Drupal 7 End of Life Extended
Drupal 7 was due to come to an end this November 2022, but this has been extended a year to November 2023.
Over 500,000 sites have waited to make the leap to the newest version of Drupal - so this news may come as a relief to those of you who have been worried about the cost, time, or effort required to upgrade, especially in recent times of economic uncertainty and are thankful that you can delay the expense till next year.
With change comes great opportunity
However, we also think that this presents a great opportunity for you and you should capitalise on it. The extra year allows you to take the time to develop and invest in your ideal website, rather than creating one with less time and budget. The time will allow you to accumulate a greater budget for your website, and consequently, push your website to the upper tier of digital excellence. We understand that most organisations do not always have the time or money to achieve what they really want from their website, therefore with the extra year, it makes sense to make a greater investment in the project.
If you decide not to utilise this time, you could end up in a situation near the deadline next year where you have little time and little budget. Therefore, with these restrictions, you will likely only achieve a generic and unimaginative website that doesn’t elevate and celebrate your brand to excite your audience. Therefore, this extension is a lifeline that many organisations need.
Benefits of a Drupal 9 site
With Drupal 9 it is not only well-maintained, secure, and stable, the digital opportunities are considerable as it is feature-rich. The functional and visual improvements from Drupal 7 to 9 demonstrate a vast improvement in technology and operational knowledge, and now Drupal 9 sites are on the elite tier on the internet.
A Drupal 7 upgrade is a big project, therefore it makes sense to spend the time and money on getting the best possible results from the website build. The return on investment with a website is worth the cost, as a highly functional, sleek, and clean website will appeal to third parties, whether it be clients, customers, or investors. Improving user experience is easily achievable with extra investment, and will boost your KPIs and ultimately value return.
Time may not be of the essence, but preparation is vital
Therefore, it is right to be relieved about the extension, however, don't be complacent. Use this as an opportunity to spend the time to produce a project that fulfills all your goals and visions for your website. With a simple few steps early on the road to your upgrade, you can be prepared, and avoid a situation where you are left with little time and budget and have to settle for a standard website.
If you seeking any early advice on how best to prepare and start your journey, our team is always happy to help.
