Content management systems

A content management system (CMS) is a software designed to help you create, organise and publish your organisation's digital content, such as web pages, documents and media files.

You can use a CMS on its own or integrate it with other business applications. Options include installing it on your network, using a web-based service or running it locally.

Main categories of content management systems

Different types of CMS handle different types of content. Common categories include:

• web content management systems
• enterprise content management systems
• mobile content management systems
• digital asset management systems
• media asset management systems
• document and records management systems
• component content management systems

Each of these specific types of CMS has its own acronym. However, the generic 'CMS' term nowadays typically applies to web content management solutions.

What are web content management systems?

Web content management systems let you build, edit and publish website content without coding knowledge. They typically include:

• a content management application with a simple interface for adding, managing and removing web content
• a content delivery application that shows your content on the live website

How web content management systems work

A web CMS works by allowing you to access your website's database via a simple, graphical user interface, usually through a web browser. Within this interface, you can access a range of built-in content management tools to help you:

• create and publish new pages on your website
• update or remove existing content and pages
• use pre-set categories, themes or templates to organise the layout of your pages
• ensure consistent presentation of content across your whole website
• manage the structure and navigation of your website, including menus and sitemaps
• manage authoring permission levels and editorial workflows
• store and retrieve different types of content (eg text, images, podcasts, videos) in your database

You should choose a CMS that matches your content needs, such as social media integration. Larger businesses may need additional CMS functionality, such as multi-site or multi-lingual support. 

See how to choose the best CMS for your business.

What are enterprise content management systems?

Enterprise content management systems typically store documents and other content that relate to the organisation's processes. They often combine different functions, including web content management, document and records management, workflow and collaboration tools, etc. Read more about enterprise content management.