Content Management.com

web content management system (WCMS)

By Scott Robinson

What is a web content management system (WCMS)?

A web content management system (WCMS) is a type of content management system (CMS) that provides an organization with a way to manage digital information on a website through creating and maintaining content without prior knowledge of web programming or markup languages.

Managing web content effectively can have useful applications in the enterprise, producing insights for decision-making and delivering results, as well as value.

How does a WCMS work?

A WCMS helps users maintain, control, change and reassemble content on a webpage. Users store content within a database and can assemble the content using a flexible language such as Extensible Markup Language (XML) or .Net. Users can access the WCMS through a web browser, then edit the content and maintain control of the layout from that browser-based interface.

A WCMS has the following two parts:

An organization can run a WCMS in its own data center or in the cloud.

Why use a WCMS?

A WCMS helps businesses create, manage and publish content on websites, which are essential marketing channels. Typically, digital marketing tactics such as email, social media, print and other advertisements direct the customer to the company website, so it's important for the business to have and maintain a web presence. A WCMS is the technology that powers websites that focus on content creation and sharing -- such as blogs and portfolios. However, organizations can also use a WCMS for other purposes, including online stores or online forums.

A WCMS provides businesses with tools that enable brand consistency across mobile and web channels by separating content and presentation. These systems let businesses have editorial control, automate marketing efforts and publish content quickly and easily while maintaining version control.

Capabilities and features

A WCMS typically enables users to do the following:

A WCMS generally includes the following features:

Advantages of using a WCMS

A WCMS offers organizations the following benefits:

Disadvantages of using a WCMS

On the other hand, a WCMS isn't the best fit for all organizations. The disadvantages of a WCMS include the following:

Types of WCMSes

Traditional CMS vs. WCMS

There are many similarities between a traditional CMS and a WCMS, so the two terms are often used interchangeably, but there are differences between the two systems. A traditional CMS is software that businesses use to create, edit, manage and publish content -- typically structured content -- such as documents or records, as well as video and audio files. A WCMS, on the other hand, is a type of CMS that focuses primarily on managing webpage content, which includes graphics, video, audio and images.

Web content management systems and vendors

Numerous vendors provide web content management software, simplifying the process of creating and uploading unique content. Examples of WCMSes include the following:

Adobe Experience Manager

Adobe Experience Manager, which is part of Adobe Experience Cloud, is designed to help enterprise organizations build websites, mobile apps and forms. Product highlights include the following:

Drupal

Drupal is an open source CMS platform that's customizable and can handle large amounts of data. It offers many options for flexible custom content types. Product highlights include the following:

Hubspot CMS Hub

Hubspot CMS Hub is a platform focused on digital experience, with versatile tools for personalization; different users might see different pages, etc. It's user-friendly to marketers and content editors and offers a library of themes and a range of content structures, as well as optimization for different devices. Product highlights include the following:

WordPress

WordPress.org is a web software platform that lets users create and manage websites, blogs and apps with a variety of themes. WordPress.org is a free open source CMS, while WordPress.com is a blog hosting platform. Users can build any kind of website, such as an online store or membership site. Product highlights include the following:

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06 Mar 2024

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