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dotBiz

Content Management Systems

dotBiz logo When was the last time you had a look at someone's website, and one of the first things that you saw was a message saying along the lines of "Last updated 17th March 2005"? With so many businesses out there competing for consumers' hard end cash, you just can't get away with having a website that hasn't been updated since the Crusades.

Keeping your web presence bang up to date shows that you are a dynamic business, and it's not as complicated or expensive as you might think. Now, don't panic. I'm not suggesting that you start trying to learn programming languages and the like, as there are plenty of ways that you can keep sites updated without getting your hands dirty. What you need is a Content Management System, or CMS.

A CMS gives you the power to add, edit and delete content on your website without the need for any technical knowledge. You will have access to a Control Panel, where you control what information is to appear on the site. The CMS will then drop that information into designated areas on pages that have already been designed - even on your existing site. So, you manage the content without worrying about 'breaking' page layouts.

There is a vast array of CMS's available - some are even free, but these tend to be the most complicated to set up and use. How do you decide which system to use, if there are so many to choose from? Well, when I'm putting a CMS together for a site I'm building, I'll sit down with the client and find out exactly what they hope to achieve from it. Do they just want to update a couple of pages, or do they need latest news sections, newsletter facilities, interactive features, and so on? Who will use it? Just one person, or will access to certain areas need to be restricted? How much control is needed over how the information is actually displayed?

There's a lot to think about, isn't there? In some cases, an off-the-shelf package will fit the bill perfectly, but for many businesses it's actually more cost-effective to create a bespoke system just for them, as they get exactly the result they need.

So, take a look at your website and see when you last updated it. If you notice that the information is old, your potential customers will, too.