In this episode of Actionable Marketing In Minutes we talk about content management systems and why you should consider using one for your website.
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Problem
I think you might agree the biggest benefit to having a website is that it levels the playing field. It gives you the same opportunity as the big guys to strut your stuff and to get your company out in front of prospects. No matter how big – or not big – your company is, you can make the world see you however you want to be seen with your website.
A website opens a whole world of marketing opportunities, gives you instant credibility and allows you to play by your own rules. It also helps you to communicate with your current customers. All-in-all, a website allows you to more easily reach your business goals. And, the best part, it works for you 24/7 and never calls in sick.
No doubt, you already have a website. Maybe it’s working fine for you. But, you may not be as satisfied with it as you once were. And, did you know websites have a shelf life? In other words, they become obsolete after a time. The average is three years; though, you should be looking at it and tweaking it every few months.
What makes your website outdated? Things like: search engine optimization standards and algorithms, technology changes, browser updates, and design trends.
You may have already been considering revising your website or simply starting from scratch. Have I pushed you over the edge? Good! It’s probably high time you went from good to stellar.
Solution
Now that you are considering a new website, no doubt, you’re thinking of the cost. What is the average price tag for a superior website these days?
Well…because there are so many mitigating factors, it’s hard to say with a high level of accuracy. A designer-driven HTML website that does everything you envision could cost thousands of dollars. Often, the really big guys could spend hundreds of thousands of dollars. But, we won’t go there.
On the other end of the spectrum, you could find a lone wolf who might throw something pretty embarrassing together for only a few hundred dollars. Let’s not go there either. Remember: your site represents your company.
So, the question becomes, how can you build a fully-functional, visually-pleasing website? One that is scalable to your business and possesses endless possibilities? And, most importantly, includes a realistic and affordable price?
The answer: have a CMS website built. A content management system is a software application or set of related programs that allows you to easily organize and manage all your pages and media, and upload it all to your site.
There are many reputable CMS platforms to choose from. A list of the top 10 include: WordPress, Joomla, ModX, TextPattern, RefineryCMS, Drupal, Concrete5, DotNetNuke, Umbraco, and TinyCMS. Each does something a little different. Not all will meet your expectations. As with any other decision, research is key when choosing a CMS.
Though there are many benefits of using a CMS, I find the most important is that you can modify the content on your site as easily as you can change a Word document. That way, you will keep ahead of the curve – and your competitors – by easily updating your site, which will ensure you are the most current kid on the block.
Because CMSes let you build and edit your site with little web-design knowledge, you will probably find someone on your team who can handle most fixes.
Long gone are the days when you have to schedule time with your programmer and spend hundreds of dollars to make a few simple changes or to even add a page to your site. But, should you need to call in expert help at any time, most all programmers are proficient in CMS coding.
Though we use a few of the CMS platforms, we find that WordPress fits most our clients’ needs very well. And, it seems a lot of big brands agree with us. Brands such as The New Yorker, BBC America, Sony Music, Best Buy, Xerox, and Google Ventures use this platform. You know what that means to you? You can look as good as they do. Without the cost associated to an HTML- and CSS-based site.
WordPress also allows us the opportunity to ensure our sites are mobile responsive – which makes the new Google algorithms happy – as well as the ability to add a robust ecommerce to any site we’d like.
I know I mentioned my favorite benefit of a CMS platform earlier. But, now that I think of it, I have another benefit that is probably equally as important. WordPress – and many other CMSes – are open-source. That means they’re free and readily available.
Benefits
In a nutshell, CMS platforms, such as WordPress, are a much-more viable option for your new website than the old-fashioned and more expensive HTML and custom-programmed methodology. Here’s why:
* They’re free.
* Additional plugins, themes and updates – which give you added capabilities – are either free or very low cost.
* They update their security automatically – which keeps both you and your customers safe.
* They give you the capabilities to customize your applications for a much lower cost.
* They include plugins that can have a dramatic impact on your site’s search engine optimization.
* They’ve been around long enough now that most all the bugs and kinks have been worked out. They function almost seamlessly.
* They have the ability to grow with you and are easily scalable.
I think I’ve made my case. A CMS website simply makes more sense to your bottom line.
Please take a little time to find out more. I think you’ll be happy with what you learn. And, I know you’ll be more than satisfied with a new CMS website.
We hope you’ve found this information helpful. Please connect with us on Twitter @DirectiveGroup or on LinkedIn. Let us know what you think and what you’d like to hear about next. And if you like our podcasts, please share with your networks using hashtag #actionablemarketing. Join us for an upcoming episode as we discuss An Argument for the Use of Taxonomy.
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