Content Management Systems
All websites need some means of keeping their content up to date. Whereas it used to be the province of people with an interest or expertise in web programming, nowadays there are many systems that are designed for the layperson to use.
Read Meriel Thurstan's experience of using our Micro CMS here.
Freedom. Content Management is the way in which all the images, text and other content is added, deleted and updated on a website. There's a whole flock of possible methods that can be used to do this.
These Content Management Systems come in all shapes and sizes. Many are fantastic some are flawed, some are expensive and others are free. They all try to do one thing - to help people maintain the images, text and information that is presented on the web.
Simple CMS
Our experience has led us to offer a variety of CMS options to our clients. Some would rather have us deal with all site maintenance. Others want to get stuck into the code and update the website source code themselves. In recent months we've been developing a third way - our own Alacrify Simple CMS.
This website that you're viewing now is built using our Simple CMS system.
Bewildered?. The range of CMS available is very varied - from calling in a friendly nerd to using an expensive online self-service system. Working out which path to choose can leave you with quite a headache!
It allows us to add, edit and delete web pages, images, galleries, blogs, diary listings and much more, all without writing a scrap of web code. At its core is simplicity. A combination of a simple maintenance system with easy to understand options allows it to manage a wide variety of websites. Our years of working with clients has led us to create something that almost anyone can use to build a dynamic, well structured, and effective website.
We're not interested in providing dozens of unnecessary add-ons to this system. It's not a customer relationship management system (although we do build those too), it just allows ordinary people to create and manage effective and good looking websites.
Take Control. If you want a simple way to take more control of your site then perhaps our CMS is for you. Give a ring if you want to talk about your hopes and expectations for managing your site.
Micro CMS
If all you want is the means to update a couple of pages of your brochure website then perhaps our Micro CMS option is a better choice. In this case the Simple CMS is probably a bit of sledgehammer to crack a nut, whereas our lightweight and easy-to-use Micro CMS might just fit the bill perfectly.
It is designed for clients who have brochure sites with lots of static text that doesn't change much, but who would like to have the chance to update one or two pages on their site for themselves; e.g. the home page or a news and events page.
Micro CMS - and Charley the mouse. Our newest CMS system is designed for people with brochure web sites who would like to maintain some of the pages themselves.
You specify which pages you'd like to maintain, (one, some or all of them), and then we add the Micro CMS into your site and show you how to use it. Then it's over to you to use as and when you want to update your site.
It allows you to change text, upload images and upload documents (e.g. posters, flyers, etc.) as you wish and display them on the site. All changes are made instantaneously, updating your site as soon as you press the 'update' button.
It's incredibly easy! You can read Meriel Thurstan's review of our Micro CMS here to prove it!
The Right CMS for You?
If you've outgrown your current brochure website and want to take more control of your site's content so it's more up to date; but you don't want to be sending lots of stuff to and fro to your website designer, then a CMS system may be the way forward; and our Simple CMS or Micro CMS might just be the next step you need.
If you're already using a CMS but find it too complicated or cumbersome then perhaps this system might be a better option for you. Keeping focussed on the important things - like managing page content, adding images, links and news - and getting back to basics means you don't have to remember lots of instructions to keep control of the site, you don't spend time digging through endless options to make small changes, and you don't need any special skills to operate the system. Our CMS's are Simple by name and Simple by nature.
If this is something you might find useful then do give us a ring and we can give you a guided tour around the system and discuss how it might apply to your needs. Call Jon on 01300 320076 or email if you would like us to give you a ring with more information. jon@alacrify.co.uk
Alacrify Ltd. 01300 320076. jon@alacrify.co.uk
