Why a CMS will make your life easier
So what is a CMS?
A website content management system is an easy, efficient and cost effective way to update the content on your website, with no technical knowledge required.
Why do I need one?
Everyone from the marketing team to the department heads and even the managing director will have spent a great deal of time and effort defining the message for the company’s corporate website. But that’s just the beginning. As time moves on, the corporate website needs to evolve with the business it represents; and many businesses are faced with the problem of keeping their website relevant in the face of both their changing business, and the changing marketplace.
Most website design agencies offer ongoing website maintenance, which is one way of keeping your content up to date and ensuring that the look and feel of the site is not compromised. If you want to retain full control in house, though, a website content management system is the way forwards.
Benefits of a website content management system:
1. Easy to use interface which can be accessed from anywhere, no software required
2. No technical knowledge required
3. User management, managed workflow, scheduling and archiving give total control over who updates what, when and how.
4. Modular systems make it easy to include additional features in the site, such as forums, blogs, job advertising etc.
5. Inbuilt search engine optimisation gives you easy control over aspects of the site which influence search engine rankings, helping to improve the site’s search result placement.
6. Reduced time and cost – as no technical knowledge is required, enabling all employees to make updates if required, without outsourcing to a web design agency
So how does it work?
A website content management system will normally have a browser based interface with a secure login to keep the content safe. Many systems use a WYSIWYG (whizzywig) editor – which stands for ‘what you see is what you get’. Basically it’s a very easy to use interface which shows you all the existing content and allows you to edit it, as well as allowing you to add new content, be it content or images, or new pages.
And how do I get one?
There are a huge amount of website content management systems available. Some fairly well known names are Drupal and Joomla, although these are not necessarily the best. Again, most web design agencies can either build a bespoke website content management system, or will have a ready-made website content management system which fits the bill. Always ask for recommendations and if possible see a demo before you buy.
Don’t let the dust gather on your website content – get content managed!