Avoiding the arrogant Webmaster

Try mentioning the web to most small business owners and you’ll hear a litany of complaints. Not only are they not getting a piece of the web business pie, but the whole subject is incredibly frustrating. If they have a site, no one can find it. If they don’t have a site, they can’t figure out what they need. And if they’re currently building a site they’re probably dealing with an arrogant Webmaster.One huge source of frustration comes from having to turn to a web developer every time you need to change a phone number or add a product. Not only is it incredibly expensive to have a web developer make minor changes, it’s also probably not the developer’s first priority, so you may have to wait, and wait, and wait. Businesses sometimes get so fed up with having to wait for content to be updated, that they abandon their sites. The web is littered with these old stale sites that end up being an embarrassment to their owners. And trying to wrest control of one of these sites away from the old Webmaster can be an enormous headache. But as frustrating as it can be, it doesn’t make sense to ignore the possibilities of the web. Small businesses, organizations and non-profit groups all want the same thing – a site that is engaging and informative, as well as cost-effective, and that allows them to update quickly and easily.There is a way to get on the web without tying yourself to a web designer – in the web world it’s known as customer content management. The basic premise is that you work with a designer to build the site and include places where you’ll be able to update the text or the images using a simple form. With a system like this you can update your site as often as you like, whenever you like. You can play around to see what works best for your needs. There are lots of template-based sites on the web, and at the Village News we offer them too, starting at $10 a month! But content management systems (CMS) don’t stop there. The most effective CMS sites are custom designed and just as professional in appearance as if you had a fulltime designer on staff – the difference is that you or your staff can update them and keep the content fresh. And as your needs grow, new pages and features can be added. The best web sites are constantly evolving. “Old School” Webmasters can be resistant to letting clients update their own sites – and they do have legitimate concerns. If a site has been optimized for certain keywords, changes to the text can upset the balance and affect the search engine rankings. But if done right, CMS can actually help the site achieve higher search engine rankings. All three of the top search engines (Google, Yahoo, and MSN) will index a site more often if the content is fresh. CMS can truly offer the best of both worlds – all the style and professionalism of a custom designed site, along with the joy of self-updates! If you feel comfortable using email or surfing the web, then you can update your own site. And the best part is that it gives the control back to you, the business owner! The Village News can create a website with CMS for you – call today to set up a consultation, 760-723-7319.