Static pages vs. CMS pages, what's the difference?
With static web pages, the content can only be changed if a page is edited with an HTML program or editor. Changes are made to the HTML code and then the saved page is uploaded to the web server via FTP to overwrite the old file. While this in itself doesn't sound complicated, when you consider how your change might affect other pages and the site's navigation, the work created by a simple change can be significant.

For example, if your web site has 150 pages of content and you need to change a link, image, or text area in the sidebar or header area, you would have to change all 150 pages by hand and then reupload the pages via FTP.

WIth a Content Management System in place, you could have complete control over your site's content via an administration panel. You won't need to know HTML, you won't have to worry about FTP, and you won't have to change all affected pages manually.

Using the previous example, let's pretend you wanted to add a new link to your sidebar or header area. With CMS, you would simply login to your control panel and add the content through the editor. The CMS application would then automatically update all pages according to your page's design or parameters. The new link would instantly appear site-wide and all without you having to write a line of code or change dozens of web pages by hand.

Is CMS right for you?
Not all web sites are good candidates for a Content Management System. If your site's content rarely or never changes, then it would be pointless to go through the cost and effort of integrating CMS. However, if your information changes frequently or you want to be able to add pages and content without being dependent on someone else, then you may want to consider implementing a Content Management solution.

To determine if CMS might be right for your company, consider all of the different pages on your web site and then ask yourself if it's the kind of content that you might want to be able to update and manage on your own.

For example, do you have a News or Press area that needs to be updated with the latest information? Do you have a product line or other type of inventory that changes frequently? Do you want to continually add keyword-oriented articles to help bolster your presence, SEO potential, or credibility? In each case, a Content Management System could save you a considerable amount of time and money when compared to the labor involved in making changes manually.

Some of the web site areas that my clients ask to control via a custom CMS solution, include:

• Archives and article libraries
• Product inventory, descriptions and prices
• Real estate property and rental listings
• Product photos and illustrations
• News and informative articles
• Company news or training
• Web site and company polices, terms and agreements
• Promotional text and site copy
• Site navigation links
• Technical support information
• Press releases and publicity coverage
• Job postings
• Downloadable forms, PDFs and software

Five key benefits of CMS

1. Independence
With CMS, you won't have to be dependent on a web designer to make even the smallest of changes to your web site. This not only saves a considerable amount of time, but also a significant amount of money because you won't be paying someone to do something you can now easily do yourself.

2. Collaboration
Depending on the size of your web site and number of employees, your company may benefit from giving multiple employees access to the site's CMS manager. With the ability to maintain the web site remotely, you can not only streamline your web site's growth, but distribute responsibilities to more qualified employees.

3. Simplicity
Rather than have to fight through HTML code and struggle with changes, a CMS solution will give you quick and easy control over your content. Through a WYSIWYG interface much like Word or other such programs, you'll be able to easily manipulate text, drop in files, and create pages on the fly. Simply make your changes and they will be instantly posted throughout your site.

4. Speed
When you have a CMS application in place, you have an immediate and tremendous advantage when it comes to reacting to market intelligence and shifts in the marketplace. Through CMS, you can write, edit and publish updates in a matter of minutes without having to worry about your change request sitting ignored in an overloaded Inbox somewhere.

5. Marketability
If your site is fortified with a CMS application, you can benefit from a number of exciting marketing benefits. For example, you could completely and instantly change the look of your web site for market testing, holidays, or to cater to specific kinds of customers. You could also syndicate your articles and other content to external web sites to improve visibility. For online merchants, it could be used to share product specifications, prices, marketing information and availability with suppliers and vendors. Quite honestly, the marketing opportunities are endless.