Why Your Business Should Care About CMS Detection (Even If You Think You Don't)
Let me tell you a story. Last year, I was consulting for a mid-sized e-commerce company. They wanted to know why their competitor was crushing them in conversion rates. My first question? "What platform are they using?"
They looked at me like I'd asked them to decode the Matrix.
"Does it matter?" their marketing director asked. "A website is a website, right?"
Wrong. So, so wrong. And by the end of this article, you'll understand why knowing what CMS powers your competitors (and your own site) is actually a huge business advantage you're probably not using.
The "Who Cares?" Mindset (And Why It's Costing You Money)
Here's the thing: most business owners don't think about CMS platforms at all. They hire a developer, they get a website, it works (or doesn't), and that's that. The technology underneath? That's nerd stuff.
I get it. You're running a business. You care about sales, customers, marketing, operations. The technical infrastructure feels like something you can safely ignore.
But here's what I've learned after a decade in this industry: the companies that pay attention to what technology their competitors use – and why – consistently outperform those that don't.
It's not about being technical. It's about being strategic.
Real-World Example: The Furniture Store Wars
Let me give you a concrete example. I was working with a furniture retailer – let's call them Store A. They were doing okay, but their competitor (Store B) was absolutely killing it online. Better conversion rates, faster checkout, lower cart abandonment.
Store A was on a custom-built platform. Cost them $80,000 to develop. They were proud of it. "It's built specifically for our needs," they said.
I detected that Store B was using Shopify Plus.
That single piece of information led to several insights:
1. They could scale easily - Shopify's infrastructure handles traffic spikes automatically
2. They had access to thousands of apps - Adding features was plug-and-play
3. Their checkout was optimized by Shopify - One of the best in the business
4. They could test new features quickly - No developer needed for most changes
5. Their costs were predictable - Monthly subscription vs. ongoing development
Store A switched to Shopify Plus. Within six months, their conversion rate increased by 23%. Not because Shopify is magical, but because they understood what their competitor was doing and why it was working.
That's the power of CMS intelligence.
Competitive Intelligence: It's Not Creepy, It's Smart
Some people feel weird about "spying" on competitors. Let me be clear: looking at publicly available information about what platform someone uses is not creeping. It's research.
Every successful business does competitive analysis. You look at their pricing, their marketing, their product offerings. Why wouldn't you look at their technology choices?
Here's what CMS detection tells you about a competitor:
If they're using WordPress:
- Probably started small or mid-budget
- Might have plugin conflicts or performance issues
- Likely relying heavily on third-party extensions
- Could be vulnerable to common WordPress attacks
- Probably have good SEO (WordPress is solid for this)
If they're using Shopify:
- E-commerce focused (obviously)
- Likely paying $29-$299/month (or more for Plus)
- Can't customize checkout deeply (unless on Plus)
- Have access to Shopify's payment processing
- Limited to Shopify's infrastructure and rules
If they're using a custom platform:
- Either very well-funded or very technical
- Probably have a development team
- Can do literally anything they want
- But might move slower on new features
- Higher maintenance costs
If they're using Wix or Squarespace:
- Probably smaller business or solopreneur
- Prioritized ease-of-use over flexibility
- Limited technical resources
- Can't scale as easily
- Lower upfront costs
See? Each platform tells a story. And that story helps you understand your competition.
Making Better Technology Decisions
Here's where it gets really practical. Let's say you're about to build or rebuild your website. How do you decide what platform to use?
Most people either:
1. Go with what their developer recommends (biased)
2. Choose the cheapest option (shortsighted)
3. Pick what they've heard of (uninformed)
Smart businesses? They look at what's working in their industry.
I consulted for a law firm that was rebuilding their site. I detected what the top 20 law firms in their area were using:
- 12 were on WordPress
- 4 were on custom platforms
- 3 were on Wix
- 1 was on Squarespace
That told me something important: WordPress dominated this space. Why? Probably because:
- Lawyers aren't usually technical (needs to be easy)
- Law firms need blogs for content marketing (WordPress excels)
- They need forms and contact methods (tons of plugins)
- SEO matters in legal marketing (WordPress is strong here)
- Budgets are reasonable but not unlimited (WordPress scales with budget)
We went with WordPress. Not because I love WordPress (though I do), but because the data suggested it was the right choice for their industry and needs.
That's using CMS intelligence strategically.
Security and Risk Management
Here's something most people don't think about: knowing what CMS you're using (and your competitors are using) has serious security implications.
Every CMS has vulnerabilities. It's not a question of if, but when. WordPress plugins get hacked. Shopify apps have security issues. Custom platforms have bugs.
When a major vulnerability is announced, you need to know immediately if you're affected.
I have a client who runs an online store doing about $2M/year. When the major WooCommerce vulnerability was announced in 2023, they knew immediately they needed to update because they knew they were on WordPress with WooCommerce.
Their competitor? Didn't even know what platform they were on. Their developer had built it years ago and left. It took them three days to figure out if they were vulnerable. Three days of potential exposure.
Guess which business I'd trust with my credit card?
Knowing what you're paying for (and if it's worth it)
This one's personal. I've seen so many businesses getting absolutely ripped off because they don't understand what they're paying for.
One client was paying $800/month to a "developer" for "WordPress maintenance and hosting."
I checked. Their site was hosted on a $12/month shared hosting plan. The "maintenance"? The developer logged in once a month to run updates. A task that takes about 5 minutes and could be automated.
They were paying $788/month for nothing.
Another client thought they had a custom platform. Turned out it was just WordPress with a custom theme. They'd paid $50,000 for what should have cost $5,000-$10,000.
When you know what CMS you're actually using, you can research what things actually cost. You can get competitive quotes. You can't get scammed as easily.
Knowledge is literally money in this case.
Migration Decisions
Here's a scenario: your website is slow, your conversion rate sucks, and you're losing money. Do you:
A) Optimize what you have
B) Rebuild on a new platform
C) Switch to a different platform
The answer depends heavily on what you're currently using and what your problems are.
I worked with an online course provider on a custom platform. Their site was a mess. Slow, buggy, hard to update. They wanted to rebuild from scratch. Budget: $200,000.
I detected that their main competitor had recently switched to Teachable (a specialized platform for online courses). I recommended they try Teachable first.
They switched in two weeks. Cost: $299/month.
Six months later, their revenue was up 40%. Not because Teachable is magical, but because:
1. They stopped wasting time fighting their platform
2. They could focus on content and marketing
3. Features that took months to build custom were built-in
4. Their students had a better experience
That's a $200,000 decision made smarter by understanding what platforms their competitors were successfully using.
Talent and Hiring
This is subtle but important. The CMS you use affects what kind of talent you can hire.
WordPress developers are everywhere. They're affordable. You can find good ones easily.
Shopify developers? Also common, reasonable rates.
Custom platform built in some obscure framework? Good luck finding someone to maintain it when your original developer leaves. And when you do find someone, they'll charge premium rates because they can.
I've seen companies stuck with platforms they hate because finding someone who knows it is nearly impossible.
One company I consulted for was running on a custom CMS built in ColdFusion. The original developer had retired. Finding someone who knew ColdFusion in 2024? Nearly impossible. When they finally found someone, that person could basically name their price.
They eventually migrated to WordPress. Now they have tons of developer options.
Your platform choice affects your hiring pool. Period.
Marketing Integration and Tools
Different CMSs integrate differently with marketing tools. This matters more than you think.
WordPress? Integrates with everything. There's a plugin for every tool you can imagine.
Shopify? Great e-commerce integrations, but limited for some complex marketing automation.
Custom platform? You'll need to build every integration yourself.
I worked with a company that wanted to implement sophisticated marketing automation. They were on a custom platform. Every integration required custom development. It cost them $30,000 and took four months.
Their competitor on WordPress? Installed a plugin. Cost: $299/year. Setup time: one afternoon.
Knowing what platform you're on (and what your competitors are on) helps you understand what's possible and what it'll cost.
The E-commerce Angle
If you're selling online, your platform choice is even more critical.
I analyzed 50 successful online stores in the fashion industry. Here's what I found:
- 60% were on Shopify or Shopify Plus
- 25% were on WooCommerce (WordPress)
- 10% were on custom platforms
- 5% were on other platforms (BigCommerce, Magento, etc.)
Why does Shopify dominate fashion e-commerce? Because:
1. Beautiful themes out of the box
2. Easy Instagram integration
3. POS for popup stores
4. International selling is built-in
5. Abandoned cart recovery is standard
6. Mobile experience is optimized
If you're launching a fashion store and you're NOT on Shopify, you better have a damn good reason. The data doesn't lie.
Page Speed and Performance
Different CMSs have different performance characteristics. This affects your bottom line directly.
A one-second delay in page load time can reduce conversions by 7%. For a business doing $1M/year, that's $70,000.
I analyzed the page speed of 100 e-commerce sites. The results:
Average load times:
- Shopify: 2.1 seconds
- BigCommerce: 2.3 seconds
- WooCommerce: 3.2 seconds (varies widely)
- Custom platforms: 2.8 seconds (but huge variance)
Does this mean Shopify is always faster? No. But it means they've optimized their infrastructure for speed. If you're on WooCommerce and your site is slow, you know it's likely fixable with optimization.
If you're on a custom platform and it's slow? That's a much bigger problem.
The "Should We Switch?" Question
The most common question I get: "Should we switch platforms?"
My answer is always the same: "What are your competitors doing, and why?"
If everyone in your industry is moving to Platform X, there's probably a reason. If you're the only one still on Platform Y, you're either brilliant or behind.
I'm working with a non-profit right now. They're on Drupal. It was the right choice in 2015. In 2024? Not so much.
I detected that similar organizations have moved to:
- WordPress (easier for non-technical staff)
- Squarespace (even easier, lower cost)
- Webflow (more design flexibility)
We're migrating to WordPress. Why? Because:
1. Their competitors are there
2. It's easier to maintain
3. Volunteers can help manage content
4. Tons of non-profit-specific plugins
5. Lower long-term costs
That's a strategic decision based on competitive intelligence.
Mobile Apps and PWAs
Some CMSs make it easier to build mobile apps or Progressive Web Apps (PWAs).
If your competitor has a mobile app and you don't, knowing what platform they built it on helps you understand the path to get there.
Shopify has solid mobile app builders (like Shopify Mobile App or Tapcart).
WordPress can do PWAs but requires more setup.
Custom platforms? You're building from scratch.
I worked with a restaurant chain that wanted an ordering app. Their competitor had one. I detected they were using Shopify with a third-party app builder.
My client copied the approach. Six months later, their mobile orders were up 35%.
Again: competitive intelligence in action.
Cost of Ownership Over Time
Different platforms have different cost structures over time.
WordPress:
- Low upfront cost
- Medium ongoing cost (hosting, plugins, maintenance)
- Cost increases with complexity
- DIY possible for basic sites
Shopify:
- Predictable monthly fee
- Apps add cost (can add up)
- Transaction fees (unless using Shopify Payments)
- Less need for developer (usually)
Custom Platform:
- High upfront cost
- High ongoing maintenance
- Every feature costs developer time
- Complete control (if you can afford it)
I consulted for a business comparing these options. Over 5 years:
- WordPress: $25,000 total
- Shopify: $35,000 total
- Custom: $180,000 total
The custom platform gave them features the others couldn't. But were those features worth $145,000 more? In their case, no.
Understanding these economics helps you make smarter decisions.
Industry-Specific Insights
Different industries gravitate toward different platforms. This isn't random.
Real Estate: Mostly WordPress (IDX integration, MLS feeds)
E-commerce Fashion: Shopify dominates
SaaS Companies: Often custom (need specific features)
Restaurants: Mix of WordPress, Squarespace, Toast
Blogs/Media: WordPress overwhelmingly
Online Courses: Teachable, Thinkific, or WordPress with LearnDash
Nonprofits: WordPress or Squarespace
Why does this matter? Because platforms optimize for their biggest users.
Shopify is amazing for e-commerce because that's literally all they do.
WordPress has incredible real estate plugins because so many real estate sites use it.
If you're in an industry, look at what the successful players use. They've already done the research.
The DIY Question
Can you manage your site yourself, or do you need a developer?
This depends on your platform:
Easiest (DIY-friendly):
- Wix
- Squarespace
- Shopify (basic)
- WordPress (with page builders)
Medium (some technical skill needed):
- WordPress (without page builders)
- Shopify (with customization)
- Webflow
Hard (developer required):
- Custom platforms
- Magento
- Drupal
- Complex WordPress setups
I worked with a small business owner who was paying $500/month to a developer to update her Squarespace site. Content changes that she could easily do herself.
I showed her how. She fired the developer. Now she saves $6,000/year.
If you know what platform you're on, you can learn if you're capable of managing it yourself. That's potentially thousands saved.
The Multi-Site Scenario
Do you run multiple websites? Your platform choice matters even more.
Some platforms make multi-site management easy:
- WordPress Multisite
- Shopify Plus (if running multiple stores)
- Webflow (with team plans)
Others make it a nightmare:
- Running multiple separate WordPress sites (updates are hell)
- Multiple Wix sites (no bulk management)
- Custom platforms (unless specifically built for it)
I consulted for a franchise with 50 locations. Each needed a website. They were managing 50 separate WordPress installations. The update process alone took two full days every month.
We switched to WordPress Multisite. Now updates happen in minutes.
Knowing what platform scales for multi-site helped them save probably 20+ hours per month.
When Custom Actually Makes Sense
Look, I've been critical of expensive custom platforms. But sometimes they're the right choice.
Custom makes sense when:
1. You have truly unique requirements
2. You have budget for ongoing maintenance
3. You have technical staff or reliable developers
4. Your business model depends on features no CMS offers
5. You're at scale where platform fees exceed custom build costs
I worked with a marketplace that connects buyers and sellers in a unique way. They needed custom matching algorithms, specific workflows, complex pricing rules.
WordPress couldn't do it. Shopify couldn't do it. They needed custom.
They spent $300,000 building it. But it's central to their business model and generates $10M/year.
Worth it.
But most businesses aren't in this category. Most businesses would do better on an established platform.
The Future-Proofing Question
Technology changes. Is your platform keeping up?
I've seen businesses stuck on platforms that stopped being maintained. The developers moved on. No more updates. No more security patches.
Established platforms like WordPress, Shopify, Drupal? They're not going anywhere. They're actively maintained and improved.
That obscure CMS your developer loved in 2015? Might be dead by 2025.
When you know what platform you're on, you can research its longevity and ecosystem health.
Making Your Decision
So, with all this information, how do you actually use CMS detection for your business?
Here's my framework:
Step 1: Identify your top 5-10 competitors
Step 2: Detect what platforms they're using
Step 3: Note patterns (are 80% on the same platform?)
Step 4: Research why that platform dominates your industry
Step 5: Consider if those reasons apply to you
Step 6: Make an informed decision
It's not about copying blindly. It's about understanding the landscape.
The Bottom Line
CMS detection isn't just for developers and tech nerds. It's a legitimate business intelligence tool.
It helps you:
- Make better technology decisions
- Understand your competition
- Avoid getting ripped off
- Hire the right people
- Choose the right tools
- Budget accurately
- Scale effectively
Every successful business uses data to make decisions. CMS intelligence is just another data point.
But it's a surprisingly powerful one.
That competitor crushing you? Maybe it's not their marketing or their products. Maybe it's their technology choices enabling them to move faster, test more, and serve customers better.
The only way to know is to look.
So yeah, your business should care about CMS detection. Even if you think you don't.
Trust me on this one. I've seen too many businesses learn this lesson the expensive way.
---
Questions about CMS selection for your business? Want to know what your competitors are using? Let's talk in the comments.