Choosing the Right Content Management System For Your Blogging Needs

Content Management SystemIf you are going to be a consistent blogger, you need a Content Management System (CMS) that will help you keep all of your posts in one spot where you can easily access them.  Let us take a look at the various CMS options that you have and how you can decide which one is best for you. 

What is a CMS? 

For those who are not as proficient in blog lingo, a CMS is essentially a fancy name for the platform upon which you create and publish your blog.  Apt CMS examples are Blogger from Google, LiveJournal, Wordpress, Joomla and Drupal. 

The Most Popular ...

WordPress is the most popular and widely used CMS.  Users will have access to thousands of custom plug-ins that allow you to do anything from add custom themes to your blog to turning your blog into a membership site that you can make money from. 

CMS Options for the Less Technically Inclined 

If you want to use platforms such as Wordpress or Joomla, you will require basic coding experience. For those who just want to start writing and publishing in minutes, these CMS may not be for you. Bloggers who want a simple drop-and-drag blog creation process should opt for website creators such as SquareSpace, Wix or Weebly. Unlike WordPress or Joomla, you do not need to buy a domain to customize the look and feel of your site. However, you will always be dependent on the main domain name for your personalization. 

Get the Best of Both Worlds 

The nice thing about sites such as Squarespace or Wix is that you still have full CSS/HTML control. In laymen terms, you can still extend your site just by adding custom bits of code into the HTML editor through your site. If you still don’t know how to write or paste your own code into a CSS/HTML editor, you can have someone do it for you for less than $20. 

Now that you know what a content management system is, you can start looking into blog platforms that work best for you. Stay tuned for next week when I talk about paid search options versus organic search to get traffic for your blog.

Image Credit: CMS at Wikimedia Commons