The Multimedia Room

CMS 101 | Content Management Systems for Small Business'

2011-11-28T07:49:00.000-06:00

What is a CMS?

A CMS, also known as a Content Management System is a website you can update on your own. The most common Content Management Systems are WordPress, Joomla, and Drupal.

Change Content Without Changing Code
A CMS is very useful for websites because it makes it possible for you to edit the content. Not everyone who wants a website will be able to edit the code themselves. But by using a CMS for your business website, it makes it possible for you or an employee to easily change the information on the website and update so your content is current.

It's Fast!
Simply changing a small spelling error or piece of information would normally involve changing the website offline and then uploading the files again via FTP. This can be very time consuming. It’s much faster and easier if you change the details utilizing a CMS package, as there is no need to re-upload the site files once again.

You also have the ability to make changes without waiting for your web developer to make the changes for you and request at additional fees.

It's Less Expensive
Having a CMS designed might initially be slightly more expensive than a static website. However, when it comes to maintaining the website, it will be less expensive in the long run. You will not need any special skills to maintain the website, however we offer CMS Training for your and staff.

Your in Control
Another reason CMS software is very popular is because it gives you better control over your websites It’s easy to write content and then save this as a draft. Additionally it possible to control who can write and who can approve content. It also ensures that all content is approved before being posted on your website.

Growth and Expansion
CMS makes it simple to keep track of all the pages on your website regardless of how many you add. This means that you can minimize the risk of any errors affecting your website.

Often, when trying to decide what Content Management System to use, price is the first thing people think of as a deciding factor. Price is, of course, important, but you can pay thousands of dollars and not get the features you need, or you can pay close to nothing and get features that are useless to you and your business.

The Multimedia Room will discuss your online content needs and expectations. We will help you decide which Content Management System is best for you and your business, whether it's a WordPress, Joomla or Drupal website.

See what our customers have to say about us! Visit our website for more information!

The Multimedia Room is proudly located in the Metro Minneapolis, St. Paul, Twin Cities Area, MN.

WordPress - Great for Small Business Websites

2011-11-22T09:15:00.000-06:00

WordPress is most known for blogs, but did you know that it's also a great choice for small business websites too? WordPress is recognized as a powerful Content Management System (CMS) perfect for any small business.

If you hate the idea of calling your website design guy for updates, waiting for your website to be updated, then a Content Management System is what exactly what you need for your small business.

When updating your WordPress website, you are helping with Search Engine Optimization (SEO) for your business. This is such a plus! Another benefit is that you don't need to know how to read code or any HTML design knowledge. There are hundreds of themes and designs to choose from and we can customize your template too!

Once we create your WordPress website, you can easily update your own text and images, add new pages, or edit existing content with using a simple rich text editor.

Another great feature of WordPress is the the ability to extend your website with the use of contact forms, polls, ratings or many other cool features without having to hire a web developer.

Often, when trying to decide what Content Management System to use, price is the first thing people think of as a deciding factor. Price is, of course, important, but you can pay thousands of dollars and not get the features you need, or you can pay nothing and get features that are useless to you.

The Multimedia Room will discuss your online content needs and help you decide which Content Management System is best for your business. The Multimedia Room can take on your smaller project websites to larger scale sites too, from WordPress, Joomla or Drupal.

Multimedia Guided Tours' for your Bed and Breakfast

2011-07-16T09:28:00.000-05:00

Are you looking for a fresh and innovative way to market your business? Our Multimedia Guided Tours are the perfect solution for showcasing your Bed and Breakfasts' services, location and destination.

We bring together images, voice and music to bring your site to life.

651.330.6331 Office | 866.999.7511 Toll Free | sales@themultimediaroom.com

Contact The Multimedia Room today and order your
Multimedia Guided Tour for your ‘Bed and Breakfast’. You will be glad you did!

Like us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MultimediaRoom | Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/theMMRoom

Twitter on pace to reach...200 million users by 2011

2011-03-25T13:53:00.000-05:00

There are now 175 million users on Twitter, ranging from senior foreign diplomats to bored 13-year-old teenagers. It's because the service is able to reach across that swath of the global population that the site should exceed 200 million in just the next two months.

Comparing the Numbers: WordPress, Joomla, Drupal

2011-03-24T11:31:00.000-05:00

What used to be a WordPress vs. Blogspot battle is now more like WordPress vs. Joomla & Drupal. The once relatively unknown, blogger platform has grown up and adopted a name for it’s self as one of the most user friendly content management tools, used by everyone from Bieber buffs to established businesses. In fact, WordPress is used by over 13% of the world’s 1,000,000 biggest websites.

So what’s the difference between WordPress, Joomla & Drupal? What are the tradeoffs? What CMS is best for your business?

It is widely known that WordPress is gaining momentum. Their main value proposition is the ease of use with the user interface and back end system. Drupal is widely known to offer a wide variety of features with their CMS system. Drupal is popular for its scalable potential and ability to grow with a business. Wordpress, Joomla! and Drupal are similar because they offer the ability to add plugins for virtually anything from SEO to security, widgets and themes. A draw to this system is that there is no need for FTP access. Drupal’s myriad of plugins are very functional however they aren’t as easy to use as WordPress or Joomla, but they are more customizable.

Joomla! and WordPress are both known for their user-friendly interface. Drupal, however may be able to last you a bit longer, but also take some time to master. For those looking for slick web design and creative plugins, Joomla! and Wordpress take the cake. For those looking to optimize things such as load times and performance, while planning for the future, think Drupal. Take a look at the 2010 numbers comparing all three platforms:

According to the OSCMS Report:

Downloads Per Week in 2010
Wordpress 983,625
Joomla! 113,836
Drupal 33,671

What Are Most Sites Running On?
WordPress 12.9%
Joomla! 2.5%
Drupal 1.4%

Any Preferred CMS and if so, which one?
Joomla! 1105
Wordpress 278
Drupal 318

All three of these CMS’s should go above and beyond to deliver what you are looking for with your CMS. However still, none of these three content management systems have integration with HTML5 and they offer minimum collaboration across systems. Overall, WordPress is quicker, more flexible and simpler. If your web designer specializes in Joomla! or Drupal it won’t affect the success of your businesses marketing, SEO, and e-commerce operations. The trends however are point towards WordPress CMS for website management but as WordPress matures who will take its place in the blogger world… Tumblr?

Story Credit: Resource Nation
Image Credit: MokuMax