Content Management System are a relatively new concept on the Internet and are something all small companies should be aware of. With a traditional web site, a web developer is hired to design the site and generate all of the content. For many small businesses, the web developer is also hired to maintain the web site and make changes. What if a system could be put in place that allows a person with minimal knowledge of HTML and other web languages to maintain the content of the web site after the initial design? Content Management Systems provide this powerful functionality.

What is a Content Management System (CMS)?

Content Management Systems are applications that are installed on your web server which generate web pages using information stored in a database. These systems allow one or more users to modify content displayed on the web site pages with minimal knowledge of HTML.

What Benefits Does a CMS Provide My Company?

CMS systems are incredibly powerful and can change the way you work with your web site. Consider the process for changing the text on a web page in a traditional web site:

• Identify a change that needs to be made
• Generate the new copy to be displayed on the page
• E-mail that copy to your web developer to be published
• Web developer makes the changes and publishes them, sometimes days later
• Web developer notifies you of the change and you review it for approval
• If all is well, the process ends there. If not, the process repeats to tweak the changes

Compare that process to making the same change using a CMS system:

• Identify a change that needs to be made
• Log into the CMS system
• Make the change and click save

Which process sounds quicker and more efficient to you?

CMS empowers employees within your own company to make common web site changes such as text modifications. This allows you to make changes quickly and without additional cost. A web developer like Easy Money Media is only needed during the initial design, to install and configure the CMS software and make more complex changes such as modifying the complete look and feel of the site. Content Management Systems are extremely powerful and could be a perfect fit for your business if you make frequent web site changes.

Easy Money Media's Design Services

Easy Money Media can design custom themes for Wordpress, Joomla and Drupal. This service gives your CMS powered web site a look that matches the branding of your company. A common complaint with CMS systems is that the web sites developed on them all look the same because the default themes are frequently used. That problem area is a thing of the past with Easy Money Media's design services. Now you can have the powerful benefits of CMS and a custom look for your web site.

Content Management Systems cost more to develop and bring online initially than traditional web sites. However, an employee or group of employees can then be tasked with generating and maintaining the content for the web site. With this type of system, Easy Money Media is only needed to upgrade the CMS software and provide changes to the overall template (the look and feel). This saves money on the maintenance of the web site over time.

In web development, one solution does not fit all needs. You must identify the needs your business before starting on a web site and then select the appropriate solution. Easy Money Media can help with this process. If your web site is basic and doesn't change frequently, a CMS system can be overkill and you would be better served with a more traditional web site. On the other hand, if you frequently add and change content, a CMS system can make your life easier and change the way you work with your web site. If you're starting a new web design project or are looking to redesign an existing site, please contact us and we will be happy to discuss all of the available options. Our goal is to design the perfect web site that addresses your business needs and fits your budget.