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Suggestion for CMSMS Web site

Posted: Sat Jun 21, 2008 6:17 pm
by casidougal
I think CMSMS could greatly benefit itself and those trying to decide if they should choose CMSMS to include a prominent "Why CMSMS" section.

I believe that this is the foremost question that most new visitors to this site are asking and I don't think it's answered presently. The site comes across as too technical for many potential users.  I'm not saying that the current technically oriented content needs to be changed, just a few key sections added that are written in clear non-technical language:
  • Why CMS Made Simple: A focus on the unique values . . . what does CMSMS do better than anyone else.
  • Benefits need to be explained with the features e.g. http://www.cmsmadesimple.org/features
  • CMSMS vs Wordpress I suspect that this is the most common alternative that new visitors are considering
I'm a huge fan of CMSMS and I would be willing to help someone who has the best perspective to hone these messages  . . . I don't think it would take much effort and I believe it would add a lot of benefit to the site messaging and would facilitate the continued growth of CMSMS.

Re: Suggestion for CMSMS Web site

Posted: Sat Jun 21, 2008 6:32 pm
by calguy1000
Have you seen the 'About' page ?

Re: Suggestion for CMSMS Web site

Posted: Sat Jun 21, 2008 7:25 pm
by casidougal
Actually no . . . thanks for pointing it out. It's ironic since I was just looking for such info. I can't claim to represent the average visitor but I think that may speak to my point that it needs to be more prominent.

The About page looks to be a FAQ page, but yes the second FAQ is the nucleus for a more refined "Why CMSMS" page although I suggest the copy needs to be reworked to speak to the less technically oriented prospect, reworded to specifically state what/why CMSMS is the best, and to reinforce the value that CMSMS is Simple . . . the first sentence probably loses a lot of visitors: "CMS Made Simple is an open source (GPL) package, built using PHP that provides website developers with a simple, easy to use utility to allow building small-ish (dozens to hundreds of pages), semi-static websites."

Take a look at WordPress.com . . . I think they could do a better job but at least one of the very first links in the body of the front page takes the visitor to: http://wordpress.com/features/ . . . the style and clarity of their messages is similar to what I'm suggesting.  I don't think WordPress.org does a very good job however.