Checklist for choosing a content management system

Content management systems are the way most businesses update their website now and they are not just for those with large budgets. When SitesToGo hit the market five years ago it was one of the few ways to create a cost effective updatable website but now most web designers have some sort of low cost Content Management System at their fingertips.

So what are your choices? How do you avoid making expensive mistakes when choosing a content management system?

Take care when choosing a content management system

Make sure you can update at least:

• All text on all pages
• Upload files for download by site visitors
• Change and add new photographs
• Create and edit new pages, delete pages you no longer need
• Rename pages

Some content management systems (CMS) can be detrimental to ranking and optimisation. Choose a system which:

• Produces simple urls that contain page titles – not just numbers
• Allows you to update the meta title, content description and keywords on an individual basis for each page
• Allows you to use the html header and sub header code , tags to signify important headings and to format text as italic or bold
• Allows you to add and edit alternate text to images
• Allows the insertion of key search term rich links between pages and to other sites
• Ensures changed urls are properly covered with 301 redirects
• Allows the creation of 404 (page not found) reception page (the site map can be used in this way)

Finally, choose a supported option - make sure that you can get a real person on the phone to explain again how to do something you just forgot!