Are Content Management Systems Worth It?

What Is a Content Management System?

A content management system (CMS) is a web application used to input and update the written and visual content on your website. Some platforms, such as WordPress, Drupal, Joomla, and Squarespace, offer features that most users find beneficial. They can be used to create basic websites for small businesses and e-commerce sites for large corporations. Managing these systems can be a full-time job; before you begin, you need to ask yourself a few questions.

DIY vs. Hiring a Web Developer

If you or someone on your team has the technical skills to build out a CMS, you have the option to do so on the backend of your website. Since these systems have several nuances and require ongoing maintenance, it might be in your best interest to hire a professional web design company to handle everything for you and train you on how to use it.

Are you a business owner?

If your answer is yes, then you can use these platforms to design a website, but without the education and experience, your site won’t stand out from every other business using content management system templates. The themes used by these sites are easy to spot and often oversimplified. The “call to action” features aren’t prominent, leaving much to be desired as far as conversion rates are concerned.

Do you have the skills & training to ward off hackers?

Content management systems are great tools for DIY web design, but they aren’t efficient in the security department. If you don’t have the know-how to manage cyber threats, your business and customer information could be at risk. CMS platforms may be secure for a time, but they are the top choice for internet hackers globally. In order to ward off these attacks, you will need a professional web developer to periodically check and update your website against possible threats.

Can you design graphics?

In order to maintain your brand image, you will need to have experience using graphic design software. Your brand image is the way your customers recognize your business. If your website does not reflect the brand your established customers are familiar with, you could lose them.

Do you have coding experience?

CMS platforms are constantly being updated and with these changes comes the need to verify that your website’s code is compatible with the new system. You will need coding experience to be able to spot inefficiencies, customize your website, and correct coding errors. This experience will come in handy when you get ready to optimize your site for mobile use as well. You’ll need the skills to make navigation functional and images enhanced for viewing all screen sizes.

If you have answered “yes” to all of the above questions, you will be able to handle most content management systems. If you answered “no”, it is recommended that you hire a professional to protect your business and customers from the common pitfalls on these platforms. Schedule a consultation with our Orlando web design agency to discuss building out your new CMS or making improvements to your current one.