Content management systems remain to be a big question mark to some web developers and web marketers. They are missing an important factor in website development by being naive to CMS. To help webmasters and web developers get the benefit of CMS, here are some of the frequently asked questions about CMS and their answers:

What is CMS?
CMS stands for “Content Management System”. This is a system that helps in maintaining an expanding website. It aims to make content and structure expansion easier.

What does CMS create?
Content management systems store data in a database. It makes pages only when a site visitor asks or searches for it. This is useful especially for websites that constantly update their information. So when a site visitor asks for a specific page, the system will display the page being searched for. Some systems cache every new page and create a new one only when some changes are made.

Is CMS useful in publishing sites on different platforms?
Content management systems are very useful in ensuring that your website appears at its best in different platforms. CMS allows you to create different templates that are suitable to different platforms. This can be done without changing anything with the content.

Is CMS being used now?
Most large organizations are already using content management systems. Many companies prefer to use CMS because of its promising features and benefits in terms of web content, structure maintenance, and its tremendous potential for expansion.

What is the cost of CMS?
The cost varies depending on the supplier. Some may charge a large amount but also include training on its usage. Others are cheap and sometimes even free.

Will there be website restrictions if I use CMS?
Content management systems often break up the presentation and content by using templates. There are systems that restrict templating and some that do not. There are also systems that impose restrictions on how the site is hosted. So when looking for a CMS, consider asking the supplier about the restrictions of the system.

Can I use my existing data base?
In choosing a CMS service, be sure that the system can be easily linked to your existing database. This makes everything much easier. Easy linking of the existing database with the system is often a big relief for website owners.

About the Author
This article is written by nPresence, an online web marketing agency that specializes in Search Engine Optimization, Pay Per Click advertising, Content Management Systems, Web Design, Conversion Tracking and Analysis. For all your web marketing needs, please visit Content Management System.
Submitted by nPresence
Source: ArticleTrader.com

The elements of website designing are the building blocks constituting a designed webpage. If you aim to create effective and powerful web pages, it is crucial for you to have an in-depth understanding of the five basic elements, fundamental to web-page designing.

These five elements are:

• Lines and line work
• Shape
• Texture
• Color
• Direction

How lines figure in the web page design - Lines are basic elements of web designing that are used to add style. Along with contributing to style, lines serve to enhance readability and comprehension of a design. They can be used either as a border around an element or as a divider to separate different elements. Lines can also be used as decorations or for accentuating contours around elements.

Shapes in web-designing - Shapes as basic design elements are made up of closed contours and/or by placing 2 dimensional or 3 dimensional objects in the design. Shapes can be categorized into three basic types: geometric, natural and abstract. They are used to convey meaning, organize information and can be used in several other ways also. For example, they can serve to add interest, sustain interest, guide eye direction around the design and help organize/separate elements in the design. Geometric shapes in design consist of rectangles, squares, circles, triangles and diamonds and are usually created by layout and CSS. Natural shapes, as the name suggests are those, which are commonly found in nature such as trees, ponds, puddles and leaves etc. Abstract shapes refer to those, which though possessing a recognizable form are in fact, not real. For example, a stick figure drawing of a horse is an abstract shape different from that of the picture of a real horse, which constitutes a natural shape. Abstract shapes are added in web-designs by using images. Some examples of abstract shapes are alphabet glyphs, icons, symbols etc.

Texture - Texture in website designing refers to a feel of the surface of the webpage and is the tactile part of the elements of web-design. Although texture of a webpage is visual, you are able to generate an illusion of smoothness/roughness/hardness or softness through introducing natural or artificial textures in your design. Texture in web-design is applied in several ways; e.g. through suitably textured backgrounds, special emphasis or by using stylized design features such as etchings or engravings. Incorporating texture in web-pages through background images is the most commonly used technique. You must however, remember that even when you do not use a special texture background, things may still possess an approximate texture. For example, images without backgrounds will have the texture of the images. Moreover, several elements present on a page provide a combination to present a textured look.

Color - Color is one design element to which all website designers pay the most attention. However, color is not an essential element of designing. The best way is to create a design in black and white and later on add color in bits to enhance design effects. Color is used in designs, in images, backgrounds, text foregrounds and accents. While in the foreground, colors are used in fonts and text color, in the background color is used to change the background of the element in the foreground. Color is also applied to borders around elements. It is added to web pages through images/photographs. For flat color GIF images and for photographic and multi-color JPEG images are used.

Direction - this is one of the most important aspects of web-design. An intelligently designed site incorporates a sense of direction across the design, meant to deliberately lead the visitor’s eye to whatever the designer wants the viewer to see. Direction can be horizontal, vertical or diagonal.

By: Peter Brittain
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