You have probably heard the term CMS website before, but may not know what it means or why it matters. CMS stands for content management system. If well designed, this system can offer business owners a lot of value. In most cases, CMS sites allow relatively easy website maintenance. Breaking the dependency on ALWAYS needing a web designer for every update or change can be quite liberating. Here are few distinct advantages that come along with a quality CMS website:

SAVINGS ON WEBSITE MAINTENANCE: If you frequently need updates to your website, that can add up over time if you have to pay a web designer for each update. Having the ability to update text and pictures yourself, can save you a lot of money long term.

ALLOWS FOR TIME SENSITIVE UPDATES: If something happens or changes in your business that requires an immediate update, you can often do it yourself. A new address, out of stock product, or urgent announcement are just a few things that may not be able to wait until your web designer is able to update it for you.

KEEP YOUR CONTENT FRESH: Professional web designers and SEO consultants are definitely worth their weight in gold, but they are not present as an integral part of your business day to day. So you or a designated employee are the perfect person to keep your website up to date with fresh, relevant content.

Having a CMS site doesn't mean you will or should do it all when it comes to your website. More complex updates, adding new pages and SEO, probably should be handled by a professional web designer. Still, being able to have the option to do a bit of self-maintenance is valuable and should be something to carefully consider when you have your website developed. Be sure to ask your designer specifics about the CMS ease of use, capabilities and training.