U.S. Government CMS Preferences and Trends: New Study Insights

Veniz Guzman from Promet Source reports on a comprehensive study analyzing CMS preferences across U.S. government entities, revealing notable trends based on government level and size. The study finds that smaller cities predominantly opt for specialized proprietary solutions like CivicPlus and Granicus, which offer tailored features for local governments. In contrast, larger entities and States tend to prefer flexible open-source platforms such as Drupal, valued for their scalability and customization capabilities. The study underscores the importance of selecting a CMS that fits each government entity's specific needs and context to optimize website performance, accessibility, security, and user experience.

The research involved a meticulous data collection process, including using Wappalyzer to identify CMS platforms across official government websites, supplemented by manual verification. The analysis covered the top CMS platforms, showing CivicPlus as the leader with a 26.6% market share, followed by WordPress, Granicus, and Drupal. The study also highlights a significant portion of unidentified CMS usage, suggesting the prevalence of custom-built or less common platforms. These insights aim to guide government decision-makers in choosing the most suitable CMS, balancing factors such as cost, flexibility, support, and long-term sustainability.