Content management systems are a viable alternative to traditional methods of updating and managing content for:

• Marketing & communications managers
• Editors, writers, and content contributors
• SME's, Enterprises and NPO's
• Webmasters & media managers
• web developers/ designers
• Information Architects

There are thousands of content management systems availabe on the market. It has been a while since the concept of CMS has been seen as the next 'must have'. It is standard issue for any web development company to have a system available to its clients. Licensing and implementation costs range from a few hundred dollars to a few hundred thousand dollars.

It is important to source a CMS that will suit both your needs and your budget. An appropriate CMS will be determined by your content production and content delivery requirements. These requirements are in turn determined by:

• the size of your website and the volume of its content
• the nature of your website and the longevity of content
• the number of required contributors and administrators
• the needs and demands of your target audience(s)

In other words, your website needs to be as good as your business, after all is going to be used by you to reflect your business. Planning is crucial and selecting the right company to define and implement the correct solution is probably more important than the technology itself.

A professional consultant will be able to provide the right fit and by assisting in the planning, developing and managing the implementation a relevant solution. They will have had experience with more than one CMS and be able to provide you with a solution that offers a bigger picture than the nuts and bolts of the technology itself. Strategic consultation and training with regard to information architecture & management, copywriting and graphic design are also important value added requirements that you need to consider.