Your business is going to need a quality Content Management System to be successful. A CMS is an excellent way to edit and publish content, and everybody understands the importance of content in today’s world. However, it’s more than a feature that lets you blog with impunity. It’s also essential for aesthetics and navigation, two features that impact SEO and your Google SERPs.
So, picking the perfect CMS is a crucial part of running a company, especially one that focuses on the internet to generate leads and sell products and services. Sadly, due to market saturation, finding the right partner is tough. Once WordPress showed everyone the way, their competitors have followed and flooded the market. Now, a simple search will result in hundreds of options in the blink of an eye.
How do you choose between CMS providers? What are the features that make one superior to another? There isn’t a miracle answer, so you will need to research a CMS that suits your company’s specifications. Still, core principles do exist, and you can find five of the critical ones underneath.
It’s Trusted
Never underestimate the importance of trust when it comes to picking a CMS. Currently, WordPress sits at the top of the market because of the work it put in when it first hit the market. It doesn’t matter which rival tries to take it on – WP comes out on top. WordPress beats Squarespace, Wix, and any other CMS provider you can think of, and it’s down to its reputation.
The main reason WP is trusted is due to its reliable nature, but there is more to it. It also has a range of security features that makes the platform safe from hackers. And, this is in spite of the fact that it’s an open-source site whose code is easily accessible. As long as you regularly backup your MySQL database and hide your version code number, you should be secure from attacks.
Other CMS platforms can’t boast the same thing, which makes them less appealing.
It’s Intuitive
Aside from a high level of security, you’re also looking for a CMS that is easy to use. Practically, this is integral to the company’s success as no business can afford to waste time trying to figure out how to use a content management system. Without an interactive interface, the writing could be on the wall.
But, you need to keep an eye out for more than a GUI (Graphical User Interface). Aside from the looks, the administration side of the platform must be a mix between uncomplicated and varied. It’s vital that you can tweak and change settings to suit your specifications, which is why a range of options is essential. Of course, they shouldn’t bog you down in complex jargon or unnecessary details.
The job of a CMS is to make tasks less stressful and hasslesome. Any software that doesn’t do either of these things is pointless and should be avoided at all costs.
Designs Aren’t Limited
How your blog appears to audiences is a considerable part of the battle. Whether you like it or not, looks are meaningful because people use them as judgements tools daily. And, your site is no different. Unfortunately, certain CMS designs are limited to generic styles that everybody uses. This isn’t helpful as it stunts your creative freedom and increases the chances of your blog sharing similarities with hundreds of others. How do you stand out when you appear the same as every other website?
The best CRM platforms provide hundreds of themes and design trends for you to use as you please. There is a point to keep in mind: free templates will be restricted. Yet, this isn’t a problem if the paid options are plentiful. Sorry to burst your bubble, but using the freebies is a surefire way to craft an unresponsive site or blog as they aren’t engaging. To take your platform seriously, you will need to pay for professional designs that are of a certain quality.
If you don’t know what to look for, template customisation is the answer. This means you can tweak designs and add some of your character and personality.
Plugins Are Extensive
Extensive plugins and extensions are paramount to the user experience. By including apps that they use in everyday life, you can boost the chances of curating shareable content. Once a blog post or video goes viral, that’s when your business can cash in on its marketing effort and build brand awareness.
So, not only is a selection of plugins necessary, but they must integrate seamlessly. If your readers can’t use the Twitter extension because it uses different codes, they’re not going to bother tweeting to their followers about your incredible services or product. As a result, a considerable list of extensions is only the beginning. Aside from a varied range of plugins, you should contemplate the API, too. An Application Programming Interface is what powers the extensions and makes sure there are few glitches.
A ‘headless’ CMS and API combine gives users the ability to deliver content in real-time regardless of the channel.
Scalability Is Feasible
As an entrepreneur, you must think like a boss to make it in this dog-eat-dog world. Dreaming big is mandatory as it gives you the motivation to go out and seize your opportunities, rather than waiting for them to fall in your lap. So, it’s essential to imagine your company transforming into a market leader in the future.
That means your CMS has to be able to keep up with the demands of expansion. It sounds obvious, yet it’s crazy how many people fall to factor this into their plans. After all, if you have products to add and sponsors to integrate, the CMS is going to be pivotal to the process. A fantastic tip is to write down the features you will require in the future and cross-reference them with your system of choice. Do they match?
When the answer is no, it’s a sign that growth isn’t possible and that you should try another platform.
