To CMS or not to CMS? This is not a “one answer fits all”. TelState is happy to provide you with your choice – either a static site, a partial CMS or a full  CMS, and to advise which approach might be best for you. Let’s explore some of the pros and cons.

First of all, what is a CMS? It’s a system that allows the updating of web pages without the need to know HTML code. Here’s a  Wikipedia page listing some available CMS applications.

Some considerations of a web-based CMS are:

• CMS Software must be kept updated. CMS web sites are actively targeted by hackers and any unplugged cracks in the wall (ie, vulnerabilities) are quickly exploited. Therefore it is imperative that you assign resources (in-house or external) to monitor and apply updates on a regular basis.
• CMS sites can have potential problems with plugins. CMS capabilities are often extended by third-party plugins/extensions/add-ons (for example, a plug-in to easily manage tables of data). Updates have the ability to be incompatible with these. So what appears to be a simple, drop-in extension can become a complication. We can help you select reputable plugins.
• Customized CMS templates can be higher cost. A CMS has a framework that one must work within. If you can find a template and layout that matches your requirements, then it will be fast to implement. However, if you have a custom, non-standard graphic layout, then it can take longer. We can help you keep costs down by adapting existing templates, if this is your decision. We also have the ability to completely customize a template to match your specialized requirements.
• Custom features/applications may not adapt well in a CMS. If your application is complex and not easily handled by the available plugins/extensions, then it may be more cost effective to forgo a CMS in favor of custom programming.

The huge advantage of the CMS is that in-house staff can regularly and easily update the web site. So it’s a trade-off. If you have in-house staff who will be regularly updating the web site, then the CMS might be the best choice, as long as you are diligent in your updates and flexible in your site design. If not, then a static site is the best choice, both in terms of design flexibility and less on-going maintenance. TSI can create either a static site or a CMS site, depending on which is the best solution for your needs.

Would you like to find out more? Contact us today and we can discuss whether or not CMS is a good match for your web site.