Authored by Willis Semans II

A web content management system (CMS) facilitates the creation, management, and distribution of information. Adding a CMS to your website will optimize time and allow you more control over your site’s content. This gives you the power to make changes without needing an internal web team, extensive programming skills or paying big dollars for a web consultant. A Web CMS is specifically built for people without design or programming skills.

A web content management system is a web application. This application is used to manage and control a large, dynamic collection of web material. A database and configuration files are used to store this collection of web material and the settings for your website. A Web CMS typically requires an experienced coder to set-up and add features, but it is primarily a website maintenance tool for non-technical administrators.

A CMS differs from website builders like Microsoft FrontPage or Adobe Dreamweaver. A CMS allows non-technical users to make changes to an existing website with little or no training. You will have access to an Administration section, typically done through an internet browser interface. Providing the ability to use your CMS from anywhere you have an internet connection. Not restricting you to computers that have special software packages installed on them. 

Some key features a Web CMS can provide:

• No experience needed
• Produce content for your site without programming or design experience.
• Rooming maintenance
• You control all aspects of your CMS through a common web browser.  Control your site through an internet connection any where any time.
• Website Look and Feel
• Your site design can be changed or updated with the use of design templates. Allowing for easy design upgrades and greater design consistency throughout your site. 
• Scalable feature sets
• Plug-ins or modules can be easily installed to extend a site's functionality. Blogs, calendars, polls, forms and newsletters are just a few of the options.
• Streamlined authoring process
• A sample of workflow: a content creator submits a story. An editor reviews the story, making any changes needed, and then publishes it to the website.
• User management
• Users at different access levels can be established. Each level having different access rights and abilities. Create public users, content publishers, editors and administrators.
• File management
• Documents and images for your site can be added through a built in File Manager. You will be able to upload or delete typical file types to your site (PDF, jpg, gif, AVI, mp3, etc.). The File Manager will also allow you to create new folders to help you organize your files.
• Fast Editing
• A WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) editor will display a page's content and provide authoring tools designed similar to the ones found in a word processor, to create and manage content with relative ease. Allowing for fast and simple updates without requiring you to have special applications on your computer.
• Save Money and Time
• No more paying and waiting for outside help to update your site for you.  Divvy out tasks or simply do it yourself!

As you can see while working with a CMS won’t make you a Web Master, it will help you keep your site “sticky” with new and exciting content. New content is what keeps visitors coming back to your site over and over again, helping to drive your profits up!