CMS (Content Management System) is software which enables you to manage, create, and modify digital content on a website without needing specialized technical knowledge. It simplifies the process of web management and allows for an organized structure of content.

Why is a CMS necessary in digital business?

Businesses require a CMS to simplify content updates, enhance collaboration among team members, and maintain consistency across digital platforms. With a CMS, organizations can efficiently publish articles, blog posts, product descriptions, and more, all while optimizing for SEO to improve search rankings.

How does CMS benefit non-technical users?

A CMS can empower non-technical users by providing a user-friendly interface that minimizes the need for coding knowledge. Most CMS platforms are equipped with drag-and-drop functionality, enabling individuals to easily create nd edit content.

What should businesses consider when choosing a CMS?

When comparing CMS software, businesses should consider factors like ease of use, scalability, support services, SEO capabilities, customization options, and community support. Additionally, evaluating the cost against features and comparing different platforms are vital steps in making the right choice.

How secure are CMS platforms?

Security largely depends on the CMS used and how it is managed. While most CMS platforms offer decent security features, vulnerabilities can arise from outdated plugins or other issues. Regularly updating your security plugins can greatly assist in securing your CMS.

Can a CMS handle e-commerce transactions?

Yes, many CMS platforms, including WordPress with WooCommerce, are designed to handle e-commerce operations. These platforms enable businesses to manage product listings, process payments, and track inventory, ensuring a user-friendly online digital business solution.

CMS (Content Management System) – Presentation

Every day, for a good decade now, the Internet has been used by millions of users around the world. This vast world includes hundreds of thousands of sites with the aim of informing, entertaining, or being the subject of an online trade. Managing web content was previously reserved for a handful of people with the appropriate IT knowledge. Today, it is possible for a third party to manage a website without having any special knowledge.

So we will see through this article what a CMS is, how to use it, and what its advantages can be. Derived from the English «Content Management System», it literally means content management system, and includes a set of software that allows the design and management of websites or mobile applications.

What is a CMS?

Before we get into the heart of the matter, it is necessary to make a clear and precise point about the state of a CMS. Qualified as software, it takes the form of an administration interface, that is to say, it contains pages, tools and applications that allow a set of actions aimed at managing web content. The user must therefore understand how this interface works to be able to use the functions of the software, manipulate the pages, and manage the content efficiently.

Several parameters define a CMS; the latter must be able to:

It is used simultaneously by several individuals

Propose content, or a publishing chain

Be managed separately from form and content

CMS work on the latter simple principle, which includes both form and content. For example, you can change the title (content) to blue (shape). This is only a basic example of the tools of a CMS, but representative of the freedom and independence of management, which was not possible in its early days.

A CMS, therefore, allows the structuring of the content of a website, whether it is a blog category, pages or articles, and includes a hierarchy of these users, assigning them a specific status, or special administrator permissions.

Create your site without coding with a CMS!

Although on the surface it may seem complicated to use a CMS, yet, in reality it is very simple to handle. Usually, everything is already sorted by database, only requiring knowledge on the different possible actions on the proposed tools, and the systems of modifications made by the software. In other words, you just have to follow the few default templates established by the CMS, and you will already know how to modify a website.

However, to use a CMS, it is necessary to access it from a web browser and an online control panel where you can modify the content as you wish. In addition, it is possible to have access to many offers of CMS with different functions, with free templates, or at very low prices. The choice of a CMS will therefore depend on the project you have in mind, or what you aspire to. This is why we find different types of CMS platforms, each with its own type of content to create or develop.

Different types of CMS

There are several types of CMS, and the choice of the latter is made according to the needs of the user.

CMS for blogs and forums

For the creation of a blog, users are confronted with an online community and are involved in an exchange of discussions and/ or advice through a platform intended for this purpose. The site becomes a community value, and the CMS acts as a so-called “portal” site. The functionality of the CMS is therefore oriented towards dynamic display tools for discussions, with an administrator system not have to program the site every time. It remains open and is conducive to interactions with visitors or members of the forum.

CMS for informative content

This type of CMS is mostly dedicated to encyclopedias. Visitors are responsible for editing the content of these sites, and have a support community for this purpose. However, some content «approved» is reserved for pro webmasters, but even a beginner can propose content for informational purposes, as long as the aim is not provocative or insensitive.

CMS for eCommerce

Finally, we distinguish the e-commerce CMS that we call open source, because these are similar to web applications. The software is configured so that it allows the management of a product or service online and facilitates transactions. The interface takes on a professional and careful look, and can be managed by multiple participants. The user may have a database of sales statistics, reflecting the performance and profits. In this type of CMS, there are several sub-categories, ranging from the smallest or largest business, to the smallest company up to the largest business.

Who are CMSs for?

In absolute terms, there are no specific profiles for whom the CMS is intended; however, here are some profiles that benefit most:

Individuals, that is to say, a third party, to share a story and/ or photos, via a blog. They may also publish certain articles and present artistic images.
A freelancer who wants to develop a web business. He or she may be a graphic designer, craftsman or artist, or be in a referral sector of activity or even a community manager.
A manager or head of a small or medium-sized business. The CMS will simplify content management and may even prove to be an aid in marketing-related commerce.
A beginner trader, who wants to discover the threads of the e-commerce trade, and why not, plan bigger in the future. The CMS can be a good start to a business, thanks to its simplicity and efficiency.
An experienced web merchant can also find his or her account using a CMS, which offers new applications that facilitate transactions and optimize sales. In addition, the CMS are designed to connect to the largest places of sale on the Internet, while remaining secure.

The benefits of a CMS

The use of a CMS has several advantages. Indeed, its simplicity of use allows novice users, or those who do not have special knowledge in computer science, to use it. The simplicity offered by CMS is therefore a definite advantage, where the goal is only to be present online and communicate in a basic way. In addition, it is possible to have many extensions, free or paid, which will enrich your site, through new additions of features, and the possibility of offering content in several other languages, and reach a larger audience.

On the one hand, a CMS is linked to many support forums, where you will be able to solve a majority of your problems regarding the use of the software. Be aware that CMS is constantly evolving and requires regular updates. So, for those who are struggling to keep pace, it is always possible to stay up-to-date via these forums. On the other hand, many tutorial videos are available online from many well-known platforms (YouTube etc…). The latter are a plus for you to be up to date on the knowledge to grasp the use of the CMS.

Finally, a CMS is accessible to all and quick to implement. In addition to saving time on the implementation of content, they save extra time on the development of this same content through pre-designed tools for this purpose. In the end, they do not require heavy maintenance and have no impact on technological and ergonomic use.

Entrust the creation of your e-commerce site to a Prestashop agency

Among the different CMS platforms on the market, which can be used to create an online store, PrestaShop is part of the top three. It has been around since 2007, when the very first version was created. Completely open source, that is, free like many other CMS options, it has the particularity of allowing you to intuitively build your own e-shop. Over the years, it has often been updated to adapt to the evolutions of the web, as well as those of the search engine Google, always quick to prefer this form of site over another.

That’s why PrestaShop gets more complete, as updated versions are introduced. But to be able to fully master it, you have to devote time. That is why we recommend companies wishing to create their e-commerce to turn to an agency specialized in PrestaShop. The best example of experts from this virtual commerce CMS is at: https://www.ae2agence.com/agence-certifiee-prestashop/.

With this team of enthusiasts for the development of retail sites, there is no need to worry. They have created so many over time that you can trust them with any project in the dark. They know how to take into account the smallest needs and specificities of each customer, to create for them an online sales platform that corresponds exactly to them. So, rather than spend precious hours creating an e-commerce site, it is better to rely on this agency, PrestaShop recognized for the quality of its services. So you can focus on the essential, which is to make known its products, using social networks, as well as the panel of digital marketing techniques that exist.

FAQ

What is a CMS?
CMS (Content Management System) is software which enables you to manage, create, and modify digital content on a website without needing specialized technical knowledge. It simplifies the process of web management and allows for an organized structure of content.
Why is a CMS necessary in digital business?
Businesses require a CMS to simplify content updates, enhance collaboration among team members, and maintain consistency across digital platforms. With a CMS, organizations can efficiently publish articles, blog posts, product descriptions, and more, all while optimizing for SEO to improve search rankings.
How does CMS benefit non-technical users?
A CMS can empower non-technical users by providing a user-friendly interface that minimizes the need for coding knowledge. Most CMS platforms are equipped with drag-and-drop functionality, enabling individuals to easily create nd edit content.
What should businesses consider when choosing a CMS?
When comparing CMS software, businesses should consider factors like ease of use, scalability, support services, SEO capabilities, customization options, and community support. Additionally, evaluating the cost against features and comparing different platforms are vital steps in making the right choice.
How secure are CMS platforms?
Security largely depends on the CMS used and how it is managed. While most CMS platforms offer decent security features, vulnerabilities can arise from outdated plugins or other issues. Regularly updating your security plugins can greatly assist in securing your CMS.
Can a CMS handle e-commerce transactions?
Yes, many CMS platforms, including WordPress with WooCommerce, are designed to handle e-commerce operations. These platforms enable businesses to manage product listings, process payments, and track inventory, ensuring a user-friendly online digital business solution.