Content Management Systems (CMS)

Why you need a CMS Website

Small Business Websites have moved way beyond the simple brochure website that many businesses had in the 90s. With the increased competition between websites and the ever changing Google Algorithm, it is now critical that you have a website that not only has great content, but is regularly updated and added to. That is where a Content Management System comes in.

How will I manage my Website Design?

The original websites were designed by a Website Designer using complex coding and were then uploaded onto a Host Server. Whenever you needed to make any changes to this site, the web pages needed to be downloaded and the changes made using this code. This essentially meant that you had your Website Designer on speed dial and paid them to make any changes to your site. Believe it or not, there are still websites being designed and built today using this format (Disclaimer: There are some occasions where this sort of website is all you need, but I would suggest this is an exception).

What is a CMS Website Platform?

Now we have a huge selection of what is commonly known as "Content Management Systems" for websites. These platforms allow you to login to your website console and make changes to it online. Therefore negating the need for software programs on your computer. Better still, they have what is referred to as a WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) Editor, that allows you to make your changes in something like a Word Document and this will convert it to the correct code.

So a good Business Website has a good Content Management System that allows you to keep your website updated. This is extremely important when we start looking at website optimisation, as the Search Engines love fresh content.

Points to consider with a Content Management System

• How easy is it to use?
• How do I keep the platform updated with system/security updates? How much will it cost for this?
• Do I use Open Source (Wordpress, Joomla etc) or Platform as a Service "PaaS" (Webflow, PlatformOS)?
• What functionality do I need on my site (Database, Email Marketing, Webforms, Blogs, Forums, Shops etc)?
• Do I need to use Plugins to get the functionality I need? If so, will there be conflict issues down the track?

Conflict Issues caused by disparate online tools/components

Many website designers uses various tools/components/plugins to build a business website. Some of these they have built themselves and others are components that may be adapted to what they already have. Options such as content management, email marketing, online store, databases etc, that have come from different sources, can have conflict issues if not built into a website correctly.

Ask your potential web design company about component incompatibility. All Probity Web Marketing website elements are compatible with one another to ensure an absolute minimum level of user confusion or frustration.

Contact us at Probity Web Marketing for a no-obligation meeting to see what's possible. We are based in Coolum Beach on the Sunshine Coast but have clients right across Australia.