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10 Web Mistakes That Are Costing You Business

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Working with Heather and her team is amazing. They were able to take what was in my head and make it real in 3 months. It's one thing to create a fabulous looking website; but, for a website that sends a clear message about my business and gets me clients is artistry. Heather adds the marketing piece that so many other web people lack. ... Plus, I feel Heather really understands my business, listens to my ideas, and gives me great insight on the most effective way to make it happen. She has the patience of Job for working with this computer challenged business owner.

Rhonda Shappert

The Pageant Expert & Personal Development Coach™

Winning Through Pageantry™

Columbus, OH

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What the Heck is a “Content Management System” and Why Should You Have One?

What happens after your web designer “launches” your website? Well, if it is a basic website built with “static” (non-changing) HTML files, not much – Unless you email your web designer changes that he makes for you on the site. Or maybe you take a class about using “Dreamweaver” or “FrontPage” software and struggle with changing your own pages.

Wouldn’t it be great to be able to add pages to your site, change your contact info or bio whenever you want, have content constantly looking fresh on your site – without having to know HTML?

The good news is that you can have this great functionality – if you use a content management system (CMS).

A content management system is a collection of files, and generally a database, which your website is built inside. Basically, once your site has been setup, all the “content” for the site (pages with text and pictures, etc) is stored in the database, and the “design” (the layout, colors, navigation menus, etc) is stored separately. When someone comes to your site, the content is merged with the design, and your site is displayed. I won’t get into the technical details, since you will probably want to have a professional web developer set it up for you anyway.

The great thing about having your website built with a CMS is that you, as a business person – not a techie – will be able to update the content on your website whenever you want to. This will not only increase your business agility (you will be able to launch new products & services, publicize events, and advertise special deals quickly), but will allow you to have one of those “frequently updated websites” I told you about.

In the long term, as you add more and more content, you will appreciate your content management system’s ability to keep all your pages and files organized, and if you ever decide you want a visual “face-lift” for your site, it can be accomplished without having to re-do all your content.

So, what is the catch? Well, there really isn’t much of a catch to having a CMS. There are only two things you need to be aware of. First, web hosting requirements for a CMS, as opposed to plain html files, are a bit different. You will want to be sure before you sign up for a hosting account that it has the necessary technical requirements for the CMS you plan to use. This might include support for certain programming languages and databases. Your web developer should be able to recommend the proper hosting for you.

And speaking of web developers, that is the second thing you need to consider if you want to use a CMS for your website. You need to work with a web developer who has experience and knowledge in this area. Setting up a website with a CMS requires some skills in addition to the basic HTML, CSS, and information architecture skills all web developers need. You should be prepared to pay a bit more up-front to hire a good CMS web developer, but over the long term, you will actually save money since you won’t need to pay hefty hourly fees or monthly “maintenance retainers” to a web developer just to change your phone number on your website or add a page about your new service.

The choice of CMS does matter. Some are more functional than others, some have better back-end user-interfaces (this is the part that you will see and work with on a regular basis), some impose limits on the design (requiring 2 or 3 columns, etc), and some are better supported products. You will find that most of the developers you talk to will have their favorite system. (You can read about my favorite CMS on my blog.)

If you are curious about the different content management systems out there, take a look at the information on cmsmatrix.org. This site is extensive, though keep in mind that the information might not be completely current, so if a CMS interests you, you should visit its website for the latest version, etc.

Don’t get overwhelmed with all this; you will be able to leave these things to your developer, as long as you get the right developer for your needs.

The key to getting the most out of your CMS-based website is to have a solid plan before you have the site implemented, so that you get everything you want without any unpleasant surprises.

Web Action Steps

Make a list of all the things you’d like to have on your site (even if not at first) – news, event calendar, e-commerce, etc.
Think about the visual design you might like for your site. Look at other websites and take notes about what you like (and don’t like) about them.
When you look for a web developer, make sure they have experience with setting up CMS websites, and discuss with them the functional and visual requirements you have. Ask them if the CMS they work with can handle those requirements.

If this all seems too technical, or you aren’t quite sure where to start, or don’t know what you want for your website, please take a look at the web development services I offer. I implement all my clients’ sites with a content management system, and I’d be happy to do the same for your site.