Keys to Success #2: Content Management System

The second key to having a success website is having a content management system. Not just any content management system, and not just to manage content, but to manage your e-store, inventory, customers, prospects, and your entire website and e-business.

A content management system (CMS) needs to be intuitive. The website administrator should be able to easily create and edit pages, products, prices, create promos, coupons, send out mass mail, etc.

The goal of the CMS is to manage content without having to learn a complex database, architecture, or computer system. It should assist you in managing your website and e-business rather than dictate how to run it.

A modern system will have open API’s to integrate with your POS system, your shipping partner and/or fulfillment house, your merchant system, and possibly other integration points. (The CMS shouldn’t dictate which vendors to use, but rather allow for integration to be plugged in).

It should have a great reporting system for sales reports, user analytics, customer reports, etc. It should have modern tools such as the ability to create blogs, photo galleries, event calendars, user ratings, etc (or at least allow for these tools to be placed into content). It should allow for total control of your e-commerce and of your customers. It should allow you to easily gain access to your data and import and export customers, products, etc.  It should allow for plug-ins and customized features.

The bottom line is to have a successful website, you need a CMS that is empowering, not prohibiting.