Do I really need a CMS or Content Management System?

by

If you are planing on frequently updating your website then you need a content management system. That's the short answer.

But some businesses don't want to change or have no reason to update their website all the time and it would be a complete waste to use a content management system.

How frequently is the website updated?

If your website is still as it was when originally developed. Maybe it's time to downgrade to a static website.

Converting to a static website

1. Make a backup of your current site first. 2. Make a list of all the pages on your website and note url structure used. 3, Download your website pages. Do a search for reputable software on "download.cnet.com" allowing you to do this. 4. Create another account on the same server or signup for another hosting account. 5. Manually create url structure of your website using folders as file names with index.html files (your pages) inside folders. For example your cms website has this link: http://yourwebsite.com/blog/one-great-article On your ftp account: you will create a folder /blog/ and /one-great-article/ inside /one-great-article/ folder  paste the page you downloaded as a index.html file. 6. Transfer the domain to a new hosting account or copy and replace the files in the root of your website.
If you're not certain, you can seek assistance from your hosting provider to create url redirect for you using apache mod_rewrite.

Is there a new version for your installed CMS, patch or security update?

You can call the original developer of your website and ask him or her to upgrade installed CMS, or login to admin panel of your website and find out what version you are running. You can also visit CMS creators website to read about latest release.

Solution to every problem becomes installing a plugin for your CMS install

One needs to research to see how a plugin will affect CMS websites original database and default permissions before deciding to update their cms website. The plugin may not be developed with best programming practices outlined by creators of installed CMS. Be sure to find out as much as possible about desired plugin by visiting forums and reading reviews. Also contact a developer, your hosting provider for advice about the plugin you want to install.

Your website has malware

Even static websites can become infected with malware but the problem is easily fixed depending on number of files. When a CMS websites is infected with malware, it becomes a complex problem to solve. The easiest solution maybe to install latest version of CMS on a fresh hosting account. Then migrate existing database from old version to latest version of installed CMS. The bad news is, not all your plugins will be available for latest stable version of your favorite CMS. Visit Google's Webmasters tools with your gmail account or google apps account. First verify you own the website then you can see reported issues by looking under security. Most hosting providers don't have patience for an infected website and will disable your hosting account. Contact your hosting provider to grant you ftp access or minimal control panel access at least. Look for a virtual private server(vps) or seek discounts to upgrade hosting account with your current hosting provider.

How is a static website easily maintained without a content management system?

By using a html or wysiwyg editor bundled with ftp software. Here are some common editors and there maybe more options. :
  1. Adobe Muse
  2. CoffeeCup HTML Editor
  3. Website Realizer
  4. WebSite X5 Evolution

Conclusion

A dynamic website using an installed CMS may seem as a great solution to every website requirement. It may be wise to look beyond initial installation and configuration before investing resources on a content management system.
Z Data Tech https://www.zdatatech.com/logo/zdatatech-logo.png Last modified: January 30, 2023
Suggested
Advertisement