Why use a CMS?
There was a discussion recently on LinkedIn about the advantages and disadvantages of using a content management system. There seemed to be a lot of differing opinions about whether it was worth investing in a CMS when considering website design, and we thought people might find it useful to have access to some of the knowledge we have learned on the subject over the years.
The Background
Years ago, back in the days of Windows 98 and Frontpage, most websites were static. They were designed and left to sit on the Internet, sometimes up until now. Some of the websites out there at the moment don’t only look dated but feature long-forgotten phone numbers and email addresses. The disadvantages to this should be obvious: If your online presence doesn’t reflect what your company currently does, people who are looking for your services online won’t make the connection between an old website and a thriving company.
Sometimes the lack of an updated website is a result of a web designer having gone AWOL, or the company having simply forgotten that their website exists. You may think that you don’t need an up-to-date website because you find most of your clients offline. The problem with an ancient website is that it doesn’t bring you new business, but above this it actively discourages people from doing business with you.
If you own a shop, would you leave a broken window for years without fixing it? Of course not, so why do the same with a website.
Is a CMS expensive?
Integrating a content management system into a website is a cost-effective way of allowing the content that sits on it to be updated without having to go through the person that designed your website. It may be slightly more expensive to implement at first but pays for itself very quickly – no more phone calls to your web guy and no more websites that are left to stagnate over the years, left to rot because there doesn’t appear to be an easy way of updating them.
The Digital Presence
A website is your digital shop-front, your entry in the Yellow Pages and your business card, all rolled into one, and in an age where more and more people use the Internet as their primary form of supplier research, you can’t afford to let customers go to your competitors because their websites make them appear more trustworthy, reliable and responsive.
Integrating a content management system that is easy to use makes sense in this day and age, and lets your investment into a good quality website last a lot longer.
If you’d like to talk to us about the possibility of integrating a content management system into your website, or creating a new website powered by our in-house CMS, Expose, feel free to get in touch. We’re friendly and our web design advice will always be free!