Creating and publishing content manually is inefficient and time-consuming. 

You need technical knowledge to create a sleek website — and it’s tough to manage and organize content over time.

Thankfully, a content management system (CMS) helps you create, edit, and manage content in a streamlined way. 

It offers features that help you build a beautiful site and tools that optimize your content for marketing purposes.

But how do you choose which tool you need?

Let’s explore the best practices for picking a CMS, and take a look at the most popular tools available today.

What is a Content Management System?

A CMS is a piece of software that lets users ‌create, manage, and modify digital content on a website without technical expertise. 

It streamlines content creation, offers tools for editing, and helps with publishing processes.

It has a user-friendly interface for managing and processing different kinds of digital content. Using a CMS makes it easier to maintain your website without a developer.

The key functionalities you’ll see with most CMS include:

• Search engine optimization (SEO) features
• Customizable templates for web design
• Digital asset management
• Content editing tools
• Content scheduling 
• Access control

Who Needs a CMS and Why?

A CMS is designed to simplify content delivery and management. 

And it works. 

Almost three-quarters of businesses say using a CMS has made their team’s daily processes easier.

But who uses a CMS?

A wide range of individuals and businesses use a CMS as their content delivery application as it streamlines your digital experiences with content production.

Common types of businesses that use a CMS include:

• Content-driven websites
• E-commerce websites
• Marketing teams
• Digital agencies

The beauty of a CMS is that non-technical users — whether content creators, editors, or managers — can easily handle content production without needing extensive technical skills.

CMS users benefit in a variety of ways.

The comprehensive suite of built-in features improves the user experience around content production and delivery.

A CMS helps you create, manage, and publish content with less manual labor, from SEO tools to improve rankings to collaboration features for joint editing.

You can also enjoy organized content storage and digital asset management tools with varied access controls for different in-house roles.

How to Choose the Right CMS for You: Best Practices

To choose the right content management platform, consider your current content operations and what you need to improve this process.

Here are some key things to consider:

1. Define Your Needs

Understanding your content needs will help you work out the CMS features you need. 

For example, 58% of teams say collaboration features are essential, and 53% say centralized content management is a must-have. However, only 23% say that AI capabilities are necessary.

When considering what you need, think about the types of digital content you create.

For instance, do you work with text, images, videos, downloadable files, or product listings? 

Next, think about the volume of content you manage regularly. This will help you determine how much storage you need.

Then, consider your team. Will you need to plan for user roles and permissions ‌so multiple users with different access levels can work together?

Does your team work together on content? If so, you need to look for tools that foster a collaborative editing process or support specific approval workflows.

Next, consider your customization needs. 

Do you need a lot of control over how you tailor the look and feel of your website? If you do, you’ll need a CMS with lots of customization options. 

If not, look for a platform with customizable templates that you can add your content and branding to. 

Lastly, think about costs. It’s not just the subscription fee; you’ll need to work out the ongoing maintenance, updates, and support costs. 

2. Think About Usability

If you’re trying to streamline content production and delivery, CMS useability is a must.

Despite this, a fifth of organizations complain their CMS isn’t user-friendly enough.

Look for an intuitive interface that’s easy to navigate so your team can quickly gain value from it after onboarding. 

When assessing useability, consider these factors:

• Is the tool mobile-optimized to manage your website and content from different devices?
• Does the CMS support your team’s existing content creation workflows?
• How easy is it to assign different user roles with specific permissions?
• How easy is it to create and edit different content types?
• Are there features for collaboration and communication?

3. Understand Security

When you’re managing intellectual property, security should be a top priority.

Despite this, 40% of companies admit they struggle with CMS security. 

But what should you look for?

First, find a tool that updates and patches regularly. These platforms stay ahead of bugs and glitches.

Research the CMS’s history of security vulnerabilities and look at how the company addresses them. This will give you an overview of its reliability.

On a more specific level, look for strong user authentication methods, like two-factor authentication and secure password management. 

Choose a platform that offers granular permission controls — this limits access to sensitive content.

Understand whether the tool offers data encryption at rest and in transit. This helps protect user data, login credentials, and financial information.

Your CMS should also offer built-in security features like intrusion detection systems, malware scanning, and backup options. 

4. Find Scalable Systems

Your CMS needs to grow with your business.

Don’t just cater to your current traffic — think about how you expect your traffic to grow.

If you plan to scale, you need a CMS that can handle an increase in website visitors without experiencing performance issues. 

Look into the tool’s storage capacity and scalability options. Can you scale vertically (adding more resources to a single server)? Can you scale horizontally (adding more servers)?

Also, think about the features you might need in the future. 

For example, you might be happy with templates now, but you may need a variety of customizations in the future.

Lastly, work out the cost of scaling. 

How much are additional resources, server upgrades, or licensing fees for higher service tiers? 

Your CMS should offer a return on investment (ROI) as you grow, or you’ll have to migrate to a cheaper tool later.

5. Don’t Forget SEO

You can generate 60% more traffic by optimizing your content for search engines. 

For example, if you’re a bank trying to encourage users to open a bank account, you’ll struggle to get traffic on search engines as there’s lots of competition. By optimizing for SEO, you can outcompete similar articles in the rankings to drive more traffic to your page.

Your CMS should help you do this by providing the right SEO tools.

Look for key features like:

• SEO-friendly URL structures
• Customizable page titles
• Heading tag controls
• Categories and tags
• Meta descriptions
• Image alt text

Remember, technical SEO capabilities are equally important.

A good CMS should offer the following: 

• 301 redirect management
• XML sitemap generation
• Semantic code structure
• Responsive web design
• Fast loading times

If you’re already using SEO tools, check to see if your chosen CMS integrates with these platforms.

6. Consider Integrations

Integrations are essential to connect your existing tech stack to your CMS for a seamless workflow. 

Before picking a tool, check out the integration library and find out if it offers open APIs.

You may also need to integrate other tools as you grow. Consider which future integrations you might want and check if your CMS supports them.

The types of integrations you’re looking for might include:

• Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platforms
• Social media management tools
• Marketing automations
• E-commerce platforms
• Email marketing tools
• Payment getaways

Top 5 CMS for 2024

Here’s a quick overview of the top CMS for different types of businesses:

1. WordPress – Best All-In-One Solution

WordPress is a versatile, user-friendly CMS that suits businesses of all sizes. It offers customization options and a huge plugin ecosystem.

Key Features Include:

• Strong community support
• Extensive plugin library
• Customizable themes
• Intuitive interface
• SEO-friendly

WordPress Pros:

• Updates regularly
• Very easy to use
• Highly flexible

WordPress Cons:

• Most functionality comes from plugins
• Can use a lot of server resources

2. Squarespace – Best for ecommerce

Squarespace is a modern, all-in-one CMS designed for e-commerce. It’s perfect for online stores that need sleek, responsive, and customizable templates.

Key Features Include:

• Mobile-responsive designs
• Built-in e-commerce tools
• Inventory management
• Secure checkout
• Integrated SEO

Squarespace Pros:

• Integrated analytics
• Beautiful templates
• Easy setup

Squarespace Cons:

• Limited customization
• Relatively expensive

3. Weebly – Best for Usability

​​Weebly is a user-friendly CMS ideal for non-technical users who want an easy way to build websites. Its drag-and-drop functionality and straightforward interface make it quick and easy to learn.

Key Features Include:

• Pre-designed templates
• Drag-and-drop editor
• Mobile Optimization
• Integrated SEO
• App Center

Weebly Pros:

• Very user-friendly
• Quick setup
• Affordable 

Weebly Cons:

• Less customization flexibility
• Limited advanced features

4. Contentful – Best for AWS Users

If you’re looking for a platform that supports your AWS cost optimization strategy, Contentful is a headless CMS optimized for AWS. It offers flexible content management and delivery, with a focus on developers and large-scale projects.

Key Features Include:

• Seamless AWS integration
• Advanced scalability
• API-first approach
• Modular content
• Robust security

Contentful Pros:

• Strong performance
• Developer-friendly
• High flexibility

Contentful Cons:

• Higher cost for premium features
• Steeper learning curve

5. HubSpot – Best for Marketers

​​HubSpot is a full-service CMS designed for marketers. It integrates marketing automation, CRM, and content management to streamline your marketing efforts.

Key Features Include:

• Customizable templates
• Marketing automation
• Integrated CRM
• SEO tools
• Analytics

HubSpot Pros:

• Excellent marketing tools
• Strong customer support
• Unified platform

HubSpot Cons:

• Complex setup
• Higher pricing

Manage Content With Ease

With the right CMS for your needs, you’ll be able to accelerate content reproduction and delivery without the need for manual labor or technical know-how.

Remember, you want a tool that’s easy to use, matches your requirements, and scales as your content grows.
If you’re using WordPress as your CMS, consider which plugins can improve your performance. Check out our full range of plugins at premio.io now.