Some of my clients have requested to add their own content to the websites I have designed. How can I design a template for them and then allow them to add their own content.

I would be grateful if any one could point me in the right direction and advise me if what are the best CMS's out there and which are the easiest to set-up and maintain.

Thanks

Without doubt I'd say Joomla There is a reasonably steep learning curve associated with it but once you've cracked it you'll have no need for Dreamweaver any more

I have used WordPress successfully for a couple of clients. The massive number of plug-ins available for the platform is an advantage over many other CMSes IMO.

For a really simple alternative for small websites see my signature.

Whatever CMS you look at always consider whether your customer will be able to understand how to use it. Many of the free solutions can be very confusing for non-tecchie types.

I have used Joomla for a lot of different projects, both personal and professional, and I highly agree with it. Take it to it, and it allows your clients to have a lot more flexibility/

Hi There -

A couple of options for you. First, I agree that WordPress makes a great CMS (did you know it won a best CMS award from PAKT publishing this year... NOT a best Blog software award?) and it is easier to use than the competition. Joomla is good... just more complex.

Second idea... go with a Hosting company that offers a free website builder that is easy to use. Build the site using that builder, and do the graphics, etc. Then let them take over and maintain their pages. See our sister site, WebFaddsHosting.com to take a free test-run of one such builder - "SiteBuilder."

Yours,
Scott

I have started and abandoned two Joomla! sites this past 6 months. I spent a ton of time trying to learn how to best modify them to my needs, but nothing ever seemed to work! =(

I find Wordpress much easier, in fact I have 2 Wordpress blogs and an MU installation on my webspace!

I asked this same question on another forum last week. After testing the several that were suggested (including Joomla and ExpressionEngine) and after reading a very nice tutorial on WordPress, I settled with that. When you create a WordPress template, you don't need to add all the extra blogging junk and you can use it as strictly a CMS system. I'm certainly happy with it and will be offering my customized version as an option for clients.

It is best to consult with the client and get his full expectations and put it to convert orders and make it in freelancers or forums and get experience from it, then by the next you start to make it....

Another vote for Wordpress . It's a great thing, it's free and it's fairly easy to setup. On top of that, there are MANY plugins you can add along with ample support for those who need it.

Good luck.

Originally Posted by OSWebMaster

Hi There -

A couple of options for you. First, I agree that WordPress makes a great CMS (did you know it won a best CMS award from PAKT publishing this year... NOT a best Blog software award?) and it is easier to use than the competition. Joomla is good... just more complex.

Second idea... go with a Hosting company that offers a free website builder that is easy to use. Build the site using that builder, and do the graphics, etc. Then let them take over and maintain their pages. See our sister site, WebFaddsHosting.com to take a free test-run of one such builder - "SiteBuilder."

Yours,
Scott

Doesn't this count as a link drop/self-promo?

On the subject of the CMS thing, if you can, DIY it...you'll be better able to build something to fit your customer's business needs and better able to modify/grow it since it'll be something you worked on from the beginning.

If that's not an option...I"d have to go with WordPress, but only because it's the only "standard" CMS software I've used. It's not good if your customer wants to do anything like post code samples or unusual stuff, but if it's something fairly mundane it should work.

Another vote for Wordpress, extremely easy to use. Who would want to hand-code something their not going to get paid a lot to do ? It's just a waste of time, unless the client specifically wants it and wants to fork over the money , then it that case it's worth it .

You already voted once, JD. You only get one vote.