About the Content Management System (CMS)


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From Stevesdomain.net

Content Management Systems are seen across the Internet to help deliver an interactive and user-friendlier web site experience more than ever. Why would you use a Content Management System and what CMS is best for your needs? I will explain.

What is the purpose of a Content Management System?

Especially for smaller companies and organizations, less time and money spent on the web site allows greater concentration on business needs, like landing contracts and marketing efforts. Moreover, CMSs are so easy to implement that it encourages more projects via the web, like marketing research, customer relations management and the establishment of sophisticated knowledge bases.

Only a few small years ago, a company could easily spend millions on the creation of interactive and user friendly web sites. With CMSs, companies can limit the expenditure to under 7-digits while still getting the absolute most for their buck. Furthermore, Content Management Systems are not restricted to text, but pictures, flash presentations, streaming audio/video, images and even e-mail archives.

To a lesser extent, if you organization can only come up with beginning web developers, a CMS will jump your company's web staff's appeal 10-fold. Some CMSs can easily add 10 years to a designer's skill set.

Why use a Content Management System?

Speed. Decreased production costs. Effective template based designs. Sound appealing? Content Management Systems can be your best friend, but it might also kick your web designer out the door in the process; more on that later. Focusing on free CMSs, many offer the administrator an easy to use news posting solution, complete with unique comments for each news article and user tracking.

Do not stop there. Many free CMSs also deliver search engine capabilities and user login features so you'll know exactly how many repeat visitors your site is generating. Let's keep going. For those who want absolute tracking ability, CMSs will also keep a tally of exactly how many visitors viewed respective sections of your site.

Need to offer downloads? Again, no problem. With a few clicks, organized categories of available documents, images and software are intuitively offered on your site, instantly. If you crave absolute interactivity, most CMSs allow for every webmaster to create polls to pick your visitor's minds on any subject your heart desires.

Wait, there's more. If you're a part time webmaster and don't have enough time to create a design, or perhaps your lack of creativity is towering, CMSs will offer pre-designed themes for your site, easily changed by a click of a button. That's right, with a click of a button, every page of your site is instantly changed to reflect the changes. In addition, many CMSs offer compliant and standardized code, ensuring your site will run well in all browsers.

Do you need security from the inside? Some CMSs support inbred security features to ensure only authorized webmasters can edit and add web files.

The bad side of CMSs

If you run a small organization or small business, the Content Management System may drive the webmaster to boredom, and we all know what happens when the webmaster gets bored; he also gets fired. Many organizations and small businesses can't justify the cost of supporting a webmaster when a Content Management System is doing all the work for them.

Do I need a CMS?

Deciding whether or not a Content Management System is in the best interest of your organization can be a daunting task. Below are aspects of a CMS you should strongly consider before your purchase.

Large volume needs
Do you need a Content Management System at all? If you have over...say...1,000 web documents, you should consider a CMS. Otherwise, consider saving your money.
Many writers, contributors and editors
A good sign that a CMS is needed is a large number of writers, contributors and editors. To get the publication out of the drawing board, implementing a good CMS can keep things rolling quickly and efficiently.
Facial features
If you're spending money, you must consider all aspects of the system, not just the underlying code. Make sure the CMS offers proper user interface features to fit your needs, as turning back after a purchase and implementation is sometimes not possible.
Proprietary pause
Many CMSs are designed to work only with proprietary server software that may not be apparently advertised. Be sure the CMS will function correctly with the software you are currently using.
Database support
CMSs interact with databases, so be sure you know what your database capabilities are. If the CMS uses Oracle or SQL Server, then adjust adequately for that type of installation.

In short, a Content Management System can be your best friend or your worst enemy. Don't make a decision too quickly, research the possibilities and get the best system for your money if you decide to take the plunge.

If you are in search of a free CMS, consider PHPNUKE, POSTNUKE, or ZOPE.