So many of my clients ask this question, I feel it deserves an answer front and center here.

Once upon a time, all websites were static. Content and the webpage itself were one in the same. If one wanted to change anything in the content of a webpage, for example the copyright date, that page (and possibly many other pages) required HTML editing to reflect the new date.

Content Management Systems (CMS), allow separation of design and content. When content is created, the CMS stores the content data in a relational database separate from the content formatting. Typically content data is the text, tables, and images that appear on a website. The formatting and and graphics, or "look and feel", is determined by a template assigned to that content. The CMS stores these components separately and maintains the relationship between them, making the content data portable. Since the content is not intertwined in the format, it can be used elsewhere and in other ways.

One of the main reasons my clients end up using CMS is the ease of authoring and editing of their own content. All content management systems provide easy-to-use authoring environments, designed to work like Word. Allowing a non-technical way of creating new pages or updating content, without having to know any HTML. Thus, once created, the website is theirs to maintain and update on their own, saving money in the long run.

There are many more reasons to choose a website built on a Content Management System. Here is my Top 10 List:

10. Content is stored in a central location
9. Once stored, content can be used multiple times
8. Allows for frequent updates
7. Content is searchable
6. Allows for multiple authors/contributors/users
5. Provides a more consistent look and feel throughout a website
4. Easily Integrated with email newsletter list
3. Allow for permissions and limiting access
2. Content can be scheduled to be published at a future date
and...
1. Non-technical people can easily add/edit web content - if you can add pictures to Facebook you can update a CMS based website