Website management is becoming progressively user friendly, and many business owners are enjoying the results of the hands-on opportunity. Regular site updating often results in increased web traffic. On the downside, the same technology in the hands of the inexperienced can result in navigation nightmares, page errors, or missing links. A website Content Management System (CMS) is a great tool, but there are several factors to consider before deciding if it is what your business needs.

Here are a few key considerations:

Does your website require regular content updates?

If you need to update your website on a daily or weekly basis, a Content Management System (CMS) will be a valuable asset providing timely control over your content. An alternative for a website requiring less frequent updates is to pay a reputable web design agency to do the job. Content management is a service provided by professionals for a good reason: they are well experienced in content management and optimisation. Maintaining your own site can provide a sense of achievement, but at what cost? Determine if your time could be better used in focusing on your own realm of expertise before making a decision.

Sophistication versus simplicity.

A successful website design is structured to reach a target audience and provide the content they are searching for. Complex content management and optimisation may be beyond your ability. A website design can be complicated or simple, depending on customer needs. You may require e-commerce solutions, PayPal integration, shopping cart design, responsive web design, dynamic galleries or more. On the other hand, some businesses flourish with a simple enquiry contact form. Its easy to become enamoured by all the bells and whistles of technically complex website, so stay focused on what your specific website requirements are, this will avoid an overly complex website that may distract or confuse viewers.

Time equals money.

A blog or news page on a website can be helpful and informative, but may be overkill for a simple or single-dimensional business. It’s no use maintaining a blog if the pages quickly become repetitive recycling of limited information. The time invested in writing attractive SEO optimised articles is also something often best left to the experts. A blog needs to add value to your product to make it a worthwhile investment in time. Before considering a blog or news page, decide if it is a resource providing additional product knowledge, or is simply a creative writing exercise that takes time away from your core business.

Website development is a team effort.

There are lots of elements that comprise a dynamic and interactive website design. Every page, block of text or visual should perform a function that enhances your business or brand. Your web design agency will need to be proficient enough to integrate your CMS with any proprietary software requirements, automated tasks, administrative procedures and content editors. The CMS will provide you with the capacity to optimise your website, and also the facility to break it. You may need to factor in time to train your staff on how to use the CMS, and the time will vary according to their level of computer-literacy. In addition you will periodically need to engage your web agency to install and maintain the ongoing security updates for the safety of your website.

How much should you spend?

Costs will vary according to your needs. Your business may have an individual market niche or brand, your website should be designed to integrate your corporate identity. Every website is different and you should firstly consider what you want to achieve. A low budget will only stretch so far in realising high expectations, but with careful planning you can develop a website incorporating only what you need in order to meet your digital requirements.