Case Study

Bullfinch Digital Agency: From Joomla to Bolt CMS Success Story.

We explore how this forward-thinking digital agency transformed their business by migrating from Joomla to Bolt CMS, improving performance and streamlining their workflow.

Before & After

From Joomla to Bolt – A Game-Changing Website Overhaul

Bullfinch has always been a forward-thinking agency, but their website didn’t always reflect that. Their old Joomla site, while functional, struggled with slow page load speeds, a clunky content management experience, and a design that didn’t fully capture their bold, no-nonsense approach.

That all changed when Bullfinch migrated to Bolt, paired with Astro for blazing-fast performance and Contentful for dynamic content management.

Joomla Version

  • Slower page load times

  • Outdated design & rigid structure

  • More frequent maintenance & security patches

  • Harder content updates

Bolt + Astro Version

  • 78% faster page loads
  • Modern, dynamic design reflecting Bullfinch’s brand

  • Lower maintenance overhead (automated deployment, minimal updates)

  • Streamlined content workflow via Contentful

Performance Gains at a Glance

 

Metric Joomla (Before) Alternative (After) Improvement
Page Load Speed 8 seconds .02 seconds 99.75% Faster
Maintenance Time High Low Major Reduction
SEO Performance Struggled to rank Improved rankings +68% Increase In Visibility
Content Management Cumbersome Seamless via Contentful Huge Efficiency Gains

Why We’re Featuring Bullfinch

As part of our mission to help businesses find better alternatives to Joomla, we’re showcasing Bullfinch Digital Agency as a compelling case study. This agency represents exactly what JoomlaSaver aims to highlight: organizations that have successfully transitioned away from outdated platforms to more efficient, modern solutions.

Bullfinch’s journey mirrors what many of our readers are considering. They started with traditional CMS platforms but eventually found limitations in scalability, performance, and workflow efficiency with Joomla.

We selected Bullfinch specifically because their core services—web development, SEO, and digital marketing—require a robust technical foundation. Their experience provides valuable insights for other service-based businesses considering similar transitions.

Joomla VersionBolt + Astro Version
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Takeaways for Your Joomla Migration

If you’re considering moving away from Joomla like Bullfinch did, their journey offers valuable lessons that can make your transition smoother:

Assessment Checklist

Is Bolt CMS Right for You?
  • Development Flexibility: Lightweight, developer-friendly platform that gives you greater code control than Joomla
  • Content Complexity: Best for sites with structured content types but without the extensive user management needs of larger platforms
  • Team Expertise: Consider your team’s comfort with modern PHP frameworks
  • Budget Considerations: Lower hosting resources than Joomla, potentially reducing ongoing costs

Common Migration

Challenges & Solutions
  • Content Transfer: Export your Joomla content to a structured format before importing to an alternative, preserving your SEO value
  • Custom Extensions: Identify which Joomla extensions are critical and plan equivalent functionality early
  • Timeline Management: We recommend a phased migration approach, starting with core content pages
  • Learning Curve: Allocate time for team training on your new content model

Measuring Success

After Your Migration From Joomla
  • Performance Metrics: Bullfinch saw a 40% improvement in page load times after migrating
  • Maintenance Time: Content updates that took hours in Joomla now require minutes in Bolt
  • Development Cycles: New feature implementation is significantly faster with cleaner architecture

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