One of the most critical decisions a business owner makes is choosing the right content management system (CMS). Unfortunately, the wrong choice can plague marketing, sales, and IT departments for years. Meanwhile, a high-quality CMS can simplify your business operations tremendously.
Among other parameters, you need to choose your CMS’s location. For example, will it be sitting on your local server or on the cloud?
While having an on-premise CMS comes with certain benefits, the entire world is moving to the cloud. The move is going much faster than expected, pushing many companies to consider cloud services.
The World is Moving to the Cloud
While some companies are still using various locally-based programs, the cloud is taking over rather quickly.
Here are a few vital statistics to consider:
• 94% of enterprises already implemented a multiple cloud strategy. (McKinsey and Company) (1)
• In 2021, CIOs expect the proportion of the work done on-premise to drop by 41%. (Deloitte) (2)
• In 2021, the global public cloud infrastructure is expected to grow by 35% (Forrester) (3)
• 68% of CIOs called migrating to a cloud a top IT spending driver in 2020. (Deloitte) (4)
• Companies allocate 32% of IT budgets to cloud computing (IDG Cloud Computing Survey) (5)
Cloud migration got an extra push when the COVID-19 pandemic landed millions of people at home. The convenience of cloud solutions made it easy for businesses to work remotely and reinvent themselves in the lockdown environment.
Why Businesses are Looking into Cloud Solutions
Besides following the trend and staying ahead of the competition, many companies consider cloud solutions for their STAR benefits:
• S — Scalability — cloud solutions are much more flexible than on-premise options. They can be adjusted to the growing business needs immediately.
• T — Timely updates — cloud systems are updated in real-time without any actions on the user’s behalf.
• A — Accessibility — cloud systems are easily accessible by anyone with laptops and internet connections.
• R — Recovery — with all your data stored on remote servers, on-premise hardware losses, and natural disasters don’t affect it. You can always recover data regardless of your location.
A cloud content management system follows the STAR principle, expanding the company’s efficiency and making inbound marketing easier.
Key Benefits of Cloud Content Management Systems
When choosing a CMS, consider opting for a cloud version for the following reasons.
1. Low Startup Costs
The main reason why many businesses opt for cloud content management systems is their low upfront costs. With cloud solutions, you generally pay a monthly or an annual subscription fee for using the service.
With an on-premise system, you have to pay for a license, hosting space, bandwidth rent, and more. Meanwhile, you need to install and test the software, which could lead to downtime.
The simple and inexpensive startup process frees up time and budget for other business operations.
2. Excellent Accessibility
No matter how small your team is, all of its members need access to CMS functionality. Unfortunately, with on-premise systems, it can be tough to set up flexible accessibility so all the content creators can work simultaneously. Especially, if the creators are out of the office.
With a cloud CMS, you can access the content anytime and from anywhere as long as you have a proper device and internet connection, streamlining your content marketing efforts.
In 2021, the number of workers permanently working from home is expected to double (6). With these figures in mind, such accessibility makes a huge difference.
3. Instantaneous Maintenance
When it comes to maintenance, on-premise cloud systems require close attention. You need to monitor the latest updates, install them timely, and keep an eye on security loopholes.
With a cloud content management system, all updates are done by the provider instantaneously without extra fees. Meanwhile, cloud systems add an extra layer of security to your data, making sure it’s less susceptible to security breaches.
4. Increased Employee Productivity and Satisfaction
Cloud content management systems are convenient. According to Forrester (7), usability is the third most significant benefit of cloud CMS. In addition, companies that moved their content management to the cloud didn’t just see productivity spikes; they noticed a higher employee satisfaction rate.
Simplified access coupled with quick deployment and a low learning curve made cloud CMS convenient for content creators and digital marketing managers.
5. Compliance
Data security is currently on the agenda of all businesses, regardless of their size. However, with new regulations like GDPR and CCPA, organizations often struggle to follow all the rules while staying on top of their game.
High-quality cloud CMS provides the necessary functionality to keep the data secure while making it easily available to competent parties.
Benefits of an On-Premise CMS
While a cloud content management system is an excellent choice for the majority of companies, some businesses stick to an on-premise CMS for the following reasons:
• Security requirements — if a company is a government contractor, it might be required to keep the data on a local server. This is likely to change in the nearest future since cloud operations are becoming more and more secure by the minute.
• Comfort zone — businesses that have been using on-premise CMS for years may be reluctant to switch. These companies usually have a poor understanding of the migration process.
• System integration — when deploying a CMS, integrating with other systems may be easier when done on-premise.
As cloud systems are becoming more and more sophisticated, the advantages of using an on-premise CMS are slowly losing their relevance.
The Takeaway: Which CMS is Right for Me?
Unless you are held back by your industry’s data regulations or a government contract’s requirement, consider choosing a cloud CMS. Its overwhelming benefits can simplify your company’s operations while helping it stay ahead of the competition.
If you already have an on-premise CMS, you may want to consider a switch. With the entire world moving to the cloud, such systems are likely to become obsolete in the nearest future.
By making the change today, you can immediately avoid a rush and take full advantage of cloud CMS benefits.
