eBusiness Blog

Short Run Cost Cutting Features

 Provides 80% of what you need out of the box

Most good websites have many features in common.  Important features include: a system for managing user logins and permissions: an attractive design and layout, a simple method for adding, modifying and removing content, a system for categorizing and organizing content; an archival system; a way to manage multimedia files; and integration with an web analytics program. 

The genius of content management systems is that they take all the most valuable features and package them in one system.  This gives you a running start in developing a great website.

The software is freely available unlike commercial CMS's

When you decide to use an open source CMS, you don't have to pay licensing fees.  This doesn't mean your website is free.  You still have to customize your CMS to meet your needs as well as design a site that reflects and enhances your brand.  But the free licensing can save you a bundle.

The best commercial content management systems are expensive.  Less expensive commercial CMS systems often come from smaller companies.  These systems do not offer the breadth of add-ons as the most popular open source alternatives.  Additionally finding developers trained in less widely used content management systems can be difficult and costly.

Many available "add on" modules can meet your custom needs.

Joomla and Drupal are two of the most popular open source content management systems.  Visit the Joomla  extensions website, or the Drupal modules website and you will see thousands of add-ons available for download.  Some of add-ons may duplicate the functionality of others, this offers alternative solutions for many of the issues you may face. 

By taking the a core open source CMS and installing selected add-ons, you can create a unique website that meets  your specific needs.

Scale effects from outsourcing your website development.

Many of the available add-on modules and design templates are available under commercial licenses.  That is you have to pay to use them.  Luckily, the majority of these offer developer licenses.  Website developers who purchase these licenses can reuse the add-ons on an unlimited number of sites at no extra cost. 

Choosing to outsource development of your website can cut the cost of these add-ons almost entirely.  As an additional benefit, professional web development companies that purchase such licenses become gain expertise in implementing and customizing those components. So you'll get a better website, at a reduced cost.

Faster development time

Content management systems accelerate website development.  With a multitude of available website designs, add-ons, and core features they can provide a solid foundation for your website very quickly.  This means you can reap the benefits of your new site sooner.  If you're current website is not performing well enough, then it is costing you money.  The sooner you replace it the less it will cost.

Long Run Cost Cutting Features

Updates to website content can be made by non-technical staff

A major cost of having a website is keeping it up-to-date.  The traditional method of updating a website required the content expert to write up the change and submit it to a web master.  The webmaster would then download the file that needed changing, modify it, and upload it again.  This process introduced many problems such as coordinating revision control of documents, disseminating information in a timely manner, and controlling the quality of website content among others.  Many of these problems are addressed by content management systems.

CMS's also cut costs by making it easier to update and maintain your website.  Non-technical staff can be charged with content revisions, and technical people can focus on more important issues.

Modular design makes it easy to add/change/remove functional units

Just like interchangeable parts revolutionized manufacturing. Content management systems' ability to interchange modules is revolutionizing how websites are built.  You can now develop a custom website that meets your unique needs by assembling a set of pre-built modules.  This radically reduces cost.  Yet you can still have a custom solution, by modifying the modules to meet your needs.  For example, you can take an existing web design template and modify it to reflect you brand.  The result is a unique web design for a fraction of the cost.

Easy to find knowledgeable staff

Because open source content management systems are so popular it is fairly easy to find web developers who can help you build or extend your website.  Going to drupal.org or joomla.org, will give you a sense of just how large and active these communities are.   You can find developers more quickly, and they will be familiar with the framework of your website.

One of the major costs of losing a developer is the loss of his or her specialized knowledge.  This can be greatly reduced by building your website on top of a common underlying framework, like Drupal or Joomla.  This means you will spend fewer resources training them, and they can become productive members of your development team more quickly.