The world of website building can be daunting, with dozens of solutions, technical jargon and the pressure of making smart choices for your business. One of the most crucial decisions to make when launching a website is which content management system (CMS) to choose. Here are a few tips to help you through the process. 

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Blog vs. CMS 

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First, you need to decide if your website is a blog composed of posts spread out over time, or a more structured site made up of sales literature and business documents. If your website is a blog, sites like Wordpress.com or Blogger.com will give you the option of pre-installed solutions and customizable designs. If your site leans toward the other end of the spectrum, a CMS is the way to go. 

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Self-Hosted vs. Cloud-Hosted CMS 

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Rising in popularity, pre-installed CMS software can make the process simpler for not-so-techy-folk. There is a range of options varying from web building software to full-scale business solutions, Jimdo being a favorite among users. 

Cloud-hosting comes with many perks, the main being speed and ease of use. Make sure to check the data backup procedures when considering this- you won’t have direct access and need to make sure your content is secured. 

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Programming Language 

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This is a non-issue for cloud-hosted sites, but if you’re self-hosting you’ll need to make sure the CMS’s programming language is compatible with a wide number of operating systems. Java, Ruby, PHP, and ASP.Net are among the most common. 

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Built-in Features 

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This is one of the most crucial things to consider when shopping for a CMS. It determines what you can and cannot do to your webpage. Make a list of must have features to cross reference while comparing options. Some examples are: 

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• Easy article management and posting 

• Uploading images and files 

• Customizable design 

• Contact forms 

• SEO tools

• Usability 

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Think about who will be using the CMS on a daily basis and their level of tech ability. Make sure you’re choosing an option that’s simple enough to navigate. There’s nothing worse than not being able to make a deadline because your CMS is too complicated. 

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What You See Is What You Get (WYSIWYG) 

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If you’re well versed in HTML coding, this won’t be a problem for you. If you haven’t sharpened your coding skills, choose a CMS that allows for WYSIWYG editing. You’ll be able to edit your website from a platform that allows you to type what you’d like to say and where, and to modify other elements without coding. 

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Accessibility 

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Most countries have legal guidelines ensuring websites are accessible to users with disabilities. Look into WCA guidelines at w3.org. 

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Advanced Features 

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Is your site in multiple languages? Posting content to more than one site? Targeting a specific geographical region? Advanced features make the CMS implementation complex and should be considered when choosing a solution. 

Whether you choose a blog site, a user friendly cloud-hosted CMS or a self-hosted solution, I hope you found this guide useful.

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