Content Management Systems

Running a website involves detailed technical knowledge of the ins and outs of HyperText Markup Language (HTML) as well as analytics and traffic management. Fortunately, an approach exists that allows an individual to run a website without necessarily being beholden to a webmaster. A content management system (CMS) creates, uploads and manages content on a website.

Typically, the CMS will be split into two elements: a content management application (CMA) and a content delivery application (CDA). The CMA bypasses HTML altogether by allowing the user to modify, create, delete and rearrange content on the site without knowing HTML. The CDA handles the public appearance of the site by taking input from the CMA and translating it into graphics and text.

Functions handled by a CMS run the gamut of usual applications, such as retrieving, indexing, publishing, managing the format, searching and managing any revisions. To get around the need for HTML in other contexts, the CMS uses templates. A template is a predesigned format for a particular web page. All the user has to do is fill in the blanks and publish it. The CDA will handle the rest.

Data in the CMS is organized according to keywords, making for easy search and retrieval of vital information. A CMS gives a site internal order and structure by standardizing the usual functions. This eliminates the haphazardness that can hamper site performance on sites programmed by a webmaster. Writing all the code for the graphics, text, user interfaces and customer service functions can be a daunting task.

A CMS helps the user stay on top of his site without losing precious data. Some versions even have one-on-one marketing built into them. The user can tailor his marketing to fit different visitors to the site. Information put into the site by the visitor, such as search engine requests, affects what advertising the visitor sees. Content management systems streamline creating websites on the Internet.