Modern business dictates that you must have an online platform if you want to succeed.  According to a Nielsen Research study, internet users will hit 2.5 billion by end of 2015. If you have a reliable website, you will be able to tap into this rich market whether for ROI or simply to reach a large audience for whatever reason.

However, you can only succeed online if you have a well-designed website. More importantly, the content management system (CMS) you use will determine whether you are able to provide what your target users really want and on time.

Insight on CMS

Though you might not be into computer technology, it is important to appreciate what content management systems entail. After all, you are the one who will be managing content on the website after it goes online.

In the simplest terms, a CMS allows you to publish, edit and modify content on your website. For instance, if you want to add more products on the products page this is the system that allows you to do so effectively.

There are two types of CMSs in the market:

• Open source CMS: The platform building utilizes code that is accessible to everyone. It is readily available for everyone to use, copy, edit and even redistribute and the biggest include WordPress, Joomla, and Drupal among others. WordPress has millions of users with thousands of pages created using it.
• Proprietary CMS: This system licensing is under exclusive legal rights of whoever holds the copyright. It cannot be edited, redistributed or shared and it comes with many other terms and conditions. Users pay a monthly fee and get technical support and updates.

Open Source CMS Wins Hands Down

Different developers will give you differing opinions on which CMS to use. However, there are many reasons why millions use open source CMS including:

• Affordability: There are no license fees involved in open source CMS and this is a plus especially for small businesses. The only costs you might incur involve extending functionality such as buying plug-ins and again the cost is negligible.
• Flexibility and ease of customization: This is the strongest point for open source CMS because they are set to do just about anything you want. Using plug-ins, you can easily customize your website to fit your unique needs. You can simply say only your imagination curtails what you can do with open source CMS.
• Excellent support: The community of developers who come up with an open source CMS keeps growing and updates are constant. Whatever issue arises with your website, you can bet there will be an instant solution.
• Portability: You can move your website developed using open source CMS from host to host when need arises without any limitations.
• Independence: You have the independence to do whatever you want with your website and this is a plus because business keeps changing regularly.

Truth be told, open source CMS is the best way to go. You do not need to be an expert to administer your website and it is no wonder big guys from BBC America to New York Times are using open source CMS.

Bio- The writer lives, eats and sleeps web design. If you want some more information on CMS, you can learn here and ensure your business only uses the best.