The benefits of using a Content Management System
What is a content management system (CMS)?
Simply put, a CMS is an application (usually accessed via a web browser) that allows a user to update their website without the need to any technical programming knowledge.
Why use a CMS?
The key benefits are:
• Consistently styled, professional looking site
• Allow for a large number of contributors and editors
• No training or technical knowledge needed
• Ease of use for administrators
• Reduced costs on training and maintenance
• Instant updates are reflected on your site
Empowering the non-techie
A CMS empowers those with little or no programming knowledge to create and edit content online instantly. They come with a visual editor similar to what you would expect to find in your standard word processor meaning little to no learning curve. As the site is “themed” already, the contributors new content conforms with corporate styling from the off.
Instant turn-around
Businesses used to rely on a web design company to maintain their website. When content needed changing or adding, you would send the information and then wait for the update. Your update would be low on their priority list and then even when the update was done, you could expect an invoice for it.
Using a CMS transforms this process and removed the shackles. You own staff can instantly create content online and once proofed or maybe not, publish it for all to see. What could take hours or even weeks to create and publish can now be achieved in mere minutes.
A modular approach to a CMS
You can add extra applications that will enable new features on your website. For example
• e-commerce,
• social media integration,
• polls/surveys
• and many, many more!
By simply activating one of these applications, you can enhance your website without involving time and cost having a third party develop further required features. However, it may mean some configuration settings being reviewed or completed depending on the requirement.
Search engines
Search Engine Optimisation is the methodology of improving the ranking of a website on search engines such as Google. In the competitive online world, simply having a website is no longer enough if you want an edge on your competitors. A website, however well designed and carefully constructed, serves no real purpose if nobody pays it a visit.
With thousands of new websites flooding the Internet every day, your customers will often find that reaching your website isn’t easy. In cyberspace, even the best website can get swamped in the background noise of thousands of sites all competing for the same customers.
This is where SEO comes in. Search engines have more potential to push targeted traffic to a website than any other medium.
Relevant code to enhance your site’s SEO rating can be automatically generated in most CMS systems including hidden descriptive tags for images and meta keywords, both for the site and on an individual page. Friendly URLs (address locations) are generated too, which help search engines find their way through your site.
As an example, if your page title is “Event Management” the URL generated could be "www.mywebsite.com/event-management". The page title (keywords in the URL) and the content of your page (reaffirming the same key words) not only enhance its ranking but also provide an easy to remember location.
Design consistency
Unlike bespoke websites, all of the content of a CMS site is stored in a database. The design and layout is then controlled by a template or theme. When the site is accessed, the template/theme is loaded, and the relevant content is delivered from the database. Whilst browsing, the website visitor will therefore see the same clean, consistent design.