Definition: Content Management System

What is content management system?

A content management system (CMS) is an online platform that allows non-technical users such as marketing teams or publishers to easily create, edit, manage and publish various forms of digital content on websites without the need for specialised programming skills.

Normally, creating a website requires advanced programming skills to manually write HTML markup, scripts and style sheets. The developers have to work out every single element and make sure that the site works properly on different devices. This process is time-consuming and inflexible to ongoing updates.

A CMS revolutionises this process by providing a central interface where content can be visually designed and organised into templates without having to touch the code, allowing non-technical teams to easily manage content from now on. Key features help make the process seamless, such as visual drag-and-drop editors that allow pages to be skilfully styled using intuitive formatting rather than lines of code. Pre-built templates ensure a consistent look and feel while adapting to different materials, and taxonomy systems create a logical content structure by grouping similar content together.

For larger teams with complex websites, additional tools can provide the necessary support. Version tracking monitors the changes of multiple users to maintain a clear version history, while approval workflows help enforce quality standards through a review process before updates are published live. More robust platforms offer advanced features such as built-in generative AI that helps with content creation at scale, and interoperability via APIs enables helpful third-party tools such as a product information management (PIM) solution that helps keep customer-facing product information consistent both within the CMS and across any other platforms.

By seamlessly integrating the right features, companies can streamline their operations and engage their target audiences with continuously optimised digital experiences through the strategic use of the CMS platform.