Web Content Management Systems - What's the Best?

Whether you are new to conducting business online or already have a satisfactory web-based business and you are considering using a Content Management System (CMS), I suggest you consider Wordpress for your next web site. It is open-source, i.e., the code exists in the public domain - and it is free. Wordpress is the easiest and the most widely used of the three most popular open-source CMSs (the other two being Drupal and Joomla).

The Wordpress code is regularly updated, providing you with a greater degree of protection against hackers. There is also a constant array of new and improved free plugins and templates available, developed by other users. The plugins offer a range of wonderful resources, such as shopping carts and social media buttons, to meet the needs of today's online shopper and browser, and hence, making your web site more attractive and capable of generating business for you. Some templates are also for sale, broadening the range of options available to you.

Unlike using a desktop web design tool, you design your site in the cloud; meaning on your web host's server. Because the design tools are part of the package, you avoid the frustration and expense of commercially developed software. You don't have to learn a complex interface before you can do your design. And, willing help is easily available from numerous experienced users, should you need it.

Originally developed as a blogging platform, Wordpress is frequently used by web publishers to develop sites containing all of the features one would expect to find in a site that looks and performs like a professionally designed web site. However, you'll have less control than you would expect from a full desktop design program.

The hard-coding available in a desktop program provides scope that you won't get with Wordpress, but for someone who is new to web site design, or not a professional developer, Wordpress probably does all you would need. (There is always the option to bring in a web developer to do some of the behind-the-scenes work, if needed.)

In addition to the choices to make regarding your CMS, you also have to decide where to publish your site. Although it is possible to publish on the Wordpress domain at www.wordpress.com, it won't create the professional image you probably want if you are going to use the site for commercial purposes. Consider publishing your web site on your own domain, which should reflect the essence of your business or product line.

A great source of useful information would be someone who is already a Wordpress user, who may be able to advise you about the pitfalls. Plan and set up your site structure correctly, before all else. It is also advisable to get professional help in locking down your site when you are done, to protect it from hackers.

Please avail yourself of the information available in my articles on online marketing: it is essential to know how to make your web site visible, to ensure that you have that much-desired online presence. When your new website is up, please send us your URL so we can admire your creation. We wish you the best in this new venture!

Find out more about promoting your web site and getting maximum return on your investment. Check out my informative articles at http://www.businessperform.com/articles/marketing