Websites continue to be a key tool for business owners to connect and sell to consumers. Websites are one such digital tool to engage with a customer base as well as tap into new markets. For companies that sell products, its another way to document, control and process purchase orders and manage inventory. We’ve considered the most common CMS selection mistakes that business owners make and why it matters.

Web CMS is not just a web development tool

Web CMS solutions include applied functionality tools to increase exposure for their business into new markets. This is particularly true when considering SEM and PPC marketing. Owners can integrate a CMS with other business systems to achieve more and unlock potential. This may require help from an IT solutions provider such as Influential depending on the complexity of the requirement.

One simple example would be to correlate site performance with associated costs to achieve better informed business decisions.

Wanting too much too soon

Web CMS are designed to be flexible for whatever use case the user needs. Features, add-ons and plugins extend functionality and are designed to easily resolve challenges for those looking for easy solutions.

However, owners can be quickly overwhelmed by the number of options available. Complex solutions are not always the best choice and it’s easy for site owners to bite off more than they can chew.

Selecting the wrong CMS for your goals

Many business owners choose a CMS based on the list of features offered and tasks it can do. However, this can be a trap as owners won’t need the extra features and functionalities available to them.

By aligning the website with the key business goals, owners should select the right CMS with the necessary functionalities for their needs. It also helps to have a website strategy that ensures functionality scales as the business grows.

Not using CMS properly

Those looking for a new CMS focus too much on “what” a web CMS can do rather than “how” it can help develop their website goals. By being familiar with the CMS, decision-makers will know exactly the limits of what their new website can and can’t do. Identifying, diagnosing and resolving website-related issues will ensure owners understand how to improve their systems and ensure effective digital growth.

CMS selection is critical for business owners looking to start or even migrate a website. The right CMS will grant owners the ability to make better-informed decisions and ensure no challenge is too big to face. Naturally, the process of comparing and deciding upon a CMS is arduous but is essential for businesses that want to meet their short and long-term business goals.

Check out our blog post on Choosing the right CMS for the next steps.