In this consumer driven society, you have less than three seconds to grab a consumer’s attention before they leave your site. That’s why business owners are under more pressure than ever to develop a professional website—and without breaking the bank.
A content management system (CMS) does exactly that. CMS is a software that allows you to create and maintain a website from the convenience of your web browser. The idea behind a CMS is that business owners won’t have to start with a blank screen of code. Instead, business owners will have the framework needed to edit and manipulate templates that fit their needs.
In addition, a CMS is a quick and easy way to develop a website. However, with literally hundreds of options out there, choosing the right CMS for your business can be tricky. Here’s what to look for in a CMS:
▪ Good User Administration. Keep in mind that you’re not a web developer. A good CMS will provide your business with the framework needed to create a professional website as well as the accessibility to maintain the site on your own.
▪ Simple Template Manipulation. Business life can be hectic. Therefore, you will want the ability to take a basic template and quickly reconfigure it with your content, logo and personalization—time is money!
▪ Extra Functionality. Consumers have unique demands. Thus, it’s important to have the option to integrate different capabilities, like a forum or email database. It’s equally important to think in terms of five years from now—you will want the option to add new features in the future.
▪ A Helpful Community. Don’t be fooled by “free” open source systems. Paying a little extra for a CMS is the best way to ensure quality support when you need it. However, you should ask your administrator questions about additional fees for customer support and availability 24/7.
Choosing the right CMS or content management system is crucial—selecting the wrong software for your business can result in unnecessary hours of development time in the long-run. Take your time to careful examine all your options.