When you build your next website, I would suggest using a CMS also known as a Content Management System.
To paraphrase the movie 'The Graduate':
Mr. McGuire: I want to say one word to you. Just one word.
Benjamin: Yes, sir.
Mr. McGuire: Are you listening?
Benjamin: Yes, I am.
Mr. McGuire: Plastics.CMS, as in Content Management System.
For most website owners a CMS is the future—unless you want to continue paying your web developer every time you want a change on your website.
What is a CMS? It is software that runs on your web server (or your hosting company’s web server) that stores all the information about your website inside a database. When someone comes to your website, it generates the web page they see. If the click on a link to another page, it generates that web page. And it does it so fast that less than 10% of a web page loading time is caused by the CMS.
The biggest reason to build a website using a CMS is you can make changes really easily. If you are logged into your website, and have sufficient permissions, every page has an edit button you can click on, where you can make changes easily and on-line. Click save and that revised page is published for everyone to read. While a base CMS might require you to code your edits in HTML, almost all have an option you can turn on for WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) editing that looks just like using the word processor you use every day.
So a CMS will let you make edits without calling your web developer. It will also let you add a new page, include pictures and even update the menus for the website all without knowing how to “program” a website.
The three most common open source (as in freely distributed without cost) CMS systems are WordPress, most commonly used for blogs, Drupal and Joomla. All three can be downloaded and installed by someone who isn’t afraid of the terminology and has full access to your web server account. If you are concerned about using an open source CMS, consider that www.whitehouse.gov is built using Drupal.
Even if you aren’t technical enough to do it yourself, you can hire someone to install and configure your CMS for a modest cost. You can even have a custom look and feel done inexpensively.
Another feature of the three CMS’s listed are they are modular. You can get add on modules to extend your website’s capability. Want to add a blog to your website, just configure (or have configure) the option. Want to add forums, the ability for visitors who register to leave messages for each other and share ideas; it is another simple module you can install.
And if you use one of these open source CMS’s, you are assured that there are multiple web developers available for your website should you need any changes made. Having multiple options means you can make sure the quote you are given is competitive. I’ve seen quotes for websites that are almost 10 times what they should have been, simply because the client had no way to know if the estimate was reasonable.
As an example, I can build a Drupal based website with blogging and a rotating image banner on the home page in about 3-4 hours. If the client is happy with one of the 200 or so free website designs, called themes in Drupal, they can be putting their own content in that website the same day I start.
