Content Management System Definition and Benefits

CMS platforms are a great way for individuals who aren’t as tech-savvy to create, edit, and publish content for their website all from one source.

What Is a Content Management System (CMS)?

A content management system (CMS) is a type of software platform that provides content creators, publishers, and web designers with a single outlet, allowing them to create, publish, archive, edit, and collaborate on work all in one place. It’s easy to use and requires little to no previous experience to operate. Rather than having to rely on multiple systems to create, publish, and archive various elements of your website (i.e. web design, image storage, content creation, and functionality), you can use a one-stop-shop, like a CMS, to control most of its functions. 

Brainstorming, creating, and publishing content for a website comes with its challenges. Not only do you have to be sure to create content that is capable of earning links (which is a must for your site’s search engine optimization), but you must also continuously generate quality content that is relevant to your company’s niche. 

A CMS is a great solution for those who struggle with the above challenges and need a new way to organize their daily content creation.

How Does a CMS Work? 

There are two essential parts of a CMS: the content management application (CMA) and the content delivery application (CDA).

  • Content Management Application (CMA): The CMA is the front end of the CMS where users create, manage, and edit their content. Some CMS programs may have pre-created templates available that store common edits and create processes that are often repeated — making it easier for the user to apply to their piece. 
  • Content Delivery Application (CDA): The CDA, also referred to as a content delivery network (CDN), is behind the scenes of the CMA and helps store, publish, and improve website response and load times. 

The combination of the two subinterfaces makes it so that content creators don’t have to know HTML or JavaScript coding, although, having experience with coding can be helpful;  if you have knowledge of what it’s like to build a website from the ground up, then it can help you hone in on website design skills desired in the overall website creation and publication process. While this skill set may be desired, it is not required. Users with little to no coding experience are still able to achieve the same outcome as those who do.

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Ideal Features of CMS

There are many features of a CMS, some of which are more ideal than others. When searching for a system that best fits your needs, you should take the following points into consideration — you will want to select software that: 

  • Has Multilingual Options: Not everyone is going to speak the language the original content was published in. The ability to translate content into various languages and cater to a larger audience is a must when looking for a CMS platform. 
  • Has Reputable Customer Support: Conduct research on multiple CMS companies and take the time to read their client reviews. For those that may have issues, look into how they were handled. If the company has a bad rep for customer support, it may be safe to say that this is not the CMS route you should be taking.
  • Is Compatible with Mobile Devices: According to Statista, 50.81% of global website traffic is conducted via a mobile device. Because of this, it is important to find a CMS that is mobile-friendly and adapts your website to fit any device.   
  • Is User-Friendly: It is dire that you find a CMS that meets most of the expectations your current and future audiences have. This means that it should have fast page loading times and will give you design options that allow you to make your site more visually appealing. 
  • Provides Access to Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Tools: Having access to the right SEO tools is essential, not just for your website in general, but in a CMS platform as well. In order to be seen as SEO-friendly, you should choose a CMS that allows you to personalize your
  • Takes Security Seriously: Of course, you will want to ensure you are investing in a CMS that is safe and secure so that your valuable company information is at little risk of being attacked. 

Why Do You Need CMS?

One of the benefits of a CMS is that it can provide users with an avenue for easy collaboration between other creators and the production process. Additional advantages include:

  • Improved site maintenance techniques;
  • Streamlined schedules;
  • The ability to have multiple website contributors that are able to sign in and edit/add content at any time (when given access);
  • Complete control over your website design and progress.

Alongside other SEO services, a CMS can help your website be the best that it can be.

Content Management System Examples

There are hundreds of content management systems to choose from. Listed below are a few CMS examples that tend to be more popular than the rest:


Content management systems have the ability to improve blogs, social networks, online courses, and more. However, it is up to you to pair the right CMS with the various other elements (i.e. content marketing services that help you create linkable and keyword-rich content) to help you create a successful website.