These days, almost no one develops websites by using flat HTML files. New and innovative web technologies let you develop beautiful websites in less time, manage your sites, easily change a website’s look and feel, and create and edit site content without breaking a sweat. 

A Content Management System (CMS) lets you do all those things, and it has redefined the way websites, blogs and forums are now developed.

How does a CMS work?

Creating websites using a fully-featured CMS doesn’t take all that long. For example, WordPress, Joomla, and Drupal are Content Management Systems that make it easy to develop and deploy a website. The reason is that they use templates, which you can then customize to create a unique look and feel for your site. 

Should I use a Content Management System for my website?

The short answer is almost always ‘yes,’ with the understanding that you may need to answer a few questions first. If you answer ‘yes’ to any of the questions below, then you’d probably be better off with a CMS. 

You may need a CMS if:

• You want to have your own blog.

• You will upload new content or edit existing content pages almost every day, bi-weekly, or weekly.

• You want a team of writers or editors to write and upload content, or upload content for your approval.

• You want to easily add new functions to your website without much additional investment.

• You want to frequently change the design of your website with only a few button clicks.

• You want to make your website ready for different devices without having to develop a separate mobile site.

• You want to localize your website for different languages.

• You want to offer a search option to your website visitors.

On the other hand, you you may not need a CMS if:

• You want to have a website that has just a few pages.

• You do not want to frequently update your website.

• You want a small website just to showcase your company’s portfolio, and you plan to have the pages remain the same for months on end. 

• You want a single page website on which you will not update content.

• You want to make a highly customized website that you’re certain cannot be developed from an existing CMS.

Answering those questions can help you decide if you need a CMS or not. If you think that your requirements include a mix of flat HTML files and a CMS, you can also go for a hybrid solution.

Having a hybrid solution helps when it comes to SEO. If you want your website to appear on Google and Bing, then regular updates will help. One of the best ways to keep your website updated is by adding a blog to it. 

That’s where having a hybrid solution for your website can work great.  You can use HTML, XHTML, and CSS for your static pages, and use a CMS for your blog. Once both the HTML website and your blog are ready, just integrate the blog in the HTML file. 

One benefit of a CMS is that it provides easy options to add and manage blog posts without changing the HTML code of your pages. Moreover, you can share blog access with another writer so that he or she can directly add or manage content. It all makes your life easier.