What is a Content Management System?

A Content Management System (CMS) is a software platform that allows users to develop, edit, archive, collaborate, report, publish, distribute, and notify their content. Its Graphic User Interface (GUI) makes it easy to communicate with a website's database.

The pages of a website are created and designed using HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) and CSS (Cascading Style Sheets). They are two of the essential building blocks for Web pages. The structure of the page is provided by HTML, while the visual and auditory layout is provided by CSS.

A CMS uses a WYSIWYG interface to enable users with no coding experience to amend, alter, and edit the content on websites. WYSIWYG stands for "what you see is what you get." The data entered into CMS software is saved in a database, which uses a template to render the web page. The CSS of that tab can then regulate the performance.

It's served up an alphabet soup of sorts in recent years, which is at first glance a little hazy and difficult to decipher. However, there are some distinct distinctions between CMS, WSMS, and ECM regarding distinguishing wheat from chaff.

How Does a CMS Work?

A content management system (CMS) enables users to access content through an internal user interface or dashboard. One-click downloads are available for a variety of CMS applications. This simplifies and simplifies the use and navigation for a non-technical marketer. The majority of the best CMS programs for small businesses are open-source and free.

This means you don't need to know about the rest of the CMS alphabet soup, such as JavaScript [a programming language widely used in web development], HTML [Hypertext Markup Language], CSS [Cascading Style Sheets], PHP [Personal Home Page or hypertext processor], and so on. MySQL [an open-source relational database management framework based on the structure query language] are two examples (SQL.)

Building a website with a content management system

(CMS) is similar to playing with plastic Lego bricks from our childhood. You can choose which bricks are best for your location. From a control panel, you can write text and insert pictures and graphics.

Websites are created using databases that are similar to Excel spreadsheets and have a safe and user-friendly interface. Most CMSs are maintained and constantly modified as the site progresses with newer iterations.

There are various new CMS web-building platform options. WordPress is the traditional alternative. Word press is an open-source platform with multiple features, templates, themes, and plugins that are simple to set up and use to build live websites. Word Press is the de-facto platform for more than 75 million websites. It now makes up more than a quarter of all websites. However, Word Press has recently been plagued by security and vulnerability problems, as detailed below.

CMS Examples

While there are hundreds of CMS platforms, some of the more popular ones are listed below:

• WordPress
• Optimizely
• Drupal
• Joomla
• Magento
• ModX
• Squarespace
• Wix
• Weebly

Must-Have CMS Features

1. Security

The internet is indeed a dangerous place to be. Security breaches are much too frequent to trust a regular CMS that offers little protection for your company's data. Hackers can now effectively take control of a website's look, feel, and content.

Word Press discovered a significant flaw in 2017, which exposed thousands of their users' websites. Though Word Press notified users of the security breach, businesses were still at risk unless they took the initiative to make the necessary improvements. Users of websites began looking for alternative content management systems as a result of this threat. The correct WCMS can handle security updates. Finding a service that automatically pushes out patches as bugs are discovered is more critical than ever.

Content creators and publishers should consider platforms that protect their clients from DDoS attacks and provide two-factor authentication to add additional layers of security.

Multilingual Functionality

  According to Translate Media, more than 75% of Internet users do not communicate in English and want the content to be translated or 'localized' into their native tongue. Additionally, multinational firms that cater to foreign clients need numerous translations on their websites.

2. Distributing Content

In today's ever-changing contact world, addressing all digital touchpoints adds protection and omnichannel complexity. Content must be formatted for the Internet of Things [IoT], Augmented Reality [AR], Artificial Intelligence [AI], and Virtual Reality [VR] in addition to hand-held devices.

With all of these device variables continuously in play, it's up to brands to remain ahead of the game by offering omnichannel customer support. The simplest way to do that is to use a headless CMS or its more user-friendly hybrid version, decoupled CMS, preferred by businesses with marketing departments.

3. Fast Customer Support

Gartner Peer Insights is an excellent resource for assessing whether current or previous clients appreciated collaborating with tech company customer support. You can also read Gartner Peer Insights reviews of Zesty.io's CMS. Customer satisfaction determines which Web Content Management Software products are the best. The user can view reviews by the organization, job description, and rating on Gartner Peer Insights. Before you buy, look for customer feedback to give your team peace of mind.

4. Responsive Mobile

To be "mobile-friendly," users don't need a "mobile version" of their website. With responsive design, the suitable CMS will adapt your current website to any computer or IoT. This method addresses the need to include, refine, and customize the viewing experience based on the device's capabilities and limitations and the screen size.

CSS3 is the code that you use to build a responsive design. This is the most recent version of the Cascading Style Sheets language, which improves the previous performance, CSS2. CSS3 introduces a slew of long-awaited features, including rounded corners, transitions, and shadows, as well as new multi-column and grid layouts. Drag-and-drop templates and other responsive rule sets are also part of responsive design.

5. Seamless Integrations

Our content creation used to be done in silos in the early days of CMS. Today's mobile CMS includes WYSIWYG and seamless sharing. It must be component-based for any publisher to have a rich, touch-enabled experience across all screens. Because of the seamless integration, monetization can now be done natively within the CMS.

What to Look for in a Content Management System?

It's a good idea to assess your company's information management procedures and general business goals about content publishing before deciding on a content management system. To get started, make a list of the business problems you're aiming to solve, as well as any special requirements you might have.

CMSs are available in various sizes and shapes, each with its own set of features and advantages. Some are well-suited to blogging, while others are more suited to e-commerce sites, including features such as pricing and bookkeeping. Specifics will vary depending on the demands and resources of your firm.

Here are some questions to think about throughout the evaluation:

CMSs are available in various sizes and shapes, each with its own set of features and advantages. Some are well-suited to blogging, while others are more suited to ecommerce sites, including features such as pricing and bookkeeping. Specifics will vary depending on the demands and resources of your firm.

What is your financial plan?

There are several very complex content management systems with features meant to make the life of content creators and editors easier if you had endless resources to invest. However, if you have a limited budget, your options will be more limited.

What technologies does the CMS have to be able to support or integrate?

If your firm currently has a CRM, ERP, or web analytics system in place, you'll want to look for a CMS that can interface with it.

How many distinct user groups will there be?

The various degrees of administration privileges that are required will be one factor to consider. Consider the numerous user roles, such as managers' responsibilities for monitoring scheduled content.

Is the platform search engine friendly?

If SEO is crucial to your business, you'll want a CMS that automatically handles fundamental on-page optimization duties like title tags, URLs, picture alt tags, and an excellent internal linking structure.

What is the size of the development community?

The development communities for several CMS platforms, like WordPress and Drupal, are pretty big. The amount of online support and documentation available on most customization elements is an advantage of having a large community. Answering the questions above might assist you in choosing the best content management system for your company or group.