Everything you need to know about choosing a content management system

Someone choosing a CMS for enterprise content management and someone who wants to start a weekly blog for their small business will have very different needs. Large organizations looking to create unique digital experiences will benefit from an enterprise-grade decoupled or headless CMS, which offers more flexibility and customization options. For very basic content publishing or if you have limited IT knowledge or support, a coupled CMS with many prepackaged templates and plugins may be a better fit.

Mobile content management and cloud content management, which includes not only your content updates but how your back-end data and files are stored, can make it easy to update pages on the go from wherever you are. With so many teams working remotely, choosing a CMS that allows for a seamless process from anywhere and across multiple types of devices is a very important consideration.

Choosing a CMS that has built-in tools for social media updating and search engine optimization (SEO) can help you not only produce content but drive traffic to it as well. Other helpful features include detailed analytics and content scoring to help inform your content management strategy as you grow. If your site is international, there are even CMSs that can facilitate multiple language translations. And don’t forget to make sure your provider emphasizes digital security that ensures your brand assets (and online reputation) are safeguarded.

Most CMSs allow prospective customers to see a demo of the platform or sign up for a free trial. Take advantage of the opportunity to test-drive various CMS editing tools, set up a content calendar, import images and video, add metadata, make sure both the content library and your digital assets are easily searchable, etc. Ideally, the process should be intuitive and similar to other software suites you’ve used so that onboarding your users will be a cinch.

If your content projects require collaboration with several team members, from writers to editors to legal compliance, you’ll want the ability to set up various levels of approval and user permissions. You may also want to assign tasks and projects to others, track changes and be able to access previous versions.

When choosing a CMS, especially in the beginning, you may need support and can’t afford to wait hours or days for a response—especially if that means losing revenue. Confirm that you’ll have access to a representative who can make sure your inquiries are handled in a timely manner. Also, see if the CMS provider is responsive on their social media accounts and has video tutorials and other helpful FAQ materials to get you up to speed.

Choosing a CMS that offers integrations with the other major apps and platforms you use to run your business can enable your data to flow smoothly, save time and make for a more efficient workflow. Some popular integrations to think about for your CMS may include your email newsletter provider, stock image and newsfeed services, analytics programs, social media and more.

Choosing a CMS may seem like a big undertaking, but by putting in the research time up front, you can find one that will make your content management more efficient.