Three things to consider in a web content management system

A good website content management system (CMS) can make or break a website. In my short career I've used about seven different content management systems and have dabbled in several others outside of work. Some have been incredibly difficult to navigate (Gyrobase, anyone?) and others have such a sleek user experience that even my most non-technically-inclined colleagues could post blogs, photos and other multimedia content to the website.

Here are three things to consider when selecting your next CMS:

Consider who will be using it

The type of content management system you choose depends largely on who will be managing and using it. If you have a highly technical professional supporting all content production efforts, you may not need something that includes a WYSYWIG editor and simple plug-ins. If you're interested in enabling your non-technical people to manage their own website content, act as contributors or self-publish on your platform, you need something simple and easy to train users on.

Consider all costs - not just the initial one

Depending on the type of content management system you choose, there will be an up-front cost and a cost of maintaining your CMS. Usually if one is cheap, the other will be more costly. It just depends on how your organization's budget is organized and if an initial large investment for lower maintenance costs is feasible or if your organization is committed to potentially paying for updates, changes, upgrades, etc.

Consider access and authorship levels

Depending on who you're getting your content from, you may also want to consider levels of access and authorship. Being able to restrict admin access, but allow non-technical users to act as content contributors protects the integrity of your site while also allowing you to leverage a wider contributor base. When I was at NOLA.com, we all had access to the source files of the website which was great for customization but also meant there was a greater risk of something going wrong with the code. At Southwestern University, we used a slick CMS that enabled us to add varying levels of access for professors, staff and even student contributors.

Whether you're a webmaster extraordinaire or are just dabbling in personal publishing, I want to hear what content management systems you love and what you look for in a good one!

Cover image by DCI - check out the full infograph on their site!