A content management system (CMS) is a highly beneficial tool for any business. These systems allow you to store, manage, communicate, and analyze your business data and information in one place. In turn, this helps you maintain productivity and ensure your business is run as efficiently as possible.
However, choosing the right content management system for your business can be tricky, especially if you are not familiar with them. Here is a breakdown of the factors you should consider when you are making this important decision.
Open Source or Proprietary Software?
The first thing you’ll need to determine is what type of CMS you should choose. You can invest in a license for a proprietary CMS system or choose an open source CMS. Open source CMS, such as WordPress, allow developers to view and access the code to make changes, updates, or customize features. Proprietary CMS software is distributed and created by a company, for use with purchase of a license, and the source code is accessed only by that company.
Open source CMS systems are generally less expensive and easier to customize for options that cater to your business specifically. Proprietary CMS systems have more secure source codes, but can be complicated as you won’t be able to modify them yourself.
Consider The Development Support You’ll Need
If you have a reliable development team you work with who can help you navigate through your content management system, your options are more open. In this case, choose a CMS system that allows for customized options that your developers can work on. However, if you will be relying on an internal team to keep your system operational, consider a platform that has reliable support included in your package. Some CMS products don’t offer free support and this can be harmful in the long run when any issues come up.
Make Sure Your CMS Has API and Integration Features
Choose a CMS that has API integration or other support integration features that can connect with other applications you use. For example, good CMS platforms can integrate with other marketing tools such as Facebook ads, Google Analytics, and business intelligence tools to provide comprehensive automation features in one spot. Your CMS should also integrate with social media, content marketing, and other features to make sure that all of your efforts are tied together seamlessly. That is the point of a CMS, after all.
Consider How User-Friendly The CMS is
t’s important to consider the technological skills of your team and who will be using the CMS on a regular basis. Some systems are more user friendly than others, and if your team needs something more simple you should be considering this. A development team can come in and set up the code you need on an open source CMS, but you also need to make sure that once they’ve set it up, your team can easily take over the day-to-day operations.
There are many demos and tutorials on YouTube and other channels that can give you a bit of a sneak peek when you’re considering a system. Get your team to look and see if this could be something they can manage, or if they will need development support to complete tasks. If they are having trouble understanding the system, you may want to consider something more simple.
Don’t Overlook Security Features
As a business, security should be high on your priority list. The last thing you want is a data breach where your customers feel their data isn’t secure, or where your own internal data becomes lost. Most CMS systems do have good security measures in place, but some are more reputable than others. Additionally, open source CMS systems allow you to add extra security plugins or API integrations that may be important depending on your business structure. If this matters most to you, make sure you research the platforms that have high security features above anything else.