How to Choose the Right Content Management System (CMS)

Selecting the right website Content Management System (CMS) for your business is a critical decision and one that can vastly improve productivity and efficiency.

A CMS is used to create, manage and update digital content like websites and intranets. It enables you to control the appearance and navigation at all times so you can update your site to always provide a positive experience to your end users.

The effective and affordable CMS Continuum is simple to operate but powerful! This platform is a complete package of all the tools and functions you will require, regardless of the size of your business or the industry you’re in.

The best CMS will provide many benefits including consistency, flexibility, streamlined web content authoring, built-in Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) features and a lot more. Using a CMS to manage your website content reduces the risk of deleting the layout or coding.

Choosing the platform that suits you will give you the ability to grow your business, provide a great user experience and provide a high level of security all at minimal maintenance costs.

Choosing Your Website Content Management System

When researching various CMS products, it is wise to consider your business goals and look for a platform that will help you achieve them. Come up with a clear idea of what you want your website to achieve for your company. It is important to note the core functions are often similar across the various brands so here are the things to consider.

1. Easy Content Management System

If you plan on managing your own website content, then you definitely want an easy Content Management System. You will want a platform that keeps content creation simple with functions to quickly upload and update text, images and videos, insert links or alter your web pages.

Some CMS platforms allow you to manage different websites from one place, so if that’s what you have in your company, one platform will save you time and money. Being able to create and manage content yourself, even if you have limited technical knowledge, means you can make changes any time you like, without having to rely on a web developer.

2. Customisable Functions

To help make your website stand out from your competitors and provide a more personalised experience for your customers, you may want some particular features on your website. Having a CMS that allows you to customise certain functions will give you more flexibility with your content.

3. SEO-friendly

Your CMS should work towards improving your Search Engine Optimisation by creating clear URLs and enabling you to write unique titles and page descriptions. Some CMS platforms contain SEO tools so you can manage your website’s SEO directly.

4. Scalability

As your business grows you want your CMS to allow your website to easily grow as well. A platform that can handle an increase in traffic and extra content without compromising performance and usability is critical.

5. High Level Security

Website Content Management Systems are a huge target for hackers and unfortunately even the most popular CMS platforms can have security issues. Delve into the security features that are in place for your chosen CMS and ensure they conduct regular software checks and bug fixes. Also, have a conversation with the company to see what they can offer in the event your CMS is affected by hacking.

6. Web Analytics Function

Having your CMS track key analytics for you such as site visits and conversions is important as it enables you to edit your website as needed to ensure continued success. Make sure your CMS integrates with tools like Google Analytics, or that it has a metrics tool included to not only give you the data but help interpret it too.

7. Budget-friendly

While some CMS platforms are free to use, others will cost you. Generally, you get what you pay for so the more expensive ones will offer you more features. Work out the features you need from a system that also fits within your budget.

Make sure you find out any hidden costs before you commit such as costs for upgrades or licence fees. If you decide to engage a web developer to manage your content you will also have that ongoing cost.

8. Technical Support

We are all well aware things can and do go wrong and when that happens you need reliable, experienced support, ideally 24/7. Find out what your CMS provides for technical support so you can be confident they’ll be there when you need assistance.

Content Management System Comparisons

It can be overwhelming finding a CMS as there are hundreds available, so here are a few of the popular systems and what they can offer your business.

1. BigCommerce

Able to easily integrate with your other systems, BigCommerce is flexible and scalable with a range of customisable templates and easy to use page builder. It's a feature rich eCommerce system that let's you manage content easily and  you don’t need to be a tech expert as the platform is straightforward to use, there are SEO tools and analytics available also. They have flexible pricing plans to suit the needs of your business but there are restrictions with some features.

2. Adobe Commerce (Magento)

Flexible and scalable to suit a growing company, Adobe Commerce is built from the Magento framework and has many options to create a uniquely personalised eCommerce website with a powerful page builder. While there is a free option, their other plans are more expensive in both their setup and maintenance costs than other platforms. There may be a steeper learning curve also, as it can be complex to set up and manage. Web Force 5 are certified Adobe Commerce specialists able to provide ongoing support to get great results.

3. Continuum

This Web Force 5 creation is simple, yet powerful to create pages, products and image galleries. With an intuitive interface that is easy to use it offers many features including a built-in CRM, email marketing and ecommerce. There are regular system improvements and software updates, excellent security and it is a very affordable CMS.

4. WordPress

This system is very popular because it’s intuitive, customisable and secure. With thousands of plugins available it works well for SEO. WordPress is free, you just need to pay for a domain name and hosting account. The need for plugins for precise functionality is a downside and making edits can be tedious.

5. Drupal

Another flexible platform, Drupal has many options so it’s great for creating an advanced customised website that handles a lot of data. It has excellent security and SEO features; however, it is pretty complex and you’ll likely require web development experience.

6. Joomla!

Really flexible with lots of different options, this platform is ideal for complex websites. It allows you to use multiple templates at once so each page can be unique. It’s a little less user-friendly and has fewer templates and extensions, but it is another free option, just paying for a domain name and hosting account.

7. Headless CMS

A headless CMS stores content in a back end, with its primary function being a content repository. Content becomes accessible via an Application Programming Interface (API) and allows content to be displayed on any device without a built-in front end. The headless CMS doesn’t affect the front end.

Benefits include better performance and load time, seamless content delivery and flexibility.  These platforms usually don’t come with a user interface so you’re not able to see a live preview, meaning it’s best to have developers manage it.

The process of researching and choosing a CMS is going to take time. Be careful in considering all the relevant factors and you know you’ll make the right decision. The experienced team at Web Force 5 have the skills and knowledge to begin this selection process for your business so speak with a specialist consultant for a free no obligation chat.