bloated and vulnerable when overloaded with plugins. Managing complex editorial workflows, integrating third-party systems, or building bespoke front-end experiences often demands significant customisation.
Contentful – Headless CMS
Contentful is a modern headless CMS, built to serve structured content to any front-end—web, mobile, app, or digital signage. Features include:
- API-first architecture
- Developer-friendly content modelling
- Multi-channel content delivery
- Role-based workflows
- Scalable hosting infrastructure
Perfect for teams needing omnichannel distribution with high content reuse.
Limitations:
Contentful’s developer-centric nature means non-technical users may struggle with content creation. It also lacks built-in front-end rendering, meaning you’ll need to build your own site or app to make it functional. Licensing can also be costly at enterprise scale.
Adobe Experience Manager (AEM) – Enterprise CMS
AEM is an enterprise-level CMS used by major publishers and media conglomerates. It offers:
- Advanced personalisation and targeting
- Integration with Adobe Creative Cloud
- Multi-site and multi-language support
- Scalable DAM (Digital Asset Management)
- Workflow automation for editorial teams
It’s ideal for global organisations with deep resources and complex requirements.
Limitations:
AEM is powerful—but extremely expensive to implement and maintain. It also demands specialised developers and administrators. Smaller publishers or agile media startups often find it too heavy for their needs.
Ghost – Publishing Platform for Writers and Journalists
Ghost is a lightweight, open-source CMS built specifically for creators and editorial teams. It offers:
- Minimalist writing interface
- Built-in membership and subscription tools
- Fast performance with modern technologies
- SEO and AMP support
- Markdown-based content creation
It’s great for independent publishers, newsletter authors, and journalism teams focused on content over complexity.
Limitations:
Ghost is intentionally minimal and opinionated. If you require advanced e-commerce, complex taxonomies, third-party integrations, or rich multimedia support, you’ll likely need to develop custom solutions or move to a different platform.
When Content Strategy Outgrows the Platform: The Case for Custom CMS
As your content grows in volume, reach, and sophistication, off-the-shelf systems can start to work against you:
- Editorial workflows that don’t match your real-life publishing cadence
- Content types and taxonomies that don’t map to your business model
- Disconnected tools for marketing, analytics, and monetisation
- Inflexible integration with your CRM, DAM, or ad platform
- Security and performance issues with plugin-heavy stacks
If you’re patching together features, struggling with user permissions, or drowning in a sea of unnecessary tools—it might be time for a bespoke content management platform built specifically for your organisation.
Shoothill: Bespoke CMS Platforms for Media, Publishing, and Content Creators
At Shoothill, we work with content-led businesses to design and develop CMS systems that reflect how you publish, manage, and grow your audience. Whether you need a robust editorial workflow, a headless content API, or a fully integrated content and commerce engine—we deliver software that works the way your business actually operates.
With Shoothill, you can:
- Streamline editorial production across teams and devices
- Integrate seamlessly with your analytics, marketing, or ad ops
- Deliver content across web, app, and third-party channels
- Build a lean, fast, scalable system—free of plugin clutter
- Own your platform and your data, with no ongoing SaaS fees
Your Content Deserves More Than a Template
Off-the-shelf platforms are built for everyone—but you’re not everyone. You’re a media brand with a unique audience, voice, and business model.
🔹 Get in touch with Shoothill today and discover how a custom CMS can give you the power, control, and flexibility to grow your content brand without compromise.
