Choosing the right website setup: regular site, multi-domain or multisite?

• Ordinary website: A single Web site managed through a single installation of a content management system (CMS). This is a simple solution for organizations that need only one Web site without the complexity of multiple sites.
• Multi-domain setup: Multiple Web sites are managed from one CMS installation, but each site has its own domain name. This is useful for organizations that want to manage multiple but similar Web sites from one system.
• Multisite setup: Multiple websites are also managed from one CMS installation, but each site has its own domain, content, settings and can be managed separately by different administrators. This provides more flexibility for companies that want to manage different brands or products and give people access to specific sites without giving access to other sites.

A plain website is perfect for organizations that only need one site. It is a straightforward solution, ideal for companies that do not need extra complexity.

Benefits of a plain website

1. Easy management: With one site, it's easy to keep everything organized.
2. Lower cost: Setting up and maintaining a single website is often cheaper.
3. Consistent user experience: You can easily maintain a uniform look and feel.

Disadvantages of a regular website

1. Limited scalability: If you need multiple sites, it's difficult to expand.
2. No separate management: Everything is on one site, which is less convenient if you want to serve different audiences.

With a multi-domain setup, you manage multiple websites from one CMS, but each website has its own domain name. This is ideal for companies that want to manage several websites without separate installations for each site. By using a shared CMS installation, costs are lower because you only have to maintain one system instead of several.

Benefits of a multi-domain setup

1. Shared code base: All sites share the same CMS installation, which makes maintenance and updates easy.
2. Centralized management: You manage everything from one system, which saves time.
3. Efficient maintenance and cost savings: Updates and modifications can be made to all sites at the same time, saving both time and cost. The shared system means you don't have to manage separate licenses or servers for each site.
4. Consistent look and feel: All websites can have the same look and feel, which is good for the brand.
5. Shared resources: Users and content can be easily shared between sites.

Disadvantages of a multi-domain setup

1. Fewer customization options: It can be difficult to make each website completely unique.
2. Risk of errors: A problem in the shared code can affect all sites.
3. Complexity in user management: Managing user rights can be difficult.

A multisite setup means that you manage multiple Web sites from one CMS, with all sites sharing the same basic code. However, each site can have its own domain, content and settings, and can be managed by different administrators. This offers a lot of flexibility and can save costs because you maintain one system instead of multiple separate installations.

Benefits of a multisite setup

1. Shared code base: All sites share the same CMS installation, which makes maintenance easy.
2. Flexibility in content and management: Each site can have its own content, features and administrators, which is ideal for different brands.
3. Centralized management of multiple sites: From one dashboard, you can manage all sites, which increases efficiency.
4. Less risk of complete failure: Problems on one site can often be fixed without affecting the other sites.
5. Cost savings: Because all sites share the same base and use shared resources, maintenance costs are lower than with completely separate installations. You save on licensing fees, server management and time for maintenance.

Disadvantages of a multisite setup

1. Limited customization options for individual sites: Because all sites share the same installation, major customizations for each site are sometimes more difficult.
2. Dependence on shared resources: Problems in the shared infrastructure can impact all sites.
3. More maintenance per site: Each site must be managed separately, which can potentially mean extra work.

When choosing between a regular Web site, a multi-domain setup or a multisite setup, consider what best suits your organization. Consider your budget, technical resources, need for scalability and how much control you want over each site.

• Ordinary website: Suitable for organizations that need one simple Web site.
• Multi-domain setup: Ideal for companies that want to manage multiple, similar Web sites from one system.
• Multisite setup: Perfect for organizations that want to manage multiple brands or products from one CMS setup, with flexibility per site.

At Unc Inc, we understand that every organization has unique needs. That's why we use Drupal, a powerful and flexible CMS suitable for both multisite and multi-domain setups. Drupal allows you to efficiently manage multiple websites, with shared resources and centralized management, without sacrificing performance or flexibility.