Q: Is a content management system (CMS) really worthwhile?
A: I believe that in the context of designing/developing a remarkable website (a website worth talking about), a content management system or simply “CMS” should be an indispensable member of your website’s “must have” feature list. A CMS empowers you to add/edit/delete the content of your website. With a CMS, you can go from computer idiot to savvy web editor in seconds (simply by logging in).
In order to understand what a CMS is, it’s important to first understand the difference between a “dynamic” and a “static” website. A static website is a website that is simply HTML. There is no programming and no special functionality… it’s more of an online brochure and usually more limited in nature. A dynamic website is a website that has programming and/or special functionality. Typically it is comprised of a programming language (e.g. PHP), a database (e.g. mySQL), and HTML/CSS. With many dynamic websites, content (e.g. page contents like text) is housed in a database and is “pulled” in real time to show on the appropriate page. A CMS, therefore, is a dynamic website in that the content is stored in a database and using a programming language is pulled. A CMS also includes an administration panel where administrators can add/delete/content inside of preset areas of the site. Typically, a CMS would allow you to change menu options, add page contents in the body area, and change specific sections or elements of the website. The overall layout, colors, styles, header, and footer are usually hard-coded.
Now that I’ve explained more on what a CMS actually is and does, I’ll point out just a few of the benefits of getting it for your website. First of all, content is king on the search engines. Content more than likely will “make or break” your website as it has search engine implications, builds credibility, grows community, builds a following, sells a product, markets a service, and the list goes on… Without a CMS, you’ll be stuck with stale content more often than not with the barriers to entry of using many web designers for small, quick tasks. Secondly, a CMS will save money over the long run. Stop re-designing your website every time you want to change content! Stop paying your web designer decent sums for quick and easy work! Thirdly, a CMS will ensure your website is fresh. Because a CMS is so easy to use by just about anyone, news and fresh content that should be placed on the website IS placed on the website, because it will only take 5 minutes rather than using a web design program and uploading changes or waiting on your IT department to get to your task. And finally, a CMS works well if more than one person will be editing your website. A CMS can have different user accounts with logging and it ensures that whatever content you are working on is always the latest content.
Below: A screen shot of one of our CMS’s to illustrate what a CMS is and does
