(512)993-9993 info@adaptingonline.com

Website Back End

Now you have a domain name and a hosting company. The next thing to consider is what platform will your website be built on or what back end will it use. The back end is also known as the CMS or content management system, and there are many, many options out there for building websites. You need to know what CMS your site is using for several reasons.

One
First and foremost, it will affect your search engine rankings. The search engine bots prefer some platforms because they are easier to read and index. The CMS contains all of the SEO options for proper development of a search engine friendly website. The most well known CMS are WordPress, Drupal and Joomla. There are others and you need to know what your website company will be using.

Two
Secondly, the CMS will affect the speed of your site. Just as with hosting, your website back end will determine how fast your pages load. Many hosting companies advertise that their servers are designed for a specific CMS. Make sure that your website company can explain to you the hosting and CMS relationship and that you are comfortable they work together for optimal page speed.

Three
Third, you need to make sure that the CMS is maintained and updated regularly. There are many platforms that have come and gone, but are still available for use. If the CMS is not updated regularly then your website has no chance of success. Search engine technology changes frequently, your CMS needs to be up-to-date with those changes.

Four
Fourth, your CMS needs to be easy to optimize. There are small details that have to be done to every aspect and page of your website. Your CMS needs to be able to handle those changes easily and fluidly. A clunky, old CMS that does not have any SEO flexibility will hurt you.

Five
Fifth, your CMS must be mobile responsive. The importance of this is growing by the day. Your website has to be usable on mobile devices and smart phones or it’s not worth doing, and your CMS must be able to do this.

Six
Sixth, the back end of your site has to be user friendly. Chances are, you are not a web guru, however you should be able to add or edit the content on your site with ease. Most popular CMS are easy to understand, even for those who have never used them. The same cannot be said for all CMS though.

Seven
Finally, your CMS will ultimately control the tools and analytic reporting you can get from your site. If you ever want to add a special feature such as click-to call or a chat box your CMS needs to be able to handle that. The analytic reports you use to determine the success of your site are also determined by what your CMS allows. You may not completely understand the in-depth details of your CMS, but your website company should be able to explain them to you clearly. All you need to know is that this is a critically important decision in the development of your online presences.

Get the AO Newsletter

Your business can't afford to fall behind.

You have Successfully Subscribed!