Content plays a major role in the journey of building your online presence and brand.
Without it, you're going to struggle in todays ruthless business world.
In fact, digital marketing is arguably one of the most important areas of commerce, although its often neglected.To maximise your operation's potential, you need a reliable content management system (CMS).
Youll find plenty of them out there, and they all allow you to create and manage your own content, website and blogs.
But some are more effective than others - and that's where we can help.With the written word and media, you have a potential way to become a key influencer in your industry, and to connect with your customers on top of offering them quality products.
So in this article, well highlight the best systems, which cater for different needs and budgets.WordPressIf theres one CMS most people have heard of, its WordPress.
The platform was launched in 2003 and has become a major part of the internet since.
Based on PHP and MySQL, it provides you with tools to create a feature-packed website or blog using written content, videos, images and more.You also have the ability to install a mixture of pre-made and third-party themes to personalise your website.
They cater for all sorts of industries, from retail to hospitality.
Although you can download the software for free from Wordpress.org and install it on your server, theres also the option to get a domain and hosting with WordPress.The business plan costs $25 a month (around 19, AU$34) and gives you full access to the theme store, unlimited storage space and a custom domain.
Thats not a bad investment if you want to create a website and maintain it going forward.SquarespaceSquarespace is another popular CMS platform (largely thanks to its omnipresent podcast advertising!), and it started out at around the same time as WordPress.
The main difference is that it isnt open-source so you cant download the software and install it on your own server.Instead, its an integrated website builder, blogging platform and hosting service.
The premise is that you sign up for a subscription and Squarespace makes it easy to build a website from scratch, which is obviously handy if you dont have any previous web development experience, or if you need to get a site up and running in a short space of time.
Like WordPress, you can install different themes and build a website using text, images and videos.Theres also a commerce platform available.
It lets you build and manage your own online store, without having to pay a hefty sum for a tech pro to do it for you.
Again, theres the option to go for a business-ready package.
For $18 per month (around 14, AU$24) you get your own domain, unlimited bandwidth and storage, SSL security and Google AdWords credit.MagnoliaOne of the main attractions of content management systems is that theyre often easy to set up and use.
If youre running a business, youll want to have a website to promote your products and services, but you may not have the technical know-how to build one yourself.The java-based Magnolia CMS is targeted specifically at companies that need websites which can do pretty much everything.
It sports a hub integrating areas such as e-commerce, analytics, marketing automation, social media, CRM and ERP.
The beauty here is that you can add these functions as time goes on and your business develops.Security is at the heart of the system, too, as it employs an architecture that separates your websites public and private elements to help combat attacks.
You can even define what users and admins are able to do, so youll always know who can write, edit, view and publish certain content.
Prices are tailored to business needs.WeeblySimilar to WordPress, Weebly may well be a name that youre familiar with.
Its an easy-to-use content management system that lets you set up a simple website within a matter of minutes.
The platform uses a drag-and-drop format, so you can add features and media to your website easily.
And by the same token, you can swiftly remove anything whenever you want.There are a load of pricing options to choose from, all based on different business and personal needs.
After the basic, free option, the cheapest plan is $8 a month (around 6, AU$11), which provides you with unlimited storage, a domain name and Google Ads credit.
There is a small business option, and thatll set you back $25 a month (around 19, AU$34).
For that, you get all the usual features, as well as handy tools like password protection and tax calculators.WixWix is a cloud-based web development platform which lets you create HTML5 and mobile-optimised websites easily.The platform offers a drag-and-drop system, and you can add more functionality by installing plugins.
Wix caters for elements including email marketing, e-commerce, contact forms and community forums.
As is normal for CMS platforms, you have the option to remove adverts, use your own domain name and get increased bandwidth by going for a premium plan.Prices start at $4.50 a month (around 3, AU$6), although if youre a small business, you have the eCommerce plan which the company says it's best for small businesses.
The price is $16.50 (around 12, AU$22) and you benefit from uncapped bandwidth, 20GB of storage, a free domain, a custom favicon, an online store builder and ad vouchers.BynderContent management systems are great for publishing content online, obviously enough, but theyre also gold dust when it comes to collaborating on content across teams.
Bynder is a marketing platform that lets brands create, find, use and work on content easily.It provides a plethora of high-quality workflows to help brand managers, marketers and editors produce, approve and circulate new marketing content.
Theres also the ability to create a shareable style guide so all content is consistent and matches the companys brand image.While it sports some handy features, Bynder is a lot more expensive than other offerings.
You'll need to contact the company for exact pricing, but you should expect to pay at least $450 per month (around 345, AU$570) and prices can reach thousands.
That said, the software is designed to take a good deal of strain off your marketing budget by simplifying many mundane and time-consuming tasks.9yndgqRgz952juJ9am5HSi.jpg#