What type of CMS platform should my website use?
The best content management systems to use are open-source CMS platforms like WordPress, Joomla, or Magento.
At Hopping Mad, we use WordPress all the time for our web design. They are super easy to use, very SEO friendly, and, above all, you are never locked into contracts that some web companies insist on if you use their proprietary CMS platforms.
THIS CAN BE A MASSIVE ISSUE AND COST YOU LOTS OF MONEY IF YOU ARE LOCKED INTO A CMS CONTRACT!
Questions to ask your web developer about the CMS platform they intend to use:
- The time and effort needed to add or remove features throughout the website once the site has been launched. Just remember that once you do have the CMS, it is impossible to change CMS once the site has been built, and this means that the choice you make from the beginning will impact your website’s ability to have add-ons in the future.
- If you are going to have an e-commerce site that will generate enormous amounts of traffic, you will need a CMS that will not crumble under the weight of the traffic. It has to be robust and sturdy enough to facilitate this and allow as many people to shop on the site at one time as possible. Great e-commerce CMS platforms are Magento and WordPress.
- You obviously want your site to rank on Google, so your CMS needs to allow the ease of use of titles, meta tags, and descriptions. This way, it encourages Google to index your site with each new addition of content, which in turn will help with your online ranking. Most CMSs will allow for this, but double-check with your web programmer the ease at which you can add titles and other SEO goodies. WordPress has a great plugin called All in One SEO, which is super-SEO friendly and will allow you to generate titles and descriptions easily.
- The CMS should allow you to access the website and add content easily. If you are a business that relies heavily on your site to sell your product or service, you do need a CMS platform that allows you to add this information with a minimum of fuss.
- Is the CMS secure? WordPress, for example, is an extremely secure platform. However, some in-house-built CMS systems may not have all the security plug-ins, so be warned!
- Is your website responsive? If not, your CMS should allow your developers to transform your current desktop site into a more mobile-friendly solution.
- How much do I have to pay you each month for my website to be on your CMS platforms? MAKE SURE YOU ASK THIS ONE! I bet it’s between $20 and $40 per month extra, which is a total waste of your hard-earned money!
Why is WordPress a Great CMS?
- Being open source means that once the site is built, it can be transferred to almost any web company with a basic understanding of the WordPress CMS Platform. You can even choose a preferred hosting platform for this CMS.
- There are no monthly maintenance fees, as might be the case with a customised CMS. A good example of this is a company I know of that charges a hefty monthly fee for using their CMS. They state that this is necessary because of all the add-ons they are making to the CMS, as well as all the security updates and phone support. This is simply not true and is basically a huge rip-off. With WordPress, there are no monthly fees at all. PLUS, most of the security add-ons are totally FREE.
- WordPress is an awesome eCommerce platform. If you want to sell online, WordPress is one of the best CMS systems around. With easy-to-update modules, you can add/delete products, change prices, and amend content easily.
Please see our FAQs area for more answers regarding web design and CMS platforms.
So, if you are thinking about getting a website for your business, call us today at Hopping Mad Designs. We offer an all-in-one web service that includes search engine optimization and internet marketing as well.