Content Management System (CMS)
If you’re new to the content marketing game, you’ll probably have no idea what a content management system (CMS) is, which is fine, because most people don’t. Put simply, it’s just a solution that allows you to create, manage, and edit your digital content without a wealth of technical knowledge. Using a CMS, you can design and launch a website often without writing a single line of code. Without a CMS, you’d have to write a static HTML file and upload it to a server to publish online content.
Typically CMS’ are categorized into either enterprise content management systems (ECM) or web content management systems (WCM). The difference is that an ECM facilitates collaboration between coworkers by offering document management and role-based access to the content managed on your CMS. Whereas, a WCM centers on content creation for websites. Needless to say, the features associated with these two types of CMS overlap with one another.
While some CMS’ are designed for specific purposes (like Magento for ecommerce), these days you can use most CMS’ to create nearly any kind of website—static web pages, a blog, an online store, forums, digital products, portfolios, membership sites, etc.
Common CMS Features
The core functions of any CMS solution usually include:
- Indexing
- Search and retrieval—this permits users to search and find content based on its publication date, keywords, or author.
- Format management—these transform scanned paper documents and electronic docs into either HTML or PDF files.
- Revision control
- Publishing
It’s also worth noting that content management systems usually consist of two core parts:
- A Content Management Application (CMA): This enables you to add and manage your site’s content.
- A Content Delivery Application (CDA): This is the backend of your website which is where your digital material is stored and made visible.
These two applications make it incredibly easy for users to maintain their websites.
WordPress is (arguably) the most famous example of a content management system—more specifically, WordPress.org. Other popular content management systems include Magento, Squarespace, and Wix—just to name a few!
