CMS stands for content management system. It is the part you log into with a username and a password to add a page, change a price, or upload some photos without ringing anybody. WordPress is the one most people have heard of.
What you get and what it costs
You get control. Photos from yesterday's job can be up the same evening. You can fix a typo without waiting.
What it costs is upkeep. A CMS is software, and software needs updating. WordPress sites in particular need the core, the theme and every plugin kept current, because an out of date plugin is a common way in for somebody who wants your site serving their adverts. That is a real job, and if nobody is doing it, it is not being done.
A worked example
A cleaning firm had a WordPress site with fourteen plugins, none updated in two years. It worked fine right up until it did not, and the recovery took longer than the original build.
The lesson is not that a CMS is bad. It is that a CMS is a commitment. Either somebody updates it every month, or you should be on something that does not need updating.
Does a trade need one
Be honest about how often you will actually log in. A firm posting job photos weekly gets real value from a CMS. A firm whose site changes twice a year is paying upkeep for a panel nobody opens, and would be better off with a fast site and a quick way to ask for a change.
Why it matters for your site
Check these on your own site
- If you have a CMS, somebody must be updating it. Find out who.
- Fewer plugins means fewer ways in for somebody with bad intentions.
- Keep a backup that lives somewhere other than the website itself.
- Keep your own admin login. Never be locked out of your own site.
- Be realistic about how often you will log in before you pay for the ability to.
Common questions
Do I need a CMS for a small trade website?
Only if you will genuinely log in and use it. If the site changes a couple of times a year, the upkeep costs more than the convenience is worth.
Is WordPress a CMS?
Yes, and it is the one you will be offered most often. It is powerful and flexible, and it needs its core, theme and plugins kept up to date to stay secure.