A Content Management System (CMS) is software that allows users to create, publish, modify and manage content without that much expertise.
In other words, a CMS allows you to create websites or applications without worrying about coding everything from scratch.
In contrast to building a system from the ground up for creating web pages, a CMS will do the job for you.
Given thatthey’re so convenient and that websites are a crucial part of a company’s digital presence, CMSs are a must-have.
But the CMS of your choice will impact multiple departments within your company, so you’ll need to pick carefully.
That said, let’s look at a few factors you should consider when choosing a CMS for your website.
1. Understand the Different CMS Hosting Types
You can host Content Management Systems in multiple ways. More specifically, through self-hosting, cloud-hosting, and via Software-as-a-Service (SaaS).
Each category has its pros and cons, so let’s discuss this in further detail.
With self-hosting, you can install your chosen CMS on the web servers you own. The main advantage of self-hosting is that you have complete control over your data, security, performance, and customizability of the website.
But, self-hosting is usually more expensive compared to the other options. That’s because you’re also in charge of updates, maintenance, and backups, which all require technical skills.
If your team doesn’t have that, working with another company to resolve potential issues can get quite pricey.
With cloud-hosting, on the other hand, you still have control over your codebase and website. With some cloud-hosting providers, you can even automate maintenance, sparing you from a few headaches.
But keep in mind that your security is in their hands, so if you’re considering this option, make sure to pick someone you can trust.
We’ve talked to some experts from an NYC web design company, and they recommend could-hosting. It’s not as expensive as the first approach, yet it allows you to customize your website to your needs.
Lastly, SaaS hosting is often the quickest and most cost-effective option, as the provider will handle most responsibilities. But, this also means you’ll have less control over customization and performance.
2. Understand Your Team’s Needs
As mentioned earlier, your chosen CMS will affect multiple departments within your company, including marketing, content creation, development, sales, etc.
That said, you’ll need to find a CMS that each one of your departments can use effectively.
For example, in terms of marketing, a CMS should be compatible with all forms of browsing to reach a wider audience and have an intuitive interface for creating and publishing content.
Whereas developers could use a system built around their strengths and experience.
For example, if you choose WordPress, will your team be able to build a fast website that’s optimized for mobile devices, or would you be better off by working with top WordPress web development companies you can find?
And the sales team could benefit from a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system integration with the chosen CMS to close deals and follow-up with leads easily.
In other words, you’ll need to choose a CMS based on how complex your website will be, what kind of third-party integrations you want to include, whether you’re looking to scale in the future, the ease-of-use of the said CMS, and so on.
Also Read : Best web hosting platforms for wordpress
3. Traditional vs. Headless CMS
Traditional CMSs, like WordPress and Drupal, connect the front-end, which establishes the layout and design of a webpage via CSS, HTML, and JavaScript templates, with the back-end, which includes the schema, code, and database.
To put it differently, when a writer creates content, it will first be stored in the back-end and then displayed on the web page.
Traditional CMSs allow easy management for all content, but they offer limited flexibility, as they are restricted to web-based content.
So the content created on a traditional CMS cannot be displayed within a mobile app, for example.
On the other hand, Headless CMSs, like CosmicJS, do not connect the front-end with the back-end, as the layout and design of a web page are not attached to the database.
That said, a Headless CMS only deals with the content. Once the content is created, it will be published through an Application Programming Interface (API).
Consequently, content created using a Headless CMS can readily be displayed on multiple platforms, like iOS and Android devices, desktops, smart TVs, etc.
But Headless CMSs are heavily dependent on the development teams, thus requiring more expertise and being less cost-effective.
4. Factor In Support
Lastly, don’t forget about support.
Sometimes, you might encounter issues that neither you nor your development team can resolve. In that case, the level of support provided by the CMS of your choice can be crucial.
Free, open-source CMSs, like WordPress, have a strong community behind them, meaning that you can browse through various forums to find solutions to your problem.
Although it might take a while, you’ll get to solve the problem by yourself.
Whereas paid Content Management Systems like HubSpot CMS Hub offer email, in-app, or phone customer support within their pricing plans. Sure, it will cost you, but you’ll get to fix the issue right away.
