Ecommerce CMS

Ecommerce CMS | What is a Ecommerce CMS (Content Management System)? Wikipedia defines a Ecommerce CMS (Content Management System) as

A computer system that allows users to publish, edit, and modify material as well as maintain the site from a single location. It contains a set of procedures for managing workflow in a collaborative setting.

They give a way for anyone, regardless of their expertise in computer languages like HTML or CSS, to establish a sophisticated site and invite friends, coworkers, or anyone who shares a common interest to contribute their own content.

In the backend

The CMS provides the substructure needed to develop a business site in the back end of your site, which only you and your co-administrators view.

Login and registration methods are used to control access.

Visitors may locate what they want or need fast and intuitively thanks to logical data organisation.

• Searches and links are available from the menus.

• Comments, blogs, and forums

• The User Interface (UI)

None of this is visible to the visitor to your website. What he or she thinks is a single integrated webpage is actually made up of the following:

Articles are the main body of material and images that you and your visitors contribute to the site.

Ecommerce CMS

Blocks are commonly found in the sidebars, headers, and footers and can contain snippets of material as well as functional content such as your login block, menus, and special offers. Blocks, especially menu blocks, frequently exist on several pages and may be conditional, such as the login block disappearing once a visitor logs in.

The style of the webpage is controlled by the theme, which includes the width and location of sidebars, the fonts and colour of text, the artwork in your header, and the general colour scheme.

Of course, you don't have to create all of these links; the software will search the database for page elements, organise them, combine them, and display them on the screen for you. All you need to do now is generate the content.

Modules for WYSIWYG and Wiki Sites, as well as eCommerce

The word WYSIWYG stands for "what you see is what you get." It's the feature that lets anyone who can type in a word processor cut and paste content into your site, as long as they meet the login requirements.

Wiki sites, like Facebook or Wikipedia, are sites where visitors create the material. CMS sites enable you to create a Wiki on your website. Many eCommerce sites are actually CMS sites, some with community features disabled and others with them enabled. The eCommerce packages are not included in the basic downloads of either of the CMS packages we study, 'Joomla' or 'Drupal,' but both can be easily extended by downloading additional eCommerce Modules.

Modules increase the CMS core's capability. Some modules allow you to construct photo galleries, while some assist with SEO and others provide commercial features.

Drupal Commerce, for example, provides a full commercial capacity with features such as Shop Front with Ubercart, Shipping, Stock Management, Coupons, File Downloads, PayPal, and more.

We recognise three different scenarios of new on-line firms at New2Business.com:

Existing businesses are venturing into the online world to expand their client base.

New enterprises looking to integrate their brick-and-mortar and online selling operations

Traders that solely deal on the internet have a new start.

Whichever model best suits your trading style, you should treat your online presence as a separate firm with its own business plan and marketing strategy.

Ecommerce CMS

1. A software-as-a-service (SaaS) content management system

A hosted SaaS CMS for ecommerce shops is a cloud-based solution that does not require a separate server. You pay a monthly price in exchange for not needing to download anything, maintain updates, or set up data storage - everything is handled by the programme seller.

In most cases, the service provider also provides customer assistance. Examples include BigCommerce, Shopify, Squarespace, and other hosted CMSs.These platforms can be used for ecommerce as well as content management.

2. A CMS that is open source.

With open source ecommerce systems, users have complete control over the website's functioning. Open source software is freely available to download and is typically self-hosted.

This means that shop administrators are responsible for establishing the hosting needs of their ecommerce website, as well as for maintaining the server and deploying software changes as needed. Some open source platforms feature a cloud-hosted option, however unlike SaaS, the store owner is still responsible for maintenance.

Two well-known open source ecommerce programmes are WooCommerce and Magento.

Is it Necessary to Have a Separate CMS?

You may not have considered the possibility of not having a separate CMS before now. It's important to note, however, that not every ecommerce site needs a content management system. Consider your content strategy plans to determine whether or not you need a separate CMS for your online business.

Ecommerce sites that post new content on a regular basis, whether for the blog or as part of homepage and product page modifications, would benefit from the flexibility of a CMS. You might be able to design your site without one if your store doesn't require regular, real-time content changes.

Furthermore, if you currently have an ecommerce platform that functions as a CMS, you may not require a separate one.

Ecommerce CMS

Still undecided? Consider all of the advantages that a well-chosen CMS can provide.

1. Easily create and change material.

Do you get worried when you think of modifying the information on your website? One of the best features of modern content management systems is how easy they are to use and how little technical knowledge they require. It implies that you or your team can easily handle all content and product updates on your own, allowing you to move marketing campaigns and promotional activities forward faster.

2. Get rid of your dependency on programmers.

Meeting customer expectations is the key to boosting revenue for successful ecommerce firms. You won't be able to retain the speed and agility required to keep your website material fresh if you go through a middleman.

Using an easy-to-use CMS, you may cut down on development time and update the website on your own. Finally, not only will you save time, but you'll be able to use that development budget into other marketing initiatives that will help your business expand. Win-win!

3. Add a new way to reach out to potential customers.

Content should be at the top of your priority list because it is one of the most successful marketing methods for attracting organic visitors.

Few e-commerce firms can afford to be silent on social media in the age of TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram. Creating engaging, relevant content will improve your store's exposure on Google (and other search engines), resulting in more visitors and sales. Consumable content is also a surefire way to build a memorable brand and increase customer loyalty. People nowadays buy in this manner!

A solid CMS aids in the organisation, sharing, and accessibility of your content.And it all happened without a lot of fiddling on the backend.

4. Allow writers to collaborate.

Great work is done in groups. A lot of effort goes into writing high-quality content, from editing to formatting to locating the perfect visual images. For efficient content creation, facilitating team collaboration is critical. A good CMS may also bring everyone on the same page by allowing writers to work directly in the system and take advantage of smart features to improve their material. Better-targeted content, smoother review processes, and a more optimised consumer experience are all benefits of this.

Ecommerce Content Management System Features to Look for

When choosing a content management system, what features should you look for? A deep dive into feature comparison could result in analytical paralysis. You're better off focusing on the fundamental features that will help you build your store, then weighing the benefits and drawbacks of the CMSs you've picked to find the best fit.

1. It's search engine optimised.

On-page SEO for ecommerce sites is all about determining where to place your keywords. It's a way to communicate with web spiders and maintain high search rankings. Basically, the internet's version of smooth-talking.Don't worry if you're not an SEO expert: a good ecommerce CMS will walk you through the process of implementing best practices and optimising your product pages.

Keep an eye out for features that focus on:

URLs of web pages

It's preferable if you spend as little time as possible on it. Google crawls millions of new and updated pages every day. It's no wonder, then, that shorter URLs are preferred. Your website's overall performance will increase if you can remove unnecessary subfolders from your URLs. However, keeping it short isn't the primary criterion.Making the URL comprehensible and including the main keyword might also help you rank higher in search results.

Ecommerce CMS

Meta descriptions and page titles

The page title, also known as the H1 tag, should contain your main keyword. Bonus points if you can put it at the beginning of the title. As the main line of text appearing in search results, it is mostly reliant on keyword optimization. So, even if it sounds tedious, it's well worth the effort!

The meta description is the grey text that displays beneath the page title in search results. While it has no direct impact on page rankings, it can increase click-through rates dramatically. And the better your CTR, the higher your page rankings will be!

On every of your ecommerce store's pages, you must optimise the page names and meta descriptions. To avoid future SEO blunders, make sure your CMS allows you to alter page URLs and has an easy-to-use interface for writing and reviewing meta descriptions. Better yet, include a function that automatically generates page titles and meta descriptions to save you time.

2.  It's simple to improve the user experience (UX).

The high expectations of today's clients must be met by ecommerce websites. Your visitors will depart before making a purchase if you do not provide a nice customer experience. Worse, they aren't planning on returning.

Do you know what to look for in terms of user experience in an ecommerce CMS? These are the most important requirements to check off.

Design solutions that are adaptable

Every interaction matters as clients proceed through their purchase journey on your website. You want to be able to design, update, and manage content layout on every page of your business to deliver a customised, delightful experience.

For store owners with little (or no) coding experience, an easy-to-use CMS is critical.It will allow you to quickly change the look and layout of your store in reaction to industry trends, special events, and promotional offers. Some CMS platforms will also have a number of interfaces and plugins to let store owners execute store-wide promotions and other marketing initiatives.

Content that is mobile-friendly

Mobile shopping is becoming more and more obvious as the way of the future in ecommerce. By 2021, it is estimated to account for 54% of all ecommerce revenues, offering a new challenge to ecommerce merchants. Mobile shop and content optimization should be at the top of your UX priority list if you don't want to fall behind on the mobile commerce bandwagon.

In practice, this entails paying special attention to loading times, mobile navigation, the mobile check-out process, and other UX factors that have an impact on the user experience on mobile devices. Furthermore, the ecommerce CMS you select should simplify the optimization process so that you may obtain higher conversion rates without having to write bespoke code.

Ecommerce CMS

3. It's simple to use.

A CMS should not be a cause of additional stress for a store owner with so many plates to keep spinning. Depending on your developer resources, you might want to seek for a platform that's simple to set up right away and doesn't require a long, drawn-out onboarding process.Regardless of their technical expertise, ecommerce entrepreneurs should be able to move rapidly, try new ideas, and improve the site's UX with a CMS. A CMS should enable ecommerce businesses to move quickly, try new things, and improve, from content updates and plugin integrations to page layout changes and search engine optimization. Regardless of their technical ability, they should be able to enjoy the site's UX.

4. There are a lot of integrations.

The terrible reality is that no CMS is completely error-free. Check how readily the system connects with other tools and plugins if you're looking for a specific feature that isn't included in the core CMS platform or just want to leave your options open in the future. You'd like a seamless connection with your current tech stack (think email platform or analytics tools), as well as the ability to install and activate plugins as needed. It's also important to consider because the amount of integrations available reflects the CMS's popularity and API accessibility.

12 Best Ecommerce Content Management Systems

Prepare yourselves now. It's difficult to pick just one ecommerce CMS platform because there are so many. This is only the tip of the iceberg, but it's an excellent place to start your research and learn about the most popular options.

1. BigCommerce 

With over 60,000 merchants of all shapes and sizes, BigCommerce is one of the most well-known ecommerce systems on the market. BigCommerce's platform is robust enough to support the expansion of fast-growing ecommerce enterprises while also being easy enough to empower total ecommerce newbies, thanks to a variety of built-in features and CMS capabilities. It is a one-stop shop for anything related to ecommerce.

The platform is noted for its advanced SEO integration and flexible APIs, which allow merchants to connect to leading software and other CMS solutions while still using the BigCommerce shopping cart. BigCommerce is a hosted monthly subscription service that is PCI Level 1 compliant.

Contact our sales team to learn more about the BigCommerce platform.

2. WordPress

Although WordPress is the most popular content management system (CMS), it is not an ecommerce platform in and of itself. To turn a WordPress site into an online store, you'll need the WooCommerce plugin.

Because of its enormous number of plugins and templates, the bulk of which are free, the open-source WooCommerce platform is immensely popular. These plugins are useful since they can easily offer capabilities and functionalities that aren't included in the main WooCommerce product. The negative is that having a big number of plugins adds unnecessary complexity to the site and slows it down.

BigCommerce also has a WordPress plugin that is simple to use and adds another layer of functionality.It allows ecommerce companies to combine the frontend flexibility of WordPress with the backend features of the BigCommerce SaaS platform, like abandoned cart recovery, coupons and discounts, and single-page checkout.

1. Drupal

Although Drupal isn't designed primarily for ecommerce, it may be used in conjunction with several plugins and frameworks to provide eCommerce features.It is, in reality, one of the most widely used open-source content management systems, with popularity rivalling that of WordPress and Joomla. Unfortunately, Drupal is not very user-friendly for anyone who aren't extremely familiar with programming (though this is steadily changing for the better).

Drupal commerce, being a content management system (CMS), offers a great deal of flexibility. You get the best of both worlds when you combine it with the BigCommerce plugin: a fully configurable interface and a fully hosted backend.

 2. Joomla

Joomla is another open-source content management system for building and publishing websites. While Joomla doesn't have commerce built-in, there are a number of free extensions that can help you turn your site into an ecommerce store.

 5. Sitecore is a content management system that allows you to manage your website's content:

Sitecore is a well-known digital experience platform that combines design and editing with content, commerce, marketing automation, and personalization. Merchants can use the platform to create digital storefront experiences and deliver personalised commerce trips. With the BigCommerce plugin for Sitefront, you can integrate headless commerce capabilities with Sitecore's rich, built-in content experiences.

6. Magento

Magento is a well-known open-source content management system (CMS) for ecommerce sites.Adobe owns it, and it supports over 260,000 online stores around the world. Magento has integrations with CRM, ERP, chatbots, and other enterprise-level technologies, as well as a robust feature set and a wide extension marketplace. It caters to all types of merchants, but fast-growing and larger businesses favour it due to its sophisticated setup, price alternatives, and development requirements.

7. Shopify 

Shopify is a globally recognised SaaS ecommerce platform. It has become a popular ecommerce platform for startup merchants and small enterprises due to its easy interface and low pricing. That isn't to imply that larger companies can't use the CMS.The number of features provided varies based on the plan you choose, so look through the list before signing up. Shopify provides free customer service 24 hours a day, seven days a week, as well as a separate POS system. The negative is that if you choose a payment provider other than Shopify, you'll have to pay transaction costs.

Ecommerce CMS

8. Prestashop 

Prestashop is another open-source platform with MySQL data management and extensive backend code flexibility. It includes a wide number of add-ons and themes, allowing merchants to create an online store from the ground up with minimal technical knowledge. However, keep an eye on the entire cost, since some of the additions can be pretty expensive.

The good news is that you don't have to be a developer to construct a Prestashop website, which makes it a fantastic alternative for small and medium-sized enterprises. Because of the lack of free support, businesses may ignore Prestashop.

9. OpenCart 

OpenCart is another free and multipurpose open-source ecommerce content management system. It has a thriving plugin marketplace as well as a variety of templates for easy setup. OpenCart includes over 20 payment channels and eight delivery options. Because it is an ecommerce CMS with no monthly fees, it is a popular choice among beginners on a low budget.

10. Wix.

Wix is a popular website builder for small businesses that uses a drag-and-drop interface. Despite the fact that it is not an ecommerce CMS, website owners can add the commerce module if necessary. Wix is an intriguing alternative for total beginners and non-coders because of its range of templates, built-in capabilities, and no-code approach. It might work if you only have a few things and need to get your business up and running quickly. Keep in mind, though, that once you've chosen a template for your business, you won't be able to modify it again.

11. HubSpot

HubSpot is a cutting-edge content management system (CMS) and marketing automation tool. It can easily integrate with ecommerce systems like BigCommerce and Shopify, despite the fact that it lacks ecommerce functionality. Connecting HubSpot to your ecommerce site will allow you to better understand consumer behaviour, automate marketing campaigns, and track and report income streams using specialised reports.

12. Volusion.

Volusion is a cloud-based ecommerce software that focuses on creating no-code web stores. Volusion is a wonderful alternative for mid-sized and bigger enterprises because it has several valuable built-in inventory management, payment collecting, and marketing tools. If you're thinking about using Volusion for your firm, keep in mind that it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in July 2020. While the platform is now operating and available for use, it may not be the best long-term solution.

Is CMS a Better Option?

In website design and ecommerce development, there has been a strong trend toward employing content management systems in recent years. Clients are increasingly requesting the option to maintain their own websites. A content management system (CMS) is software that acts like a library, keeping track of all of the content on your website.

A "content management system" is a tool for organising and managing your material. It is, as the name implies, a back-end tool that allows you to update text, images, and links without having to know HTML. You may even add video, audio, and other buttons to some CMSs. As a result, CMS is required for the building of a highly featured website that will attract a large amount of traffic.

Ecommerce CMS

If you routinely update your site with news, product information, pricing, or other information, using a content management system (CMS) can be beneficial. Having a CMS also allows you to update and publish your material quickly, which saves you money! You can add new products/services, edit product descriptions, and add news about your firm, among other things.

Texts, images, audio, and documents can all be used as content. The CMS might be useful if you want to make your website more stable, versatile, and user-friendly. CMS allows webmasters to manage all parts of their website, whether they wish to add new content, upgrade or delete existing content, or change website templates. A genuine CMS will provide you complete control over your website, allowing you to manage the material in any way you see fit.

When your company model is to provide a high-quality website at a low cost, it makes sense to employ the most cost-effective publishing tool—wordpress as a CMS. Without paying a licence cost, you can use Wordpress for any website you wish. Drupal is also a free software package that enables users to publish, manage, and organise a wide range of website content. Joomla is another content management system (CMS) that allows you to create websites and complex online applications. The best part is that Joomla is an open source solution that is freely available to everyone and is used to power websites of various shapes and sizes all around the world.

Pros- 

1. Routine content maintenance and updating can be done by someone with little or no technical experience once the system is set up.

2. A mature CMS has been subjected to years of testing and development by teams of developers, resulting in a small number of undocumented flaws.

3. Many hosting services provide pre-installed content management systems that you can customise to meet your specific requirements.

4. For many content management systems, ready-made graphics templates are available for purchase or free download.

5. Most content management systems are secure enough to withstand hacker attacks.

6. A CMS-based site can be put up in a shorter amount of time.

7. The use of a content management system (CMS) ensures that the site's layout and design are uniform across all pages.

A highly customised CMS is required for better website building. Without knowing web programming, a well-developed CMS allows you to control Flash animations, gaming, and page production. CMS will also allow you to control navigation and sound.

A CMS is a crucial tool to consider whether you already have a website or are just getting started. It gives you the freedom to manage your own website and allows you to put the money you save towards important website enhancements. The target audience will have no trouble accessing your website using CMS, and you will be able to carve out a niche for your online business. CMS has a number of advantages, one of which is that it takes absolutely little technical knowledge or skill to manage.

6 Benefits of Using CMS Platforms with Ecommerce

Many brands may benefit from a content-first strategy. And there's nothing to be afraid of! Here are a few examples of how combining an ecommerce platform with a separate CMS can help a web store run better.

1. Make a shop out of an existing website.

You probably already have a popular blog and a vibrant community. Perhaps your audience is clamouring for more content, and you're considering monetizing your blog. This sounds like the ideal scenario for combining ecommerce and a content management system! Why upset the apple cart when you already have a CMS in place? Instead of transferring everything to an ecommerce product, you can use a platform like BigCommerce to add a shopping cart to your existing website and assist sales.

2. Websites that are simple to update.

In ecommerce, quickness and creativity are extremely important. You want a sleek, modern site that provides excellent customer service and is simple to manage and update. You want your stakeholders to be empowered and act on their ideas to drive business, whether it's in response to new trends, events, or competition. When you combine a content management system (CMS) with an ecommerce platform, you have the tools and flexibility you need to easily manage your store's content and products.

3. With a content-first strategy, you'll get more visitors.

The fact that content-first ecommerce sites generate a lot more organic traffic is a significant plus. As a result, acquisition expenses are reduced, and web merchants may create a tribe-like community around their brand. Store owners can attract more potential consumers, better understand their preferences, and focus on producing and selling more of what customers really want with enhanced on-page SEO capabilities and other smart content features.

Ecommerce CMS

4. Establishing yourself as an industry thought leader.

It's not easy to raise brand recognition. You can easily become a thought leader or industry influencer if you have particular experience and knowledge that you're ready to offer. This would pique people's interest in your brand, resulting in increased demand for your products. Providing good information on a regular basis will result in profit sooner rather than later!

5. Easily manage orders and inventory.

It's a good business decision to use content marketing and demand generation in a strategic way. However, you must ensure that the ecommerce side of things runs well and is scalable. You won't have to worry about centralised inventory management across many channels, delivery, or secure payment methods with ecommerce systems' extensive capabilities. You'll be able to build your business with confidence this way!

6. Work with payment processors.

Having a secure payment environment will be critical to your company's success. Another major benefit of adding backend ecommerce capabilities to your CMS is the ability to interface with prominent payment gateways, which helps to build trust and credibility in your brand. Even better, integrations are so simple to set up that they only take a few clicks!