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How Can I Implement Cloud Based CMS into My Business
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No business can overlook the importance of a content management system (CMS) in today’s digital world. It’s a computer software that allows businesses to create and modify digital content on websites without the need to code it from the grassroots level. When the software application is integrated with cloud computing technology, businesses get access to servers, files, storage, and software through internet-connected devices. That’s what cloud-based CMS is all about.
Using a traditional CMS (also called legacy platforms) required businesses to purchase a license or download the free version. Then they can host their CMS on their on-premise service or pay a hosting company to manage the system. This is where a cloud-based CMS is different because it does away with the need for an on-premise server to maintain the CMS. The hosting part is taken care of by the CMS vendor, who can do the job with minimum involvement of yours.
A cloud-based CMS comes with a range of benefits for businesses. It saves businesses time and manual effort by hosting the CMS centrally on the cloud. It often uses cloud computing services like Google Cloud, Amazon AWS, or Microsoft Azure for the purpose. This means businesses can leverage the architecture offered by these cloud services. At the same time, the CMS vendor takes care of hosting, deployment, updates, security, and regular maintenance. As such, businesses can not only save time but also money because they don’t have to hire a dedicated IT team to manage the CMS.
How to Migrate to a Cloud-based CMS?
Now that we have given an overview of what a cloud-based CMS is and how businesses can benefit from it, the next step is to switch from a traditional CMS to a cloud-based CMS. Let’s take you through the steps here:
1. Analysis of the current CMS situation
Before implementing a cloud-based CMS, businesses have to survey the field to identify and eliminate internal hindrances. Firstly, it’s important to get all key stakeholders on board because they are the ones who would be using the cloud-based CMS. Their inputs are valuable in the migration process. Secondly, C-suite executives and key stakeholders should come up with a strategic plan to address various aspects of the migration. These include employee productivity, operating cost, compliance, security policies, and resource management. Once a business gets an idea of its current CMS situation, it can proceed to choose a cloud-based CMS.
2. Choosing a cloud-based CMS
After solidifying their decision to migrate to a cloud-based CMS, it’s time for them to go through their options and pick a suitable one. A cloud-based CMS that does not demand much technical expertise and provides an easy mechanism to implement the latest upgrades and features cost-effectively would be ideal. It should be easy to use and its implementation should be straightforward. Most importantly, the solution should be adaptable, flexible, and scalable, meaning it should grow as the business grows. It should have advanced built-in security features to keep web data safe and should provide customization options to control the functionality, theme, etc. of the website.
3. Building a team
A cloud-based CMS may be easier to install and implement compared to a traditional CMS, but that does not mean the migration can be handled single-handedly. Businesses need a team to help with the migration process. Building a migration team is important to ensure that the process flows smoothly. The team, which can be made up of an IT leader, an executive, and a business leader, should have specific skill sets and should be empowered to finalize key decisions. A project manager, system administrator, compliance specialist, and security specialist are crucial roles that a business has to fill while planning to migrate to a cloud-based CMS.
4. Setting timelines and workloads
After setting up a team, a business will have to set timelines for different stages of the migration process. Scheduling has a huge role to play in the successful migration to a cloud-based CMS. The migration team will have to set achievable milestones and fulfill staffing needs to meet project deadlines. Also, it’s essential to have a solid Proof of Concept before testing can begin. Businesses will have to lead the migration to the cloud with a couple of workloads, applications, and services, all of which should be set in advance. The team can keep tabs on technical progress by using data, which in turn can help them to adjust timelines and track business outcomes.
5. Decommissioning on-premise CMS infrastructure
With end-to-end migration from an on-prem CMS platform to a cloud-based CMS, the decision of a business to decommission an on-prem CMS infrastructure is simplified. After conducting successful testing of a cloud-based CMS, a business can start powering down the infrastructure and follow through with necessary details, such as financial write-offs, data center or server room lease agreements, and hardware considerations. Decommissioning an on-premise infrastructure in a hybrid deployment can be complex because some services are kept operational to support a cloud deployment. A thorough testing phase should ensure easy realignment. Also, a business has to have a disaster recovery plan to provide a shield against any difficulties the company may face.
6. Making the final move to the cloud
It’s time to finally enjoy the benefits of cloud technology. After migrating datasets and workloads to the cloud-based CMS, businesses get ample opportunities to optimize the deployment. They can set measurable optimization goals and avoid redundant resource usage and expenses. The cloud deployment of the business should be properly audited to establish that best data security practices are being followed. The cloud CMS vendor or DXP provider a business decides to work with should provide the necessary tools to make the process more convenient.
Final Thoughts
Migrating from an on-premise CMS is no longer about just saving money and reducing website maintenance work. It’s important for businesses to know that the larger their digital footprint becomes, the more complex it becomes to protect on-premise CMS from cyberattacks and scale it. However, the aforementioned steps should help businesses seamlessly implement a cloud-based CMS. It’s time to start creating meaningful digital experiences efficiently and conveniently!
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About Shane Avron
Shane Avron is a freelance writer, specializing in business, general management, enterprise software, and digital technologies. In addition to Flevy, Shane's articles have appeared in Huffington Post, Forbes Magazine, among other business journals.
