By Henry Brown

If you’ve never heard of a content management system, that’s okay! But, as a small business owner, you really need to get acquainted with the term. If you’re going to have any sort of online presence (and let’s face it, you need one), you’ll come into contact with CMS. Let’s not wait around any longer. Here’s what you need to know.

What is a content management system?

In general terms, a content management system is normally software that is used to manage digital content. You’ll need one in order to manage your website effectively and work on digital marketing campaigns. When implemented effectively, a good CMS can be the most crucial part of any marketing strategy, in fact. Without CMS, you’d have to either manage your site manually (not easy!) or get your web designer to do it for you.

What types are available?

Oh boy, now you’ve asked it. There are far too many types of CMS solutions out there, and we can’t mention them all today. WordPress is one that you might have heard of — an incredibly popular tool for bloggers in particular. Other popular solutions include Joomla, Pulse CMS and SharePoint. They all offer different benefits, so it pays to research them thoroughly before you make a decision.

What do you need from a CMS?

I should be asking you that question! Ultimately, it depends on what you’re looking for. Different CMS solutions come with different features and are sometimes tailored to specific businesses. In fact, a good web design company can often create a bespoke CMS system for your company. The reason for this is simply because you want the most user-friendly system available. You need it to accomplish all the tasks you want it to do, and bespoke is sometimes the only way to go. You’ll have to figure that out for yourself, though.

How do you implement it?

The CMS is there to make your experience as a business owner much easier. To get it implemented in the first place, you’ll often find that it’s easiest to go to a web design company. There are also companies like Royal Cyber who offer consulting and similar services for your content management needs and you can read more about their AEM managed services here. But, you can install generic CMS systems like WordPress with relative ease if you know what you’re doing. You probably already know how to do that if you’re tech savvy. If you aren’t, it’s best to leave it to the professionals.

And the cost?

Again, this totally depends on what you’re looking for. There are CMS systems out there that don’t cost you a penny. There are CMS systems that cost substantially more. Then, you need to think about the money you pay professionals that help you along the way to implement them. Don’t be afraid to set aside some cash for this, but be aware that costs might fluctuate. It all depends on exactly what you’re looking for.

So, if you’re planning to host a website and create a digital marketing plan, a CMS system will come into play. Start learning about it now, and you’ll benefit in numerous ways later on.

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Henry Brown is an online marketing executive. When he isn’t talking shop he’s roaming the streets of London, uncovering the extra-ordinary in the ordinary.