Overview

Before we go any further, let me just say that I love how this software performs. Everything is snappy and intuitive. The drag and drop functionality is really accurate, and page composition is extremely easy. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, shall we? Eden Platform is a SaaS model content management system created by the same company that originally invented iContact. It’s attractively priced, with packages starting at just $10.00 per month, and a free 15 day trial is available (no credit card required). As a proprietary platform should be, it’s packed with functionality. Twenty minutes into my trial, I was able to change my template, which Preation refers to as a theme, and add my content.

The highs:

This CMS had lots of great things about it…too many for me to list in this review. I’ve collected a list of my favorites, but I encourage any interested party to create their own free trial to learn more.

Page Tree – I was particularly impressed with Eden Platform’s intuitive page tree. Unlike any other CMS I’ve used, this one gives you a graphical outline of your website’s page hierarchy. Everything is represented in the style of a flow chart, which is really easy to understand. I used this interface to organize the structure of website, before I started adding content. Normally, I have to go through this important step of building a website by drawing it out on paper.

Page Editing – The drag and drop functionality works great. As with a few other CMSs, you build a page by dragging different content elements into predetermined zones. What makes Eden particularly different is that there is no need for a preview screen. While you edit, you’re actually editing within your website’s design. Purely WYSIWYG..

Search Engine Optimization – The built in SEO component of Eden Platform is really well thought through. As I added content to my page, Eden analyzed my content and compared to against my target keywords. If my SEO score was low, it made suggestions on how I could approve it. Eden even went so far as at tell me how to implement the suggestions it made. On the whole, it’s a very SEO friendly platform. You’ve got full control over your URL structure, page titles, meta data, and everything is XHTML Strict.

File Storage – I couldn’t find any mention of disk space limitations anywhere on the Preation site, so I assume there is no limit (their pricing structure is based on the number of pageviews your Eden Platform website receives.) Adding files to the site without having to use an FTP program was great. I was able to add and organize my files through my browser.

Web Form – It was really easy for me to create my own online forms using Eden’s built in Forms Module. I could easily specify the type of field I wanted, and all of the submitted data was stored within my site. What’s especially impressive is the fact that I could create email handlers that would email form data to an address of my choice or redirect my visitors to a specific “thank you” page.

Personalized Support – Soon after creating my free trial account, I was called by a Preation support representative. He offered to give me a walkthrough of the platform’s functionality, which was quite informative. The software is pretty easy to use, so I didn’t really need the walkthrough, but I wanted to evaluate their level of support. My representative was able to answer all of my questions, and went on to explain that a full training is provided, should I decide to upgrade to a full account.

The lows:

Ok, I’m really nitpicking here. These lows didn’t get in my way, but to be fair, I need to mention them as short comings.

Templates – At the time of this review, there were only five templates, or themes as they call then, to chose from. They all looked and performed wonderfully, but there should have been more.

File Size Limitation – Because you don’t use and FTP program to upload your files, you can’t upload especially large files.

Conclusion:

Eden Platform is one of the best content management systems I’ve ever used. If you own a small business and want to stop paying your web designer’s extravagant rates, look no further.