Determining the value in Content Management Systems

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In the beginning...In the beginning there were static HTML websites. These were a series of 'stand alone' pages, linking to each other.  Static sites are characterised by the inability to change layout or content without utilising the skills o...

In the beginning...

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In the beginning there were static HTML websites. These were a series of 'stand alone' pages, linking to each other.  Static sites are characterised by the inability to change layout or content without utilising the skills of a person trained in the use of web technologies. Web pages then evolved to pages comprised of content, and a standard header and footer (called a Server Side Include or SSI).

A Server Side Include allows HTML to be pulled from other files and inserted into the page requested by the user, thus content that does not change from page to page can be placed in an Include and repeated across the whole site. Any change in a line of HTML in the header or footer file instigated changes in the web page. With this method, structural change to a web page became easier. However, at this stage, users still needed skilled IT professionals to edit web pages.

Templating systems (such as Webgenz) performed a similar function, facilitating the creation of web pages by taking the templates and content and yielding individual HTML files. A template is comprised of menus, headers, footers and all other elements that stay the same from page to page. Templating systems were required for servers that did not support SSI.

While these innovations went a long way in addressing the maintenance costs of running a website, HTML specialists are still needed to make modifications. This situation saw the proliferation of Content Management Systems (CMS) that allow the user to control the website content without needing any specialist HTML knowledge. A Content Management System is a dynamic solution, as the content is drawn from a database.

Website creation

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The process for creating and publishing pages on the web (either for a static HTML website or a CMS controlled website) can be summarised as follows:

1. Web developer designs website
2. Design is implemented in HTML (cut up)
3. Content is added
4. Site is deployed (published)
   
   

Cost of a static HTML website

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In terms of cost, it’s most likely that work would be charged at an hourly rate. Upfront development times approximately include:

Design/Creation of a static site	8 - 10 hours
Implementing the design	4-8 hours (4 hours for a very basic/ simple site)
Adding content	1/2 hour per page

The completed pages are then published to the web.

Until this point, the development of CMS and static websites are quite similar (with the exception of template implementations). Maintaining the website is where we start to see the two diverge.

Website maintenance

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For example, let’s look at the procedure for maintaining a 10 page static HTML website, with all pages linked from the main menu.

Adding a new page	The page must be created in HTML, and all other web pages must be edited to incorporate a new link to the just-created page.
Removing an existing page	The HTML file must be deleted, and all other 9 pages edited to remove the link.
Renaming a page	All pages need to be edited to change links.
Redesign (for example, a new look on existing content)	The process for site redesign is basically the same as creating a site from scratch. All the content has to be added manually, and reworked into the new site.

Cost of maintenance for a static site

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For tasks such as adding, deleting and renaming a page, it would take approximately half an hour plus a quarter hour per existing page to edit. These changed pages then need to be uploaded.

For example, over a 1 month period, Bob wanted to:

1. Change pricing on 3 pages
2. Add new products to a listing page, and
3. Remove a page on his website.

Bob’s website has 15 pages, and he outsources all his website maintenance. Bob would be looking at around 20 hours in total to edit pages and change links:

• 12 hours to change price on 3 pages
• 4 hours to add new products and
• 4 hours to remove a page

If Bob has similar requirements on a monthly basis, the costs could easily add up.

Because of the time taken to update static sites, larger websites either are updated less to avoid maintenance costs (and become stagnant), or the business may be forced to hire an employee to make updates.

CMS maintenance

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In the instance of adding, removing, and renaming pages, you simply press a button, type in the content, and press publish. The content is published live to your website in a matter of seconds.

Once the necessary change has been made to the page, all other pages on the website have their links dynamically updated instantly to reflect this change. A CMS ensures that all pages are consistent in design, by applying a template.

Site redesign using a CMS

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When redesigning a site that is controlled by a CMS, existing content can be salvaged, as only the template needs to be changed. The new template is then applied throughout the site. All that is required is a new template to be implemented. The template (and hence design) is then instantly applied to all the pages within a site. This process would take many hours on a static site as all of the content will need to be manually copied from the existing site and re-entered into the new one.

Quality assurance/ broken links - A common problem (especially with larger static sites e.g. 300 pages) is the issue of broken links. This can happen when someone forgets to update, or overlooks, a link somewhere in the process of adding or removing a page. This can lead to immense user frustration as users try to find non-existent or moved content. With a CMS, this is no longer a problem as the menu is dynamically generated, accurately reflecting the contents of the site.

Determining the value in a CMS

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When determining if a CMS may suit your business needs, the actual value it brings to your organisation is obviously an important factor. The cost savings and benefits need to outweigh the cost of the solution to justify the implementation of a CMS. In the case of Content Management, it can be harder to quantify, as the benefits are not always measurable in terms of dollar value.

STEP 1 - Determining direct cost benefits

Pertinent questions to ask could include:

1. If your website is not up to scratch, how much is this a detriment to your business?
2. Do you have staff who could be working more productively on other tasks rather than website maintenance?
3. What is the cost to your organisation of not effectively managing your content?
4. How much would it benefit your company to have a rapid and accurate way of keeping your web content fresh and valid?
5. If you are outsourcing your website maintenance, how much are you paying?

STEP 2 -  Determining additional benefits

What other benefits can a CMS offer?

1. Search engine optimisation. Fresh content on your website and user-friendly URLs are factors that effect your search engine rankings.
2. No legacy issues. As a CMS is generally easy to use and well documented, multiple users will be able to gain access quickly and easily ensuring that if an editor ever leaves your organisation, another can replace them quickly and with minimal training.
3. Allows those users who know the content best to take part in the editing process. As a CMS does not require in-depth technical knowledge, a number of editors can take part. With processes such as workflow and user permission levels, the content can be checked by the appropriate editors with options to approve or send the page back for further editing.
4. Revisions and page history. A CMS should be able to outline the changes and revisions that have been made to a page during its lifecycle. This is beneficial as older pages can be restored with minimal hassle.  A revision history can also act as an account of the content of a page at a particular point in time (useful legally).
   
5. Content security. Varying permission levels allow only certain users to access certain information.
6. Professional layout. With a CMS, elements of your website's design such as fonts, links and headings are all standardised, ensuring that the site always looks professional - which in turn reflects on your organisation.

What to expect

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The technology of Content Management is constantly evolving, incorporating features such as workflow.

Workflow allows a distributed management of your website, and can help to create a fresh and interesting website. For information on how workflow could assist your organisation, please see workflow in content management.

Where to from here?

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The most important issue when considering an online business solution is not whether to implement a CMS or website, but whether the system you have is going to be valuable to your business.

If you think implementing a CMS or website could benefit your business, please contact Brightlabs to discuss your options.