Recently I was asked to design a web site for a non-profit organization. Since it would mostly contain articles it would need to be built with one of the web content management systems.
Factors to consider when looking for Content Management System Software
1. Structure of the web site
Simple Structure
For a simple CMS web site that only needs a home page and article pages use WordPress. Even though it’s used primarily for a blog you can set the home page as a static page. The static page is basically a html page that can be beautifully designed so it will captivate first time visitors. WordPress enables you to create as many categories as you wish. Each category can have 100s of articles. You can also build stand-alone pages.
Another option is to use Web Baker. It’s easy to take a web site template you’ve already designed in html and convert it to a CMS site. You simply insert the php tags into your html template. You can manage the site from the administration panel where you add as many pages as you like.
For more details please read: http://help.websitebaker.org/pages/en/advanced-docu.php
Complex Structure
Joomla
For a more complex CMS web site that needs a separate design for multiple pages consider using Joomla or WPRemix software. If you’ve never used Joomla there is a fairly steep learning curve because it has so many features and options. It takes a while to figure out how all the elements work together.
Pros of WPRemix
Another option is to use WPRemix which uses the WordPress software to build different static pages plus you can add a blog that integrates nicely with the theme. It contains 50 static templates that can be easily customized as needed. Each template can be edited from the visual editor within WordPress (a great help for clients who don’t know html).
Cons of WPRemix
The templates don’t always display correctly in the visual editor. How the template appears in the visual editor may not equal the appearance in your browser. To remedy this make sure you preview the template after editing then publish it. It helps if you know some html (you can switch to html view in the editor) so you can correct display errors.
Technical support is only offered through a forum. It’s often slow or non-existent so you’re mostly on your own however often times forum members jump into help.
Tip
Plan out the structure of your CMS web site before deciding what CMS software you’ll use. You’ll make a more informed decision which will save you many headaches down the the road.
For more information read The Top 12 Benefits of a Content Management System
