About two-thirds of all websites, totalling around 2 billion, use a content management system (CMS).
But, actually, why do they? And is it that important?
What is a Website CMS?
Let’s put it simply: a CMS, short for Content Management System, is a back-end software that allows users to create and manage websites without needing to code. Additionally, a CMS automates many processes, making website maintenance much easier.
A CMS consists primarily of a database and files, which contain templates and provide functionality. Key features of a CMS include a rich text editor or drag-and-drop interface, a simplified content upload media library, and widgets that can be dragged into different locations. Most of the time, users can enhance functionality by incorporating pre-written third-party code known as ‘plugins’ for extras like calendars, slideshows, eCommerce, forums, and more.
What does it need to do?
When choosing a CMS for your website, you should consider how easy it is to set up, configure, and use. It also pays to check how big and active the development community behind the CMS is. If you need extra functionality, is the repository of third-party plugins big enough to cater to your needs?
Security is important too; make sure the CMS has a good history of keeping websites safe.
Choosing the right CMS is crucial for the points already mentioned, but you also need to consider the needs of developers, users, and clients alike. Developers seek efficiency and flexibility for future improvements, while editors prefer user-friendly interfaces for easy page and content updates. Clients, who don’t see what developers and editors work with in the background, prioritise the experience, which includes tailored content, speed, and ease of finding information.
So when deciding on a CMS, make sure that your developers and editors are happy… so they can make your visitors happy too!
So, which one should you choose?
For small businesses or individuals, private platforms like WIX, Squarespace, or Shopify may suffice. They offer simplicity and accessibility for independent site management, often at a reasonable monthly cost.
However, they have limitations with a finite set of themes and templates. Shopify excels in eCommerce, but it has limited functionality in other areas, such as SEO features or restrictive templates. Similarly, WIX offers easy website building with drag-and-drop features, but it lacks extra functionality that you may need, like performance reporting.
For these reasons, if you need a bigger or more customisable website, you might need to use a separate system like WordPress or Drupal.
These systems can be installed on almost any web server, giving you the flexibility to choose from many different hosting providers like WP Engine, HostGator, and GoDaddy.
Among these systems, WordPress is by far the most popular, powering more websites than any other solution, even more than all the websites that don’t use a content management system at all!
WordPress has been around for decades and is widely used on the internet. Major companies like Google, Meta, and Stripe have created their own extensions for it, and with around 60,000 plugins available, you can add almost any feature you need—or find someone who can craft one for you. This makes WordPress a great choice for businesses of all sizes because it’s flexible, customisable, and can grow with your needs, staying super simple or becoming as complex as necessary.
That’s why we often recommend it to our clients.
Conclusion
Picking the right CMS is really important. Most of the time, you will want your website to last, so it’s a smart move to not only think about what you need now, but also what you are likely to need later. Based on this, we recommend choosing a CMS that suits you best for today and in the years to come.
About the Author: David Johnson.
David serves as our main digital developer, boasting over thirty years of experience in web development, coupled with two decades of expertise in SEO.
