What to Look for in a Higher Education Content Management System
In case you haven’t checked lately, when it comes to content management systems, there are dozens, if not hundreds to choose from. So how can you know whether the particular product you’re considering will meet the needs of your college or university? After all, you don’t want to invest in a system that looks good on paper, but falls short in the end. To make things a little easier, we put together a list of criteria to look for when selecting a higher education CMS. Read on to learn more.
Functionality/Ease of Use – First and foremost, you want to choose a product that works well and is easy to use. The last thing a busy education provider needs to worry about is overcoming a steep learning curve. Look for a product that offers cloud-based tools and robust media options.
Scalability – As your institution grows and expands, so will the function of your CMS. Be careful when evaluating your options that the systems you’re considering are scalable enough to accommodate growth seamlessly.
Industry Specific – The higher education industry is quite unique and its needs are special. In order to employ a content management system that is as effective as possible, it’s critical that you choose a vendor that specializes in meeting the pain points and support needs of colleges and universities. Otherwise the product you end up with may not be the best fit.
Mobile-Ready – With Google’s recent announcement about de-indexing any sites that are not mobile-friendly, there’s never been a more important time to get your school’s website up to par. As part of this, the content management system you choose should also be mobile-ready to support the changing demands of the search engines as well as the evolving needs of your audience.
Digitally Up to Date – We live in a digital age, where online searches and social networking are a part of your target audience’s everyday life. As such, the CMS you select should be up to date on things like SEO and social media marketing.
Data Security and Control – It’s absolutely critical that the sensitive data your institution deals with remain completely secure and private. It’s equally important that you maintain total control over your content. Be careful to choose a CMS partner that can offer this type of dependability.
Ongoing Support – Last, but certainly not least, you should choose a CMS provider that offers exceptional ongoing support. This includes things like continual testing, ongoing monitoring and regular upgrades. Selecting a partner that offers that kind of support will allow you to manage content without having to worry about things like site maintenance, hosting and development.
Does your CMS offer all of this? Could you use an upgrade? Or maybe you’re just coming on-board the content management system train. In any event, we’d love to demonstrate just how useful and dependable our product truly is. All you have to do is fill out the form below to request a free demo. Let us show you how the right CMS can bring your college or university to the next level!
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