SEO and Content Management Systems

Before the importance of search engine optimization (SEO) was fully understood by the web developer and business communities, Content Management Systems (CMS) were invented to help companies large and small easily build and update their web sites. As a result, there are many content management systems in use today that may hinder or even completely prevent your site from ranking in the search engines. This article explores the different types of CMSs, their pitfalls, and possible strategies to overcome those problems.

What is a Content Management System?

A content management system is a web program that allows a user to build a web site without having to edit the HTML and CSS source code files. Common CMS implementations include: custom CMS programs, site builders, standard template sites, online stores, and blogs. A few of the most popular content management systems include Wordpress, Joomla, Vignette and IBM WebSphere.

Possible CMS benefits:

1. Ability to edit own site.
2. Allows frequent addition of material.
3. Quick set up.
4. Advanced functionality for e-commerce, blogs, portals, wikis.
5. Open source CMSs are free or low cost, and may be supported by multiple hosting providers.

Potential CMS problems:

1. Possible restrictions on editing the HTML source code.
2. More difficult to implement best practices search engine optimization.
3. May not comply with web standards.
4. Can be difficult to integrate new web services without expensive re-engineering.
5. May impose design limitations. Your site may look canned.
6. Proprietary CMS's prevent you from switching to another hosting provider or developer.

Enterprise Level Content Management Systems

For large companies, web development shops offer CMS solutions under the premise that the client can save money by maintaining the site themselves using non-technical staff. Most IT departments are overburdened, so they are more than happy to install a CMS so the "headache" of maintaining the site can be passed to the marketing department. Unfortunately, the savings is often an illusion, because the CMS hinders the site's marketing effectiveness.

In general, content management systems are not the best solution for corporate marketing sites. They may be appropriate for portals or catalogs that would be expensive to implement without a CMS. Search engine optimization is easiest when you have direct access to the source code. Switching your marketing pages to standard HTML design has a cost, but in the long run you will save money on site updates, hosting charges, and you will get better results from your Internet marketing campaign. If you have a catalog, using an open source CMS may provide the flexibility to optimize the pages for search engine referrals.

Possible corporate solutions:

• Adobe Contribute allows non-technical people to create and edit web pages.
• Subversion helps prevent editing conflicts when multiple editors work on the same web site code.
• OpenSourceCMS lists and reviews a wide variety of standard content management systems that will allow you to use a variety of hosting providers, and be able to expand or modify the system to suit your business goals.
• Joomla is a popular open source content management system that is widely supported. Shopping cart modules can be added to Joomla for sites that need ecommerce capabilities.

Site Builder Tools and Standard Templates

For small sites, companies like Yahoo! and Network Solutions offer online CMS's that allow the user to instantly create a web site. Inexpensive site builder solutions may be appropriate for web sites that do not involve a substantial marketing investment. For sites that will have a significant marketing budget, using a "McWebSite" does not provide the best return on investment. If you plan to use web marketing to generate sales and sales leads, you probably need to tear out this type of CMS and replace it with standard web pages. With a tool like Macromedia Contribute you can still have the power to edit your own site.

E-Commerce Sites, Online Stores

Online stores are usually built with a CMS so the owner can easily add products, change pricing and perform routine administrative functions. This functionality cannot be achieved with a custom HTML site without a substantial investment. Therefore, this type of CMS usually makes good business sense. However, many online stores are not built to implement best practices search optimization. Either you need to select a system that works well out of the box, or you may need to ask your developer or hosting company to make modifications to the CMS.

Make sure to check with a professional SEO before buying a shopping cart. The time you most need search engine optimization advice is before you build the site, not after.

Blogs

A weblog is actually a content management system combined with a module that allows users to enter feedback. If you turn off user feedback, a blogging system such as Wordpress can be used to create a standard web site, where each article is a page. Blogs may be an appropriate solution for a site that isn't trying to sell something, or as a feature within a corporate web site. If you need to add content frequently and want to publish visitor remarks, a blog is an ideal solution.

Conclusion

If you are using a content management system, and plan to invest in Internet marketing, then you need to investigate different CMS's. Then you need to make a strategic decision, depending on your specific business requirements, whether to tear out, replace, modify, or keep your current CMS.

About the Author

After graduating from Yale with two degrees in Computer Science, Jonathan Hochman set up his own consulting company in 1990. He has been an Internet marketer since 1994. To send feedback, please visit http://www.hochmanconsultants.com/.

For additional information, please contact Hochman Consultants.