What is a Content Management System? Do I Need One? |
| Written by Karen Fenton |
| Wednesday, 15 July 2009 13:16 |
 The term web Content Management System is somewhat self explanatory. A CMS is used to build, maintain and update a website. The term ‘content' in this setting includes graphics, copy, titles, photos, music, documents and video.
CMS sites are different in their structure than the usual static website. On a CMS site, the design, content and structure are kept and managed separately, so one can be changed without affecting the others. For our clients, our CMS offers increased flexibility and control.Should you consider a CMS site? There are some advantages to CMS sites over static sites. The most obvious is ease of updating and adding written copy to a site; the part most likely needing frequent updates. We have often stressed the importance of keeping website copy up to date. A CMS makes updating easy for you, and you don't need to know any HTML coding. Editing copy on a CMS site is similar to using a word processing program. It's very user friendly. For companies with multiple departments and various people responsible for the web content coming out of those departments, a CMS is particularly helpful. Employees within a corporation can be given access to specific parts of the site for updating. Who does the editing and when it was edited can be tracked, and editing can be done from any place with a secure internet connection. A hierarchy of checks and balances can be incorporated into the copy editing process, ensuring that the right people see copy before it is published to the web. Copy can even be queued and published on a particular date in the future. CMS has the added advantage of keeping the copy separate from the graphic design, so copy can be changed without worrying about affecting the site's design. And don't overlook the convenience of a CMS for posting discounts, sales and promotional events taking place at your business. In today's web marketing it's becoming increasingly important to tie a company website to other forms of web marketing and communication such as blogs, forums, Twitter, RSS feeds and electronic newsletters. Our CMS makes that integration simple. Online purchasing, calendars, photo galleries and search features are also easily managed on CMS sites. At Next Step, we have the additional convenience and safety of our own dedicated server, which really enhances the usefulness of a CMS to our clients. To discuss whether a CMS site is right for you, please contact us at 307-797-2765 or through our online contact form. |
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