Content Management System (CMS)

Content Management Systems empower non-technical teams to work on and preview website content in the format they will be published in.

A good CMS should integrate seamlessly with a company’s existing martech stack, safely store its digital assets, and streamline website workflows.

Why do you need a CMS?

While some CMS platforms work best for enterprise companies and some for personal use, all CMS platforms aim to make websites faster to build and easier to scale. A CMS can help you and your team to:

• Create, publish, and edit digital content like web pages, and blog posts in real-time
• Organize and save all digital assets into one central repository
• Control content workflows by assigning admin permissions to every piece of content
• Publish content to go live on your website
• Optimize content with additional tools like digital scheduling and SEO insights
• Integrate third-party tools like email marketing platforms and lead generators
• Add and monitor plug-ins on your website

How does a CMS work?

Before Content Management Systems, companies needed technical teams to manually code every web page and wait days for changes to go live.

A CMS works by separating the content from a website’s design and technical specifications.
They consist of at least three built-in components:

• A database to upload and store digital content like text, images, videos, and files
• A user interface to drag and drop editable components on web pages like images, text blocks, and metadata. Most CMS’ provide templates so users can easily adjust the fonts, colors, and layout.
• A publishing system lets users preview web pages before publishing, controls user permissions, and manages version control.

What are the most popular CMS platforms?

• Drupal: Drupal is renowned for its flexibility, scalability, and ability to handle complex and large-scale websites with advanced functionality, making it popular among developers and enterprises.
• Ghost: Ghost is specifically designed for bloggers and publishers, focusing on simplicity, speed, and a distraction-free text-first writing experience.
• Magento: Magento is a B2C and B2B e-commerce CMS that uses AI and data-sharing to help businesses build highly-scalable online shopping experiences.
• Sitecore: Sitecore helps enterprise-level companies manage content, automate their digital marketing, and integrate their martech stack across multiple digital channels.
• Squarespace: Squarespace is a user-friendly CMS known for its visually appealing templates, drag-and-drop website builder, and integrated hosting, making it popular among creative professionals and small businesses.
• Webflow: Webflow is a design-first CMS that allows UI and UX designers to create, and collaborate on web pages in a visual canvas interface. All without code.
• Wix: Wix is a beginner-friendly CMS wIth over 900+ drag-and-drop templates to choose from. Wix offers integrated hosting, making it popular for quickly creating websites without technical expertise.
• WordPress: WordPress powers the majority of websites on the internet. This CMS is well-loved for its user-friendly interface and extensive plugin network. WordPress helps users create blogs and websites for both personal and business use.