It’s always nice to have an updated homepage, until now I’ve focused on simple static pages and left the world of content management behind…
That’s right, until now! Because managing my homepage (updating and optimizing it for SEO) is not my main job function I will start leveraging other for what they do best. However there are pros and cons, as there always are, with such decisions. Here are just a few of each to think about before you make the move to a content management system.
Pros of a Content Management System
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Wealth of plugins, add-ons, and themes to get you up and running
Whether you are looking to get a flat design, responsive design or even both, content management systems normally have an endless supply of free and/or paid designs to choose from… if you aren’t concerned with potentially having the same branded look and feel as a few other sites.
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Sharing and delegating responsibility
A content management system can allow non-technical people to add, update and edit the site without in-depth understanding…
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Updating and redoing your site
With a content management system you can normally redo your site without starting from scratch. This allows you to retain much of the work you’ve done towards SEO and marketing.
Cons of a Content Management System
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Working with items which you do not know exactly what/how things are working behind the scenes
I had someone on my team that started putting “Image not found” for the alt text of every image because the help text of the content management system instructed him to enter what he wanted to be displayed if the image couldn’t be displayed. They did not inform him of the other impacts this would cause…
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Having known vulnerabilities publicized when found
Who doesn’t love a good virus infecting and wrecking havoc to your site as soon as you have a deadline approaching? BTW, this has accounted for some of my most unpleasant nights reading, cleaning, and patching servers. Some of which were related to content management system vulnerabilities. This requires you to understand such risks, and make sure you are protected in such event…
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Inexperienced Pros
A content management system can allow non-technical people to add, update and edit the site without in-depth understanding… (deja vu?)
Let me know if you have any thoughts about content management systems… which ones you like, which ones you despise, and any pros and cons you consider when making the decision.
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