What is a CMS?

A web content management system (CMS) is a web-based software package specifically designed to manage a website. It is installed by the web designers, hosted on your web server, but intended to be used by you.

First off, a CMS provides you with a simple, non-technical way of updating your content. This is typically done via a web-based interface that works much like Word does.  Just point-and-click, type in the new words, and hit save. Your site is instantly updated. Equally easy is adding new pages, deleting old ones, or restructuring the site to match your new business model.

The CMS also automates menial tasks, such as applying the same page layout and appearance across the site. Menus and other navigation are also automatically produced. Along with the many other administrative tools, this leaves you to concentrate on the words, and not on the technology.

What are the benefits of a CMS?

• You are no longer dependent on the web designers making changes for you.
• Changes can be made any time they are needed, day or night. This is increasingly important as your business comes to rely on the website as a communications channel.
• The CMS can be easily enhanced though "extensions " and other add-on tools.
• All the technical details are simply handled by the CMS, allowing anyone to manage and update the site.
• Many modern "Web 2.0" features and capabilities are built into the CMS. New features are easily added.
• Multiple staff can keep the site up to date, instead of being restricted to just one person. The CMS will track who is doing what, avoiding potential confusion.
• You can even ensure that each staff person can only update the sections of the site they are responsible for.
• The CMS ensures that all the pages are consistent in design, and will build all the menus and other navigation for you.
• The many other powerful features of the CMS allows the site to grow in sync with your business.

And the cost?

The good news is that a lightweight CMS, suitable for a modest-sized website, is not expensive. It can be as low as a few thousand dollars, or simply a complementary part of the web design project.

Of course, if your site is larger, or has complex requirements, the cost of a matching CMS will also grow. After all, you get what you pay for.