A lot of times clients will ask me if they can maintain the content on their website on their own. There are a number of different ways I can help make that happen. One way is to build the website on a content management system platform.
What is it?
A content management system (CMS) is a piece of software installed on a web server (where you host your site) which provides a foundation for many powerful website features. What that means is you build your website on this platform much like you build a house on a foundation. Typically the features available through a content management system driven website include things like:
- WYSIWYG editor so you can update your content on your own
- Advanced user permissions so you can have different people update different parts of your site
- Sitewide search
- Custom functionality through various modules
- Easier site management
- Integrated file management
- Template support to customize design
Do I Need One?
If you have a website that you want to update on your own regularly or want to have a lot of dynamic functionality built in, a CMS system may be for you. Some things you want to consider - ask yourself the questions:
- Do I want to make an ongoing investment of time and effort to learn how to use the CMS system interface and update my website myself?
- Am I willing to make an extra investment of money up front to have a website built on a CMS platform? (Note: it doesn’t have to cost a fortune.)
- How complex are your design requirements?
As with anything there are pros and cons to each decision. In a nutshell the pros include:
- Lots of functionality far cheaper than developing it from scratch
- Ease of updates by you or a VA
- Great way to manage files and content
- More powerful features you can plug into your site get introduced regularly
The cons include:
- Limited design potential. The templates are great and you can have a very professional looking site that uses your own branding and logos. However, if you have an artistic or esoteric design you are limited by the framework.
- Extra time and potential expense involved in creating and launching the initial site.
- Need to keep your framework up to date (this can be accomplished by choosing the right host and a few extra dollars a month).
- More difficult to migrate your site from one platform to another (remember the house foundation analogy?).
Conclusion
As with the rest of your website strategy, you need to look at the big picture. Don’t build more than you need (technology for technology sake is just an expensive hobby). However a CMS can be a cost-effective way for you to get a very rich website at a reasonable price point. Need help working through the decision? Grab my free website planner and get a complimentary consultation.
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