A Guide to Content Management Systems
What is content management & why should I use it?
Every website is built for a different purpose. It could be to allow you to sell products online, or simply to promote your business online in a simpler brochure format to show potential customers what your business does. No matter what it is used to do, your business is always going to be subject to change, grow and develop. It is for this reason that content management systems are used.
The use of a content management system (CMS) ensures that your website can be kept up to date, without the need for you to revert to an outside agency for changes and updates.
Content management systems allow users, management and external consultants to manage a website, extranet or intranet quickly and easily with minimum overheads compared to traditionally static websites.
The benefit of using a CMS-based system is that a wide range of people, with minimal training, can contribute to aspects of your website content. Furthermore, the integrity of the website, the design, layout and typography can all be maintained and assured. It all sounds too good to be true! Furthermore,
- Content can be changed on the website as frequently as is needed, without having to use a website designer or know HTML code.
- Changes can be made immediately due to a much shorter turnaround process
- Even though more its expensive to implement at the start of a project - it can potentially be cheaper than a static website in the longer term due to money saved for maintenance.
On the downside, the initial cost is normally higher than a static website and it may cause the website to load slightly slower for users on low bandwidths than a static website. The only other issue is that training may be needed depending on the complexity of a content management system, however this can be resolved if the right solution is chosen.
There are different types of content management system that vary in size, complexity and price and it is important to get the right one to suit your business needs
There are literally hundreds of different content management systems available for you and your business to use on your new website. The main two types of content management system are commercial and open-source.
Commercial CMS
A commercial content management system is simply a product that you purchase a licence for, and it is integrated into your website (probably by a professional web design company or the vendor).
The benefits of a commercial content management system are that it is likely to do pretty much what you are after. There are so many commercial systems available that there is bound to be one that fits into your requirements – and if not, they are usually customisable by the vendor to fit into your website. You also get support included with a commercial option, so if something happens or you have a question, someone will be available to help you.
The downside to a commercial content management system is cost generally. You are paying a company for the privilege of using their system that they have spent years developing and refining – so you have to pay a premium for this. In spite of this, it still may be the best option available to your business.
Open Source CMS
An open source content management system is free on the other hand. Professionals have developed it in their spare time generally, and for this reason there is no charge.
The advantage of an open source CMS is mainly cost – you are likely to find a CMS that fits into your business too, however customisation tends to be more difficult as you need to find a provider with the relevant skill sets.
One disadvantage of an open source CMS is that they do not have dedicated support. If you choose a commercial product, by paying for a licence you are also paying for dedicated support if you website goes down or you do not know how to do something – with open source, you have to rely in forums and sometimes lengthy response times.
Conclusion
It is becoming increasingly evident that companies want to be able to look after their own website, without having to ask website designers to make changes. New technologies are being implemented all the time, which is allowing web designers to create and install content management systems quickly with less of a cost implication to their client.
If your company is constantly changing and evolving then a CMS option is most probably the option for you. However, if changes are rare and insignificant then working closely with you website designer will end up being the more suitable way to go.
0 Comments
Add A Comment
