Stop updating your website. Do you need a CMS?

Published September 20, 2017

Keep it simple

Wouldn’t it be great if there was a way to take away a few tasks to make your life easier? The the kind of tasks that you need to get around to doing, because they don’t seem too important – but then they begin to pile up.

There’s so many ways of managing content. Normally a lot of businesses use a CMS, but as it starts to fall out of sync with the rest of your business it just becomes a chore to update.

Why not think a bit differently?

Use social media for news

Instead of having rolling content that needs updating, having to edit photography, upload files, write extra copy, consider using your social media feeds instead. Direct people to keep up to date with you by following you on Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, or Facebook.

Of course you might worry that this means your website isn’t up-to-date or have your latest products and services. But, you could hookup with the Instagram API, and then use a specific hashtag like #latest for it to show on your website.

This keeps your website up to date with your latest photos, but without having to update it.

If you can’t beat them, join them

One way of editing your business opening hours on Google Maps (which powers Google Search) is to edit them using My Business. But this data is also available from the Google Places API.

Rather than having your opening hours added manually using your CMS, you can just login to Google and update them. This makes sure Google is up-to-date, and by having your site connected, keeps your site in check too.

“What’s the password?”

Without a CMS, you’ll never lose your login ever again – there’s nothing to login to! While this means there’s one less thing to remember, it also helps with security and can massively reduce the chances of your site being hacked. This should prevent your customers from getting a dreaded red warning, and stop you from having to pay out to get it fixed if it happens.

Use tools you know

Rather than uploading files to your website for your customers to download, consider integrating with a tool you already use. Maybe your business uses Dropbox or Google Drive. Create folders in these that you can get to, but are connected to your website.

Now your team can upload files to the site without having to install or learn new software.

Save time, save money

By keeping your site free from maintenance issues, reducing complexity, using tools you’re already using, you will save lots of time. And while this already saves money itself, hopefully you’re effortless always updated site will win over your customers too, and clinch those extra conversions.