Content Managed Web Sites

Content Managed Web Sites

Content Managed Web sites are an extension of the traditional Web site, in that the structure and presentation are the same, but the content is held in a database. This means that changes are made simple and the site can be tailored to the user of the site.

The process for developing a content managed site is:

  • Create a design in Photoshop, making sure your designer understands the possibilites and limitations of the Web. Most sites will require two designs: one for the Landing (Home) Page and one for all the other pages. The bigger the site, probably the more page designs will be required.
  • Employ a developer to take the design and translate it into its three components:
    1. Structure, using (X)HTML
    2. Presentation, using CSS (Cascading Style Sheets)
    3. Dynamic Content, using Javascript and, increasingly, Ajax
  • This produces a static site with a template for each type of page.
  • Purchase a commercial CMS programme, or opt for a free Open Source.
  • Take the Web pages and code them with special commands so that the content will be extracted from the database. Each template page produced is called a 'Skin'.
  • Once the site looks, feels and acts right, add the content.

Any Content Management sytem should offer the following:

  • Easy creation and deletion of pages.
  • Embargo dates so that pages automatically appear and disappear.
  • Rich editing, i.e. create content in MS Word or MS Excel and simply copy and paste on to the site.
  • Easy uploading and manipulation of images.
  • Logon facilities to offer a different selection of pages to different users.
  • Automatic photo gallery creation.
  • Editing allowed by multiple users, with different privileges, but not published until Webmaster approval is given.
  • News summary and detailed news pages
  • Automatic generation of sub-sites
  • Blogging and commenting

Keerim Design uses two Content Management Systems:

  • Cobra-cms is a well tested commercial product.
  • Coded in asp.net and using an MS Access database for most sites.
  • At enterprise level MS SQL would be required.
  • Must be hosted on a Microsoft Web Server.
  • Unlike most CMS sytems there is no requirement to use a prescribed theme - any design is possible.
  • A real advantage is that a backup copy of the site can be kept on a laptop or desktop and simply uploaded to the Web when required.

SilverStripe is an up-and-coming Open Source product

  • Coded in .php and using a mySQL database
  • Most effectively hosted on an Apache Web server
  • No need to use a prescribed theme - any design is possible.
  • Most effectively developed by being connected directly to the mySQL database on the Web.
  • Although a free program, development costs tend to be higher with .php and mySQL.

It is important that the site is coded according to modern Web Standards, so that the site is light, quick to download and structured in such a way that Search Engines, like Google, like it.

Traditional programs that produce Web sites, do not necessarily produce appropriate code. Keerim design hand codes all sites, taking care to ensure that sites will be indexed quickly by the Search Engines and rise rapidly to the top without having to pay for advertising through Google, Yahoo, etc.

Advantages:

  • Sites can be maintained and developed by the client.
  • Scalable - easy to turn a ten page Web site into a one hundred page Web site at a reasonable cost.
  • Private pages.
  • Total control.

Disadvantages:

  • Initial cost.
  • There is a maintenance on-cost with all CMS systems.