Content Management System (CMS) Web Design

in Loveland, Fort Collins and the rest of Colorado

Many dentists and other small business owners just assume the coding of all websites is the same. There are as many Web design coding techniques as there are flavors of ice cream, but you can generally group them into two categories: static websites and content management systems (CMS). So you'll need to contact me or another web design firm, and ask "Will the website design be constructed in a content management system?"

What's the Big Diff?

A static website is essentially any website that you can't update yourself. Whether it's programmed in HTML, PHP, ASP or some other programming language, if you can't edit it through some sort of administrative login, it's static for all intents and purposes. So, you might say to yourself, "Gee, so it sounds like I ought to get a web design that builds CMS websites." You might be right, but not necessarily.

CMS websites have their drawbacks. First, and not least, is that a custom-built CMS website is generally a lot more expensive than a static website. You can get a templated CMS website for dirt cheap, but the question is, will you own the site and will the content be duplicate?

You also have to look at the reality of the situation. If I do get a CMS website, how often will my practice utilize the CMS features? Try to be honest with yourself. Will the new toy lose its luster quickly, or will it become an indispensable tool within the practice? If you're a dentist or a plastic surgery practice, you might want the flexibility to upload your own before and after photos, but again, being realistic with yourself, how many photos will you upload, and how regularly will you do it? Many practices get by just fine by sending a batch of B & A pics to their web design company once every 6 months and having them add them to the site for them. Sure, that web design work costs money, but these practices didn't invest thousands more up front to build a CMS website. You also have to factor in your time. If you're only using the CMS system every other month, chances are that you'll have to re-learn the interface each time you go to make an update. You'll also have to learn how to manipulate photos to size them correctly for upload. How much is your time worth? What is your hourly rate? Chances are, it's less than a web designer's hourly rate. Still, if you have a web-savvy person in your office, and have specials that you want to constantly update, and you do take a lot of before and after photos, then a CMS site may be a great option for you.

Content Management Systems and Search Engine Optimization

Be careful to select a web design company that is knowledgeable when it comes to search engine optimization. Not all CMS systems are SEO-friendly, in fact, few are. Some of the bigger, more well-known CMS systems like Joomla and Drupal are catching on, but many have only rudimentary SEO tools, and aren't as flexible as is necessary to allow the pages to be fully optimized.

A good compromise option is to add a blog to the website. Your web design company should be able to build a blog into your website so that you can add content whenever you want to. The added bonus is that the blog can be optimized and every blog entry that you post proves to Google and the other search engines that your website is a source of fresh information.

Whatever option you choose, be sure that you build your website with a web design company that is also a full service Internet marketing company that can formulate a comprehensive strategy for your practice. Contact me today, and we can talk about your web design options. If you're in Loveland, I would be glad to set up an appointment to visit your office.