Content management is a broad expression used to describe systems built for web site owners to change their web page content at will, in real time, with no specialist skills at all.

To achieve this, it is necessarily a little more sophisticated than normal "static" web designs, in that the structure of the site (the HTML) is separated from the content (the text and pictures). The content is stored in a database and called to the web page by special programs written to control the appearance of the page seen by your visitors.

You perhaps can see that if the content of the database is altered, the resulting content displayed on the web page will change from that moment on. In effect it is an immediate change and requiring no intervention from a web designer for your new content to become public.

Of course this is great importance if you have the type of business which demands constant updating of price lists, venues, coming events, or anything else you can think of. Keeping your web site content fresh is of supreme importance in retaining the attention of returning visitors, who will come back again and again if there is something relevant to them and fresh. Stale sites that are never updated soon drop off the average web surfer's list of sites to visit, but of course if you have to pay someone to update the site regularly, it will cost you for their time. In this case, perhaps a content management system built for perhaps only a single page, will enable you to keep your site fresh, and yet continue to manage your costs within a predictable budget.

Simple in use

As a content management client of PLD, you will have access by password to a simple text editor page, built by us so you can write, amend, edit or delete your web site content on the "fly". If you have the ability to type an e-mail then you have all the abilities you need to use our content management system.

Examples

There are many applications for this technology, some of which are listed below:

• Updating of the text on your normal web page
• Selecting images to display on your web site
• Managing the content of a "products for sale" page in e-commerce systems (see the e-commerce page)
• Managing the content of message boards (see below)
• Managing e-mail contact lists
• ...there are many more.

Message boards

A message board is a series of pages where your visitors can add their comments to online discussions that are taking place in real time.

We can provide our own programmed board for your site, and give you the ability to manage the content: editing posts, deleting posts, and banning inappropriate visitors for instance. We can also make the visitor's postings available on the board immediately, or only after they have been approved by you

Such a nessage board system can enhance contact with your own visitors, encourage involvement and keep you abreast of public opinion.