What is a Content Management System and Do I Need one?
by Keith Scandone, 03 World
Also commonly referred to as a CMS, a Content Management System is a software application that is hooked into the back end of your website that allows you to make updates to your site without the need to know HTML, CSS or any web programming languages. It automatically turns content you update through an editor into HTML and posts it on the site, maintaining the site’s design. It also crops your images, and formats any updates you make, in addition to handling many other tasks that turn you into an instant designer. More or less…
A CMS is great for businesses because it allows you to make real time updates to your site, without incurring ongoing costs from a web designer or development team. So, now that it’s clear how super easy, friendly and useful it is, comes down to whether YOU need it. Whether or not you need a CMS comes down to the type of business you have, the scope of your website, and how much marketing you plan on doing through your website. If you are looking to have an E commerce site, yes you should have a CMS. If you are running a publication, magazine or newspaper online, yes you should have a CMS. If you are updating many areas of your site, such as menus, news, events, photos…than yes, you should have a CMS. There are many other examples of where and why to have a CMS, but those are some general guidelines.
The next big thing is how do I choose a CMS provider. And the answer is….oh boy. For the sake of keeping this blog within blog guidelines, I’ll keep this really, really simple, because you basically have 3 options. Use off the shelf free software, like Wordpress, Drupal, Magento…although be prepared to deal with their one size fits all scenario. Option 2: Use those platforms, but hire a developer, or team of developers to customize it for your needs. Or Option 3: Hire a web development company that has their own CMS software that is customized for YOUR needs. Our company has our own software…and many others do as well. It comes down to how cool the interface and functionality is and what you want to pay….because this can vary….by 100’s of thousands of dollars. You’d be surprised how much CMS power a company can give you.
Ok, I’m already over my word limit, but hope that helps. For more regarding CMS options, feel free to reach out me at keith@o3world.com. Also, I am writing a 4 part series on Content Management Systems that started this week on our blog at www.o3world.com. Feel free to head there for a more in depth overview.
