What Is a CMS and Why It Matters for Your Website

· Anu

If you've ever been told "you need a CMS" and nodded politely while having no idea what that means — this post is for you.

What Is a CMS?

A Content Management System (CMS) is software that lets you create, edit, and manage your website content without needing to write code. Think of it as the dashboard behind your website.

Instead of editing raw HTML files every time you want to change a paragraph or add a blog post, a CMS gives you a visual editor — more like writing in a word processor than programming.

There are dozens of CMS platforms out there. Here are the most common ones:

  • WordPress — Powers roughly 40% of all websites. Huge plugin ecosystem, but can become bloated and slow if not maintained.
  • Squarespace — Beautiful templates, easy to use, but limited customisation and you're locked into their platform.
  • Ghost — Clean, fast, focused on writing and publishing. Great for blogs and newsletters.
  • Payload CMS — A newer, developer-friendly headless CMS. Very flexible, but requires technical setup.

Do You Actually Need One?

Here's the honest truth: not every business needs a CMS. If your website content rarely changes — say, a simple brochure site with your services and contact info — a static site might be simpler, faster, and cheaper to maintain.

You likely do need a CMS if:

  • You want to publish blog posts or news updates regularly
  • Multiple people need to edit the website
  • You want to add or remove products, portfolio items, or case studies
  • You don't want to pay a developer every time you change a sentence

You probably don't need a CMS if:

  • Your site has 1–5 pages that rarely change
  • You're comfortable asking your developer to make occasional updates
  • Speed and simplicity are your top priorities

How to Choose the Right One

The best CMS is the one you'll actually use. Consider:

  1. Your technical comfort level — Some platforms are drag-and-drop, others require a developer
  2. Your budget — Free (WordPress.org) to premium (Squarespace at £12–30/month)
  3. Your content needs — Blog-heavy? E-commerce? Portfolio?
  4. Long-term flexibility — Can you move your content if you outgrow the platform?

What I Recommend

For most small businesses I work with, I recommend starting simple. If you need a CMS, I typically set up a solution that balances ease of use with flexibility — and I train you to manage it yourself.

The goal isn't to pick the trendiest platform. It's to pick the one that gets out of your way and lets you focus on your business.

Wondering whether a CMS is right for your business? Get in touch and let's figure it out together.

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