Have you ever wanted to update the content on your website, but had to wait for your web developer to do it for you? Or have you not bothered updating it because you're too busy running your business to go through and find every little thing you want to update before reaching out to your developer?
There is a way for you to make these changes without involving a web developer, as long as your website is built on what's known as a Content Management System (CMS).
A Content Management System allows you to log into your website and make changes to the content without needing any technical knowledge of how the website is made.
Here at Roseblade, we use the Silverstripe Content Management System, although we understand it might not be right for everyone.
This is because not all CMSs are the same, and what works for one business might not work for another.
So, what are some of the key features you need to look out for when deciding which CMS is the right one for you?
Easy-to-use content editor
If you're using a CMS to update the content on your website, you want it to be easier than needing to learn how to code the website yourself.
However, you need to remember that if it's easy to use, there could be a lack of necessary functionality.
In most cases, it can be seen as a benefit to have reduced functionality because, as well as making the Content Management System easy to use, it also means there's less chance of you changing something you didn't mean to. However, if you do need full control of every element of your website, you need to keep in mind that the CMS could be bulky and awkward to navigate.
Built-in SEO tools
SEO, or Search Engine Optimisation, is the process of improving your website to increase its visibility on search engines such as Google.
The better your visibility, the more likely it is that your website will be clicked on and visited by your intended audience.
While your Content Management System can't do it all for you, some of them do include features which can be useful for your SEO. Three key SEO features to look out for are:
- URL re-writing, which allows you to shorten your URLs, making them both user, and search engine, friendly
- Meta tags and descriptions, which allow search engines to categorise your web pages to see how relevant they are to the topic
- Site maps, which are generated to show search engines what the layout of your website is and how important the pages are
These are not the only SEO features which can be included with the CMS that you choose, in our opinion, these are the top three ones to look out for.
Tiered permissions
If you're the only person updating the content on your website, then this may not apply to you, yet. But if you have a team around you working on it, or you're thinking of hiring someone soon, this may be relevant.
Tiered permissions define who you want to have access to which part of your website. For example, you could have permissions so that the marketing team can access the whole site, but your sales team can only access the booking system.
Most, if not all, CMSs include some form of tiered permissions in this way, however, some of them allow for more control if there are permissions which are not included but you feel you need.
If you don't feel you need them because you're the only person in your business, don't forget you need to future-proof your website. This time next month, you could have someone else in the team with you.
Multilingual support
This might not be a concern for your business if you only do business in one language. However, more and more websites are becoming multilingual.
It could be the case of having a drop-down to select the language or having flags side-by-side for you to choose from. But if you do business in more than one language, this multilingual ability is a must for your website.
Not all CMSs have the option for multilingual websites, so if it's important to you, make sure you do your research and find a CMS that meets your needs.
Flexibility
As your business grows, your website should grow with it.
What started as an informational site could become a place to capture your visitors' details using contact forms, or it could even become a place to sell your products.
This flexibility should be a key feature of any CMS you choose to use. Think of it this way: it's better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.
