A Content Management System (CMS) delivers a “vanilla flavour” installation, with reduced cost and time compared with custom development. The installation is then readily customised with your unique “look and feel”. Many site management and user-interaction functions come standard. New features can be added with other pre-built modules purchased over the web. New and custom-designed features can also be specially designed and programmed for your needs, although with Elcom CommunityManager.NET has such a wide range of features out-of-the-box that custom development is rarely required.

CommunityManager allows the web site owner to update content, with minimal technical skills, and without having to involve the developer. There are specialist applications developed on the platform, such as ecommerce systems, intranets and training management systems that can be implemented for you.

What kind of business needs a content management system?

If you need to change your site content regularly, if you want to achieve a big impact at a lower cost, or if the functionality you need is similar to that of many sites you have seen, then a solution built around CommunityManager.NET could suit you. Typical functions delivered with a content management system include:

What are the advantages of a content management system like CommunityManager.NET?

• Design, business logic and content are kept separately. This means you can change the design without having to re-enter the content and vice versa.
• Easily expandable. You can add more functionality in the future as and when needed, thus protecting your investment.
• The site is kept up-to-date. CommunityManager.NET allows a non-technical person to update the content of your website easily at any time, from a PC with Internet access. You can edit or delete existing pages, add new pages, add new sections to existing pages, and much more.
• Site content is searchable.
• Savings and low maintenance costs. Implementation is normally faster and less expensive, and you spend less money. Even if you use specialists to install and maintain the site, their time is spent adding value by maintaining your site or adding custom functionality, rather than recreating functions that exist on nearly every similar site.
• Search engines favour the ranking of web sites that keep their content up-to-date.
• Users will find a site that is kept up to date to be more useful, thus returning more often.
• Because many of the links and menu items on the web site are automatically created by the CMS, the chances of having dead links on your web site are fewer.

Recommendation

Building your site on a content management system like CommunityManager.NET is generally preferable for all but the most specialised needs. Your site has a greater change of being used, staying lively and up to date, because maintenance requires time more than technical skill.

Financially, the return on both initial and ongoing investment is likely to be higher from a site built on a platform like CommunityManager, because typically you effectively pay only a fraction of the cost of developing such a solution from nothing.