Content management systems (CMS) are database-driven website software that allows you to update your site through web-based forms. If you’re choosing a CMS for the first time, the search can be utterly overwhelming–particularly if you have no idea what choices have what implications. Knowing what questions to ask can help you make a decision that you can not only live with, but thrive with, hopefully for years to come.
Need to select a content management system for your company or project? Here’s what you need to know to make an informed decision.
Do you Need a CMS?
First things first: Do you even need a CMS? Despite the fact I love me some CMS, I do not recommend them for everyone. If your site is remain primarily static–offering basic business info or serves as an “online brochure” setup–and you have access to a dependable person to make your updates for you, you will probably be more happy with a static site. In your needs are simple and updates infrequent, then having yet another management interface to learn is just going to be annoying.
On the other hand, if you want to have a frequently updated site (and don’t want to wait on outsourced help or an overworked IT department to keep your content fresh), you’re comfortable learning new software, or you have several people who need to be able to contribute to content, then CMS is going to make your life a whole lot easier.
Paid Vs. Free CMS Solutions
The next question is whether to go commercial or use free (aka open source) software.
Paid CMS solutions are not always better.
Despite the oft-true axiom “You get what you pay for,” there are many times when an open source is not only a great option, but by far, the best option for your project! [1] The strength of open source software is often in the diversity of the community behind it.
Some situations where open source CMS may be a good bet:
- Budgeting is an issue. Open source touts some amazing tools, with tons of extensible pieces of functionality (usually called something like “modules” or “plugins”) that can rival or, in some cases, blow paid CMS packages out of the water.
- The software out there already is a good fit for your needs. If your site is going to be in large part a blog, for example, you’d be hard-pressed to do better than WordPress.
- There are already plugins to do what you need to do. Because some of these options are so widely used, there are plugins for almost every conceivable customization or need. That makes your life easier and contributes to your bottom line by avoiding the need for custom coding.
- A significant user base exists. The expected longevity of the software you use to run your site is an important issue. The more people using and supporting a project (or add-ons for the project), the better the odds you’ll be able to continue using the software, and get the help and functionality you need both now and in the future.
Free CMS solutions are not always better.
In particular, specific needs will often warrant paid solutions:
- You need a guarantee of prompt support. Since open source software is often primarily supported by the user community at large, there is no guarantee your questions will be answered quickly–or at all. Add plugins to the mix and you have even more variables, with a smaller base of help, consisting of perhaps the plugin developer and maybe some other users. And some communities have little patience for inexperienced users.
- Many open source CMS’s are lacking in coherent, cohesive documentation. While not true across the board, this can be a major challenge at times. The most widely used open source options have tons of resources online, but you can expect to sometimes find yourself wading through pages upon pages of search results to find an answer to your question–if it is still applicable to the version of software you use.
- Your needs are highly specialized and specific. If your needs are niche, using a niche CMS may well bring you the best value. Something that was made specifically to do what you need to do will probably work better for you than something that “can be” made to do what you need to do. Look for a square peg if you’ve got a square hole.
- You don’t have a geek on call. If you don’t have the skills or staff to figure out the nitty-gritty of making your CMS do your bidding, you’re probably going to experience some frustration–to put it mildly. Some of this stuff has a major learning curve! A paid support department isn’t going to get snippy with ya when you ask an unsophisticated question (we hope!) or tell you to “Google it.” Open source CMS support communities will. And since the quality of coding for add-ons varies greatly, having someone who can knowledgeably help you judge the quality of add-ons is a Godsend.
How to Choose the Right CMS
When choosing a CMS, start at the beginning. What do you need the site to be able to do? Always begin with functionality requirements. You won’t know you’ve found what you’re looking for unless you know what you’re looking for. Have your priorities clearly defined and, well, prioritized–into must-haves, really-wants, would-be-cools, and not-a-biggies.
Coming up with the CMS Short List
Do some searching. Google up yourself some options by doing a search for what you need like “Real Estate CMS” or “Forums CMS.” You’ll get some ideas right off the bat if you see either specialty setups or add-ons for commonly used systems that meet your needs.
Focus on primary functions first. If your site is first and foremost a blog, check blogging software first. If your project is a community, check community-oriented software first. The more it was designed to do what you want to do, the better fit it will probably be.
Check what you already know. If you have experience with a certain CMS and like it, then by all means check out the plugins for that software to see if there are options for what you want to do already waiting for you. You’d be surprised what you can find that way.
Window shop. Check out what you’re finding in your searches and just look at the sites for these products. Read the features list and get yourself oriented on what will work out best for what you’re doing and who’s going to be doing it.
Evaluate the support community. This step is easy to overlook, but oh-so-important in ensuring that you and your CMS will have a long and fruitful partnership together.
- Commercial CMS Options: review the FAQs, support knowledgebase, and especially any community support form. Is there clear documentation? Does there seem to be a team of developers, just one or two folks? How do they interact with the community if there is one? What support options exist, and how accessible are they? Having a solid structure for support can make or break the quality of your experience.
- Open Source CMS Options : again, review the FAQs, documentation and support communities. In particular, look at your level of understanding of docs and support discussions. Since open source software is often put together by the hard-core geeks, you want to make sure the help you may need is both understandable and accessible.
- Plugins/Add-ons – If your site will rely on additional modules to perform important tasks, evaluate the support community for these bits of community-contributed code just like you are the CMS itself. How long has it been around? How frequently is it updated? How actively is it supported? Are there resources for help available when the need arises? You are looking for code that is actively maintained and supported to enhance the likelihood it will continue to thrive as new versions of the core software are updated.
- Aesthetics - Check out available themes for your finalists. This will give you a good idea of the flexibility of the setup, whether you’ll use an available theme or have one custom-made. Do allow for design time in your planning. Even if you’re using a ready-made template, you’ll most likely have some customization needs, so don’t forget to schedule it.
Test Drive your CMS Finalist(s)
Once you’ve exposed yourself to alternatives and have some idea of options, test drive your shortlist. If you’re considering an open source option, the Open Source CMS site has oodles of test installs for you to explore. Most CMS’s will also have demo versions you can try out at their own websites. Take advantage of this! How intuitive is the interface? What’s it like moving around and trying to accomplish simple tasks? You don’t have to understand it all right off the bat (and shouldn’t expect to), but if it’s painful to test drive, you can bet it’s going to be painful to use.
When you’re down to one or two options, if at all possible, do a test install (in a publicly inaccessible location). If it’s an open source CMS, you download the software and just set it up. For paid options, look for a demo download if you can, or at least spend some quality time on the site’s demo installation. Looking at documentation, feature lists and screenshots is all good and well, but there’s nothing that will give you the low-down like actually using the software.
Make a Commitment
So, you’ve evaluated your needs, done your homework, shortlisted and test-driven your potential CMS partners–time to set that puppy up and get started. Don’t become discouraged if you hit a snag or two along the way–it is to be expected. But if you’ve carefully gone through the research phase, you can rest assured you’ve made an informed choice and can expect a positive CMS experience.
Good luck! (And let me know if I can help.)
Footnotes- More about the Open Source Initiative or read about open source on Wikipedia. [↑]
Posted on October 9, 2009 at 3:28 pm in: Tech Help
