Benefits of a Content Management System

Simply put, why would I want a Content Management System for my business? Before we get into the "why", let's review the "what" for a moment. What is a Content Management System, or CMS? A CMS is a database-driven website. Instead of individual files for every page of the site, content is stored as records within a database, allowing online editing, collaboration and administration. There are quite a few reasons why every business should be using one form of CMS or another for their website.

1. Ease of Implementation

First and foremost, it is much more cost effective to use a Content Management System than it is to build a site from scratch or cobble together assorted scripts and web pages.

2. Ease of Management

One of the great values to a Content Management System is that they're designed so that any business owner can easily edit content, add new content, and take care of administrative tasks.

For instance, whenever Stadia Studio implements a new Drupal CMS, each client receives an administrative account and access to an administrative toolbar that appears for them along the top of their site, providing one-click access to all site functions and settings.

Another example is how a WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) text editor is included, so that making changes to a page is as easy as editing a Word document.

3. Content, Content, and more Content!

Every Content Management System is designed so that businesses can add more and more content to their sites and help improve their search engine ranking. However, one of the more subtle benefits to a good CMS is that all that new content can be easily organized so that your site's navigation and usability remain good and structured.

Systems can be created for specific kinds of content so that businesses simply have to create the content, and let the site take care of what to do with it. Images can be automatically placed within galleries, Frequently Asked Questions can be added to an FAQ page, and Products can be added to a catalog.

4. Security

A good Content Management System will be extremely secure. Drupal, for instance, assumes complete control over the directory in which it is installed, preventing hackers from easily accessing files or sub-folders.

Additionally, your CMS can track visitors and IP addresses and help deal with potential threats before they become a problem. The tools at a site owner's disposal are far greater and more effective than with standard HTML pages.

5. Expandability

One of the greatest benefits to using a Content Management System is the fact that your website can easily expand. While this is true with regard to content, I am specifically referring to functionality. A CMS can usually be upgraded to add new features without having to completely redo the website.

For instance, a website that initially was designed to simply provide information to potential clients, can be upgraded to actually accept payments from clients online. That involves incorporating eCommerce and payment processing, and is a relatively easy upgrade.

6. Flexible Design

Today, we can build sites that have virtually any kind of style or layout imaginable, and we can do it all with a Content Management System running the show. The days of being limited to a header, content, sidebars and footer are over. We can have multiple layouts per site, and as many different regions as we want within the layouts into which we can display graphics and text and dynamic effects.

Plus, because the Content Management System uses a custom theme, if a client wants a fresh look for their site, all they need is a new custom theme. They don't have to redo their site at all, meaning that they can keep all of their great content and features in place.

7. Social Media Integration

Social Media Integration can mean a lot of different things, but at it's core, it means that you have the means on your site to direct visitors to your key social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter. It also means that visitors can easily share certain content on your site with their own social networking friends.

For instance, new blog posts, like this one, can have Facebook "Like" buttons or other sharing buttons, encouraging readers to introduce whatever you've written to their own friends and circle. The Content Management System makes all this possible and easy by integrating the functionality, rather than embedding widgets, or worse, having nothing at all.

8. Web 2.0

Similarly, Web 2.0 can mean a great many things, but it's generally accepted that Web 2.0 refers to sites that are interactive and engaging. Common examples include the ability to post comments, rate content, or vote in polls and surveys. This level of interaction with potential clients and customers can be extremely effective for customer retention and revenue enhancement, as well as being a huge boon for SEO.

9. Search Engine Friendly

Speaking of SEO, aren't Content Management Systems bad for search engines? Absolutely not! A properly configured CMS is not only good for SEO, but can be an amazing asset to the business.

For instance, every CMS that we build includes an XML Site map that automatically updates itself any time you add new content, then notifies Google that you've added content to your site.

The bottom line is that a good Content Management System can give you all of the tools necessary to succeed online. If you would like additional information on how to get a CMS of your own, please email info@stadiastudio.com or go to http://www.stadiastudio.com/request-quote for a free quote.