The Importance of Using a Content Management System

Regularly adding content to your business website has a two-fold benefit. It can help your website rank for valuable keywords in the organic search results, for starters. Google tends to favor a regularly updated website versus one with stale, old content.

The second benefit to frequently updating your site with content is that it can help turn visitors into clients or customers. It helps them through the buying process and allows them to make a more informed decision while building trust in their minds.

The challenge that many businesses face is that they have to call their “web guy” every time they want to make changes to their website, which adds an unnecessary burden and expense. 

Adding a Content Management System (CMS) to your company website will allow you to easily make changes and add new content with the click of a button—no coding or other highly technical experience is required!

Read on to learn more about content management systems and how they will add value to your business.

What is a CMS?

A CMS, or content management system, is a piece of software that allows non-technical users to quickly build a website, add content, and make other aesthetic and functional changes without writing a single line of code.

The interface is user-friendly, and you can further refine and customize your website design by downloading (for free) or purchasing templates and extensions. You can also have multiple users working on the site simultaneously.

CMS vs. Website Builder

Website builders combine web hosting and website building tools. You’ll have the option of purchasing a custom domain name, such as www.your_business_name_here.com. Think of it as a one-stop shop for building a website—they give you everything you need to get started.

However, there are a few drawbacks. A website builder doesn’t offer as much flexibility as a content management system. Your monthly hosting costs could be higher—as you won’t be able to shop around for the best deal. Some people refer to this as a “walled garden” where you’re stuck with what the website building company offers.

Another downside is that website builders lack the advanced content management features and functionality of a CMS. Giving up this much control of your website could hinder any future upgrades you’d like to make, such as adding certain functionalities that would add value to your website.

For all of the above reasons and more, website builders are really only ideal for a few use cases:

• Artists who want to showcase their work
• Grandparents who want to add online photos of their grandchildren
• Students who need to build a website for a class project quickly
• Someone who needs to quickly create a website with no regard for design

Why Should I Use a CMS?

There are several excellent reasons for using a CMS:

Security—Modern content management systems come with a wealth of security features designed to work seamlessly in the background. You can also download free and paid custom extensions to add several more layers of security to your website.

Optimized for Google—Content management systems, such as WordPress, are highly optimized for Google to crawl and retrieve information. This means that the underlying code is ideal for SEO and the overall user experience.

Predesigned Templates—Some of the more popular content management systems come with tens of thousands of professionally-designed templates that you can easily install yourself. Want to liven things up a bit and change how your website looks? Simply download a free or paid new template and install it in seconds!

No Coding Knowledge is Required—The biggest attraction of adding a CMS to your website is that you don’t have to know HTML coding to use it. It’s designed with ease and simplicity in mind. While there is a very small learning curve, anyone can pick it up within a few minutes. In other words, if you can use a modern-day smartphone—you can use a CMS.

How Do I Choose the Right CMS for My Business?

The right CMS platform will need to closely align with your needs, your business, and the overall goals of your website. The five main considerations are:

• Pricing—Some content management systems are free, while others run under a paid pricing plan. 
• Security—Do you want to manually back up your website, install updates, and add SSL certificates? You can set some CMS systems up to perform these tasks manually.
• Prevalence—How popular is the CMS of your choice? There are countless ones on the market, some free, others paid. Start by looking at the list of highly successful website customers running the CMS system. That will give you a good idea of what your experience could be like.
• Customizability and Ease of Use—Some CMS systems are easier to use and more customizable than others. Consider your potential future needs as well as your present ones. Will you want to add a shopping cart in the future? Make sure the CMS you choose can support that feature.

CMS and Web Design Help in DallasContent management systems are ideal for businesses that want to have an easily updatable, user-friendly, and aesthetically pleasing website. Witmer Group has been helping businesses with their website, and CMS needs for over a decade. Give us a call today at (214) 865-9484, or contact us via our website to learn more about the services we offer our Dallas clients.