Legal Marketing & PR

What is a Content System (CMS) - Beginners Guide

By Peter Boyd

What is a Content System?
A system by which a client, or non-web designer can manage the “content” on their web site through an online administrative panel. Content systems sometimes go by CMS, Content Management Systems, or Publishing systems. They are recommended in today?s web environment.

What does a Content System Do?
It stores all your web site text, photos and options in a database. A database is a storage device that stores data in rows and columns, similar to a spreadsheet, but more robust. Separating the data from the design, allows us to quickly and easily update the design without affecting the content (i.e. headlines, pages, text). The content system is an overlay in a sense, but is required to make the site work as data is stored apart from the actual design.

Do I need a Content System?
For a site of more than 20 pages, yes. You can make your entire site individual pages, but that would not be recommended. For large sites, such as 100+ pages, then the site would then be over 100+ pages instead of being powered by just a few pages. Individual pages make for bigger site maintenance and more issues.

What type of Content Systems are there?
If you are not going to use Total Control [Insert Shameless PaperStreet Plug], then please do get a content system - such as Wordpress, Joomla, Expression Engine or others. On any new content system, you are going to need to migrate over data, but its well worth it in the long run.

Full post as published by PaperStreet Web Design: SpeakOut on March 24, 2009 (boomark / email).