Content Management Systems are Right

So you’ve decided to use a content management system to build and run your website. You know that using a CMS will help you create a beautiful and functional site without paying exorbitant rates to a web designer and without sinking hours upon hours of your precious time into learning to code a dynamic site.

However, have you considered what you should be looking for in a CMS and how you’ll choose the right one for your needs?

Assess Your Goals for Your CMS Site

Choosing the right CMS can be difficult. Every service out there seems to claim that they have the best designs and templates, along with the most complete customer service and care. Some services are free, and some are paid, and the paid services you’ll find vary in price. As you look at all of the options and features, it’s easy to feel entirely overwhelmed.

That’s why, before you begin your search in earnest, you absolutely must know what you’re looking for. That means that you need to have a clear idea of your goals for your site, whether you’re creating it for personal or business reasons.

You’re going to have very different needs for a wedding announcement site than you will for an ecommerce site, and the wrong CMS can set you way back.

Before you start assessing features and benefits;

• List your goals for your CMS
• List the applications that you would like to integrate
• List the tools that you will need to make your job of managing your site easier
• List the features that you want and need for your site to make it aesthetically pleasing and functional.

Now you are ready to start looking at your Content Management System options.

Look for Support and Security

Once you’ve found a few CMS providers that have the features and tools you want at prices within your budget, take a look at their support and security.

• How well do they test their products before they make them available to customers?
• Do they provide ongoing support after you’ve created your site?
• Will their CMS be able to grow with your site as you gain more followers and/or customers and as you need more functionality?

Integration Is Key if You Already Have an Existing Web Presence

Now, if you’re not starting from scratch, you’ll also want to ensure that your CMS can be integrated with your existing content, data, and site(s). Otherwise, you’ll need to be prepared to throw what you already have in the trash and start over completely. Likewise, you may find that down the road you’ll need to integrate other systems with your site as your business grows.

Consider integration for your future, even if you don’t need it right away.

Get a Demo of Your CMS First

Finally, always try before you buy. High quality content management providers like Umbrella CMS will offer free demos to let you play with all of the tools and features of their product before you commit. If you’re looking at a CMS that requires you to pay before you play, then you really should just walk away from it entirely.

There are better options out there, and you want to make sure that you choose the one that’s most suited to your needs.

Want to demo Umbrella CMS today to see if it’s the right content management system for you.