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Why Content Management Systems (CMS) make More Sense |
There are 3 different website development platforms:
Static
website development is the traditional approach of building individual
HTML pages and joining them with links. An Internet hosing server
simply delivers a complete page to a browser for rendering. The page
is said to be “static” because it is available on the hosting server in
its complete form. Therefore, edits to menu or color scheme must be
made to each page of the website. | On average, a 20-page website may require 1 edit per month. At $150
per edit, and over a 3-year period, the incremental cost to maintain a
static website is $5,400 – which may be more than the initial
development cost.
Content Management Systems (CMS) Cost of Ownership s
the name implies, Content Management Systems offer owners an effective
way to manage website content. Unlike static pages, CMS platforms keep
website content in a database for easy access and modification. Owners
have 100% control over the content and can modify or edit content
without hiring a Webmaster – no special training or skills required.
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In contrast, dynamic website pages are not created as single files.
Rather, the hosting server pieces together several page elements from
either separate files or a database to form a single HTML page.
Editing a single element affects every page using that element. The
most popular form of dynamic websites is the Content Management System
(CMS) design. Rich Media includes several technologies:
- RealPlayer
- Microsoft Media Player
- Quicktime
- Adobe Flash
But
only Adobe Flash can function as a website development platform. A
flash website is a movie or series of movies linked together, and
called as an object in a simple HTML page. Flash websites are
graphic intensive and require special Webmaster skills. Even simple
changes can be very time consuming and complex. |  click image to enlarge |
Static Website Cost of Ownership When a website development project
is complete, the content is current. However, over a period of time,
content may become outdated. Contact names and email address may
change. Product and service descriptions may evolve or become
discontinued. New Calls To Action may need to be added. For simple
changes to static website pages, a Webmaster needs to be hired for a
few hundred dollars per page. As a consequence, many of these routine
changes do not make it to the website because of the incremental cost
involved. | Additionally, website owners can assign different editing rights to
different employees. Employees may then access a web browser editing
screen that is similar to MS Word (see above image). With basic
Word-like editing skills, employees can make changes and additions
instantly. Content Management Systems Make More Sense CMS
platforms allow website owners to reduce the cost of owning a website
while keeping the website current, and they make it possible for a
several employees to collaborate in the content creating and editorial
process. Get PDF >>
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click image to enlarge