CMS’s: the good, the bad and the ugly.

For the last few years now everyone who wants a new site or a site redesign, often wants to have some kind of content management system in the backend.  Mostly the client wants to be able to update content whenever they want and not have to wait or pay for a developer/company to do this for them.  The client from what I have seen never has a plan set up for this updating.  Usually they will do themselves, which is fine if they where a marketer, and web developer all in one. I believe to run a website and add content you must possess both talents when it comes to a business.  Most clients do not or will not spend the money for someone who is proficient in both.  So when this happens, sites go to crap.

Although adding a CMS to a site is not the most involved process, but it will increase a clients cost but usually the convienence and money saved in the long run, out ways the price.

I would have to say a majority of sites I have helped developed with CMS’s have left my hands looking sleek, consistent and pleasing.  About 1 month after the client has control the site usually turns into a bunch of poorly written paragraphs, with styling added to them which breaks the consistencey of the site, adding images way too large, usually breaking the site, or even links that go to no-where.

So what are developers supposed to do?

One simple solution is not to implement CMS’s.  This is usually not an option since no-one will turn down money, and most developers say once it’s out of their hands then it really is none of their business. Another solution is creating detailed instructions explaining what pages and what styles to use when using the editor.  We all know clients will not read this information that you spent hours creating for them, so what’s the point then?

Obviously the above will not work.  What will then?  I think the only way to have this work is in a couple of ways.  One way is to create the site for your client and then give them update options.  You can give them a billable option of how long of a turn around they will want for a price and how much time they will get per week or month.  These options may be good enough for some clients, but then again there are other clients that want to do it all themselves.  What should we do with these people?  Train them.  Teach them.  Meet with your client while the site is in development and go over the essentials.  Of course all of this would be billable.  If you client wants a CMS and wants to update it themselves, simply tell them that you would need x amount of hours for training before the CMS would be completely ready to go live.  Usually if you put in around 10 hours of total time updating the site with the client the correct way, and explaining what to do and what not to do when using an editor, then the client will usually not destroy the site.

Any other thoughts and strategies?  Leave a comment.