Content Managed Websites

Giving you control and scalability at cost effective prices

At Channel we specialise in developing Content Management Systems (CMS) for our clients.  There are a number of choices to be made when choosing a CMS system, we will guide you through this process during your initial consultancy to ensure you make the right choice for your business.  

What is a content managed system (CMS) ?

A content managed system is a website that allows users to update and manage content without needing technical skills. 

They are driven by a database where all the information on your website is stored.  Each time someone searches for some information on your website the results are fetched from the database in real time.  There is a back end portal that administrators can log into and update the content and upload or delete images.  Many CMS systems also allow you to change menus and add plugins and widgets for extra functionality.  This can be done with limited technical training and can be done anywhere you have internet access.  The styling of these websites sits seperately from the database so if you want to have complete refresh of the website it is straightforward to implement.

Why choose this system?

Undoubtably the biggest reasons our clients love having content managed websites is their ability to control their own site and update their own content.  If search engine rankings are a priority to your business being able to quickly add fresh and unique content to your site is an essential part of gaining page 1 rankings.  A CMS system will allow you to achieve this with your own inhouse team.  Off course, we are available to do this for you if you wish, but having the option to do updates yourself can be very a very cost effective way to run your business.

Most good CMS systems are also very scalable.  You have the built-in capacity to develop what might be a simple site into something much more sophisticated, without needing to start from scratch.  

Here are some of the options available:

1. 1. Starter CMS Websites

There are a number of CMS websites that are good for businesses starting out.  Many are subscription based and include their own website hosting and you can buy your URL at the same time.  They are a cost effective way of getting a website presence online with little or no technical knowledge.  There are some drawbacks to these websites including website speed, SEO and the range of extensions and apps.  Examples of these websites include Squarespace and Wix.  

1. 2. Advanced CMS Websites

There are  a number of very comprehensive and popular CMS systems that are available to use.  Each of these CMS platforms feature a dazzling array of functionality to help you promote your business or association online.  Because we are not wedded to one specific platform, we can offer an honest appraisal of which is most suited to your requirements.  Examples of these include: 

3. • Wordpress
   • Joomla!
   • Drupal
   • MagentoMagento
   • Shopify
   • PrestaShop
   • Umbraco
     
     

4. Custom CMS Websites

Where the functionality your business requires is not already available, Channel can design and write any functionality you require using PHP/MySQL, or Visual Studio and SQL Server. This type of custom-written functionality is often required for a dedicated Business to Business (B2B) application.  But it is quite rare that a high quality product does not already exist, so please ask us to look at each individual requirement and assess its merits and cost.