Drupal
Drupal is an award winning Content Management System [CMS]. It provides a user management and CMS framework around which we can install various "modules" depending on what we want the site to do.
Using Drupal is is possible to build the following type of sites:
- Community Sites
- Newspaper Sites
- Directory Sites where users pay to publish their ads
- FULL Content Management Websites
- e-Commerce Websites
Drupal is a hugely flexible and scalable system. By building the framework of a site in Drupal we will have a built-in User Login and management system through the whole site. This will allow users to register and, should we choose to allow, enable them to comment on blog entries, articles, products, post on the forum etc. We can pick and choose which types of page they can comment on.
When the site is ready to launch we simple set the client as an Administrator level user and from there they are able Add and Edit any content on the site, by simply clicking the "edit" button on each page.
The standard Drupal installation includes a Blog and a basic Forum. We can use the blog to update users on company news. From there we can then add pre-built "modules" to allow different types of functionality.
The following are a list of the sort of functionality, that can easily be added to a Drupal site:
1 "Rate This" Module.
Allow users to rate articles and/or products using a simple 5 Star system. From the results of the votes we can create a list of the "5 highest rated" products on the homepage.
2 "Comment" Module.
Allow Users to comment at the end of Articles-Products-Blog entries. This will allow users to leave feedback, ask questions about products and/or blog entries, thus enabling them to feel connected with your business. (assuming you have the time to answer their queries!)
3 "Video Player" Module.
Allows admin users to upload video into their content.
4 "Images" Module
Allows Admin or contributor users to upload images into the content they create.
5 - "Share This" Module
This module adds a "share This" button, you'll see it on newspaper sites and sites like the BBC. Clicking the "Share This" button allows users to publish snippets of your articles or pages onto their facebook (or similar) page, this snippet brought over to facebook will link back to your site. Thus users will be able to market your site for you, no doubt prospective brides would just love to share a picture of their potential dress ideas with friends.
6 - "Email to Friend" Module
This module adds an "email this page" button to each Article-Product-Blog entry. Allowing each Article-Product-Blog entry to be sent to a users friends. This is a great way to encourage e-word of mouth marketing.
7- "Enquire" Online
We can create an online enquiry form in Drupal so people can request an appointment through your website.
8 "Advanced Forum" Module:
Allow users to discuss topics with fellow site users. This is User Generated Content UGC which is all the rage on sites at the moment, employed along with a Blog Google just loves all this constantly changing content. It also bring users back to a site again and again.
9 - "RSS Feeds":
created with the "Views" module
Allows Users to subscribe to any content on the Site.
10 - Google Analytics:
We can add Google Analytics which is a hugely comprehensive stats package that you get with your Google Ad Words account.
These feature's will make it as easy as possible for people to spread the word about your site, a sort of online "word of mouth". By allowing people to comment and receive replies about products and or upcoming events, you will allow them to feel connected to your company through your site.
However Drupal can do so much more.
Drupal e-Commerce installation:
Drupal has a fully integrated e-commerce system called Uber-cart.
However it's not as powerful as some of the latest eCommerce solutions. We'll need to discuss your future eCommerce needs before deciding on the best potential solution.
Drupal Full Social Networking:
By installing a range of other modules we can add full social networking functionality to your site, these can give a registered user an advanced profile page where they can list their friends, they can save their favourite articles from the site. In fact we could allow Users to upload photos and or Videos to their profile and even allow trusted users to keep their own Blogs.
Here's a YouTube video about the powers of Drupal, we think it really is the solution for most websites as we go into 2009.