posted by Development
First and foremost, we believe that a content management system (CMS) is nine times out of 10 a good idea for any company, large or small. Today’s digital age requires a content refresh weekly, if not daily for most companies that put any priority on attracting and engaging their targets with relevant material.
Even if you have a Web developer at your disposal, you will find the writing, approving, publishing and archiving of content an overwhelming task. Chalk it up to overwhelming and almost impossible to sustain if you don’t use a system resembling a CMS.
So, if you have the budget and resources available to implement a CMS, here are some truths to take into consideration. Some may catch you by surprise, but we are listing them to be as transparent as possible and hopefully give you an idea of what to expect going forward. We draw on our experience to bring these to you.
1. You will probably never use your CMS to the fullest degree.
It is a given. Some CMS packages will have a boatload of features and technical bells and whistles that some companies just don’t need, use or would ever realize is available to them.
If this truth scares you, see our next point.
2. You will need training (ideally from experienced professionals).
If you want to find success with your content management system, get someone to walk you through it with you. Contract your developers to dedicate time to a formal walkthrough with as much documentation they can provide on how to use the system.
Don’t count on finding proper documentation online at a moment’s notice, specifically when you deal with open-source CMS packages.
3. Your chosen CMS will NOT be able to do something that you want it to.
First, we will line up 10 people and tell them the features of a content management system. Then we will ask what they expect it will be able to handle for specific content update requests or initiatives for their website. We will hear 10 distinct versions of CMS expectations. One or maybe none of those anticipated expectations will be feasible and/or correct with the package.
When this occurs, understand that having a relationship with a vendor that provides developer services is critical. Otherwise, be ready to settle with what the CMS can handle.
4. Your company will re-evaluate its chosen CMS again in a few years (three to five) if not sooner.
Call it the changing of the guard or the evolution of a company and its online goals. Either way, there will be a catalyst for change from somewhere within your operation or outside of it that drives it to revisit the topic of CMS.
Most often, we see new content management system packages brought in when a new hire in a decision-making role is brought in that has experience with a respective CMS. This also happens when one has just hit a wall with what it is able to do. When your needs for features and functionality outrun the pace of viable upgrades to your CMS, then be ready to jump.
When this occurs, it will pay in huge dividends if you have a CMS package that easily exports content and records for use in any other CMS. There are a few migration apps out there today, but tread carefully. They are more often than not built by hobbyists or communities and shouldn’t be relied on 100 percent.
Again, having a solid relationship with developers can be beneficial.
5. Once you jump into the CMS world, you will never look back.
If you install a CMS package and get it running and integrated into your day-to-day operations, you will realize what a powerful and cost-saving tool it can be.
Clients that have had CMS packages installed do not go back to the days of having all updates handled by a Web developer. It doesn’t make sense, nor does it optimize your fleeting marketing cents.
About the author of this post:
Bruce Williams loves a good database schema and watching his team astonish clients with new JQuery tricks. He is the Data team manager at thunder::tech during the day (and occasionally at night). When he isn’t programming, he and his wife are pulling their kids through the neighborhood in their favorite wagon.
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