These days, more website owners are IT familiar, whether through work requirements, or simply because they enjoy using Facebook, Twitter, EBay and Amazon. We pay our bills online, watch films and buy groceries, household appliances and cars this way. In small organisation, the business owner or a member of the admin staff may well wish to update the company website. In a larger business, someone relatively IT savvy may have this role, yet they will still not be HTML proficient – nor need they.
Content management systems (CMS) have been around for quite some time. Ten years ago Autus regularly built bespoke CMS for clients who wanted to update their own site. We did this rather than adopt the cumbersome, inflexible and unfriendly content management systems that were around then.
And then came WordPress…!!
WordPress Content Management Systems
WordPress began life as a system to enable novices to create their own blog. Over time WordPress has been diligently updated and refined, becoming highly user friendly and its capability extended with each major update. So finally, it was not a huge task to back engineer it to enable it to be used as website building software.
Today, WordPress is the de facto system used for the majority of websites where the owner wishes to have control over content.
Levels of Client / Owner Website Content Control
Whilst WordPress makes owner content control easier, this does not mean that it is advisable for the owner to build the site or have a professional build and then the owner control all activity post build.
Firstly, it is still important that a professional builds your website. There are numerous considerations involved, but to be clear, if you want a website that will be standards compliant and stand a chance of being well placed in the Search Engines, have a professional build and SEO your website for you.
Autus / WordPress Content Management
This is the Autus / Client involvement balance that we find works best for most clients:
Autus involves the client in concept and content selection and navigation requirements
Autus constructs the website, integrating a WordPress blog
There are numerous blog specs available, we use one offering an advanced SEO pack, which we teach the client how to use
Autus apply the On Page SEO, prelaunch
On handover, we implement a full commercial launch process, including a valuable linking strategy as part of the ongoing SEO process
Post launch Autus will add any pages require or any other structural changes
The client will update existing page content – text and images. But not make structural changes
The client will post regular blog updates
We find that this balanced approach to website content management works well for Autus and our clients. This way the site is regularly updated – a positive for visitors and also for Google, whilst at the same time ensuring the structural integrity of the website. If this is not done, Google picks up on things like broken links within the site, classes them as ‘poor user experience’ and downgrades the website’s position in its rankings.
E-Commerce, Responsive Website Design & WordPress
WordPress has continued to progress in terms of its integration with other website building systems. WordPress can be very useful as a building base for Responsive Design websites, which improve user experience when using mobiles or tablets. Please see Responsive Website Design for details.
WordPress is also very adaptable for use in the new generation of Responsive Design e commerce websites. As an example, please see this client site www.motoplusonline.com.
This website uses an adapted WordPress theme, with inbuilt Responsive Design, integrated into the WooCommerce e commerce system. The WordPress and WooCommerce admin areas are extremely user friendly, enabling the website owner to operate the site, with oversight support from Autus as required.
If you are interested in a no obligation chat about CMS, responsive website design or low cost user friendly e commerce systems, please call us 0161 278 2534.
