CMS Jam Content Management Systems: News and Resources

What is a hosted CMS? A hosted CMS is one in which the company that created the CMS software is also the company that hosts your site. A hosted CMS is very tempting to use because all of the installation and upgrade hassle (no matter how easy it is) is in the hands of someone else. With a hosted CMS, all you have to worry about is creating content, right? Well, not exactly. The biggest worry of choosing a hosted CMS is that of lack of control. By placing control of your site in another company’s hands, you run some very real risks.

• What happens if the company folds? Does your site and all its content simply vanish?
• What happens if the company uses inferior servers or the service goes down more than it stays up? Do you just have to live with it?
• What happens if you have some kind of “falling out” with the company? Will they simply delete your site?

I always recommend keeping your domain name registrar separate from your hosting company so that there is never one company in control of both your domain name and your site. For similar reasons, I recommend that you always install your CMS software (or blog software, or any application software) on a web host of your choice instead of opting for the hosted version provided by the software provider.

You want to have the flexibility to move your site to another web host at any time. Web hosts can be very unreliable, and once a host goes bad, you don’t want to be forced to stay with it.

If the CMS you are considering using only comes in a hosted version, look around for another CMS. The convenience of a hosted solution can soon feel like a ball and chain tying you down when you need to move a site fast. Don’t get chained to one provider.