Five Content Management System Options for Virginia Businesses

For the Virginia company in search of a new and improved Internet presence, the options made available may seem limited. For some, it may only be a matter of choosing a Virginia web design firm to construct pages and manage how they are arranged and optimized for search. Those new to the realm of Internet marketing will be surprised to know, however, that when it comes to creating a site, quite a bit of thought goes into how the backend will function, almost more so than how the site will look to visitors. You run a busy operation serving the people of Virginia and beyond, and you need a Web site that updates easily and allows for simple training for your Web team. This actually leaves you with several options.

In the Internet world, one size does not fit all - what content management system works for Company A won't do for Non-Profit Organization B. This is why a reputable web design company should be flexible in offering solutions for your business - no cookie cutter templates or back end platforms will work.

There are five strong possibilities for bringing your Virginia business to the top of search engine results - with clean code and relevant content. You provide the information, and we'll implement it and distribute it online with any of these five methods:

1) The Customized CMS - Perhaps you have a healthy Web budget and need a site that sings. Flash menus and interactive functionality like event calendars, automated money transfers, and booking engines. With decades of combined knowledge of databases and custom programming, we can match the right tech to your project and create a site that give your clientele what they want.

2) The eCommerce CMS - If you've enjoyed success with a brick and mortar store, maybe it's time to venture forward and attract a national audience...or larger! A shopping cart-driven website offers unlimited options for displaying and selling products - online coupons and discounts, e-mail data collection for newsletters, integration into social media like Twitter and Facebook. In just under a month you can monetize your site for sales success!

3) The Blog-Driven CMS - Do you prefer to update your customers and clients frequently with news of products, services, and specials? Very likely the standard website structure is not for you - a blog format would be better suited for your business. Now, don't think because your site is a blog means it will look unprofessional. With the flexibility of blog templates, you can create a site that looks like the New York Times (which does, in fact, use a blog CMS!).

4) The Social Network - Depending on the scope of your business, or mission statement, you may not need a website at all beyond a simple virtual calling card. These days, you might find companies are more active on social networks like Facebook or Ning, and attracting visitors through these outlets. If you would prefer to go this route, don't think you don't need a web firm to help, though. Hiring a social media optimization firm to make sure your visibility is high is a good step in securing your place in social media.

5) The Module-Driven CMS - The three-column site design is a popular one with businesses - it's a clean structure and permits sound arrangement of "modules" and helpful widgets for visitors to use. With a module-driven management system you can add various features to your site with ease - polls, RSS feeds, a table of contents, and video and photo galleries. Joomla, one of the more popular CMS systems in this category, is simple to install and use.

Once you've decided how you wish to proceed with building your online presence, the work of a quality Virginia website company will see you to completion and continued success.