What is a CMS?

As a web agency creating websites for our clients with Umbraco CMS, we thought it would be appropriate to explain what a CMS actually is.

CMS stands for Content Management System, simply put, it is a system where you can manage and publish content on a website using a user-friendly interface.

Why do you need a CMS?

The short answer is because it is simple and effective. Say e.g. that you do not have a CMS and would like to change a simple thing as an image on your website, then you need the help of a developer to change the code to get it done = costly and time consuming. With a CMS, you do it yourself with a few keystrokes. There are plenty of different types of CMS’s that work in different ways, some are easy to use, while some can be more complicated. So when it comes to finding one that suits your business, tips on what to think about will be further down in this post.

Back in the days you could only publish something on the web if you knew HTML code or with the help of a developer. Today, as mentioned, there are lots of CMS’s that allow anyone to create, edit and publish content online without any development skills. And with that said; as long as you are not a developer and can write the code yourself, then you need a CMS to manage and keep your website up-to-date.

If it's that simple - when is a developer really needed?

Depending on what your needs are, complexity and size of the website, as well as future plans, a developer is most likely needed at some stage. A CMS makes it easy for the user to produce, manage and make structural and appearance changes. But if, for example, you want to integrate the CMS with a CRM or other systems, add new functions and tailor the site based on your needs, then a developer is required.

What to consider when choosing a CMS?

Choose a CMS that is user-friendly, it should not be rocket science to replace an image on the page
That there is the possibility of scalability, will you be able to grow your business with your CMS?
Support for building a responsive web - you’ve probably heard the phrase “mobile first”
That there are security updates on a regular basis
SEO - make sure there is built-in support for SEO
Look into the licensing costs that come with the CMS, and consider whether to choose a free open source CMS, or a license-based solution.
There should be plenty of partners and developers (if you want to change supplier)
That it is technically compatible with any other systems and hosting environments
That there is a plan, a road map, so that the CMS keeps developing

If you are interested in knowing more about what open source CMS is and what benefits it comes with, feel free to read our blog post about open source. Or feel free to contact us if you need help with a new site, or further development of an existing Umbraco site.