Advantages and Disadvantages of a Content Management System

Anyone running their own website has probably considered using a Content Management System (CMS). A CMS is a collaborative program which organizes content and submissions for your website. You might already know some of the popular CMS’s, WordPress is a very popular system.

Advantages of a CMS

  • Little bugs and issues: CMS’s are widely used, and because of the amount of people using the systems, things like bugs and software issues are reported faster.
  • Easy to use: CMS’s are designed with simplicity in mind. They often have a friendly to use interface and almost effortless installation.
  • Quick to get running: You could have your website up and running almost instantly.
  • Easier to collaborate: If there are a lot of contributors to your website a CMS could make it a seamless task. Many CMS’s offer a delegation function which make it easier to give people certain tasks.
  • Plenty of add-ons: There are heaps of add-ons you can use to make you website appealing.

Disadvantages of a CMS

  • Could get messy: If the system isn’t used correctly there is a chance that your website will end up messy, the look and feel could be broken.
  • Developers might be needed: During set up you may require developers to tailor it to your specific needs. The cost of a developer could be quite high.
  • Might be a bit much: If you’re only running a small website, then a CMS could be a daunting task with little reward. It could also increase the size, making it heavy.
  • No plug-in or add-on: If you want a specific add on for your website that hasn’t already been made, then developing it might require a lot of training.
  • Extra training: Some of the features of CMS’s may require extra training for the owner and any staff they might have.