HTML Website or CMS Website?

3 years ago

Great websites aren’t just born… They’re created. Whether you’re working with an HTML website or a CMS website, someone had to dig in, get their hands dirty, and lovingly craft some text snippets and graphics into a full-blown experience for your visitors to enjoy.

Think “that scene” in Ghost, but instead of Patrick Swayze, it’s a web developer. Then, replace Demi Moore with your website. Throw some code on the pottery wheel, and bada bing, you’ve got a perfect metaphor for the deep, but ultimately tragic, love that goes into the web development process.

Of course, you play a part in all this romance, too. You get to be Jerry Zucker, director of Ghost and other hit films like “Rat Race,” and “Airplane!” In this role, you decide just how your web developer molds the clay and what tools they use to do it.

One of those key decisions is whether you want an HTML-based site or a CMS-hosted site. Both have their benefits, and those benefits shine when you deploy them for an appropriate purpose. You wouldn’t use porcelain clay for an ashtray, just like you wouldn’t use an HTML site for a blog that you update daily.

Building an HTML Site vs. CMS site

Technically speaking, all websites are made up of HTML elements, even the ones that are hosted on CMS platforms. By combining HTML with CSS, PHP, and JavaScript, all of the incredible things a website can do become a reality.

So, if you have a pre-existing HTML site, it’s not terribly difficult to move it over to a CMS. However, trying to do the opposite would be next to impossible. Innumerable pieces of code would be rendered unuseable once it moves off of its home platform.

In most cases, people who have HTML sites without a CMS platform to host it on need custom coding and a lot of unique features. CMS platforms like WordPress, while powerful, still have limits, while talented developers know exactly which elements are needed to make your site goals happen.

CMS Pros and Cons

CMS websites are ideal for businesses who plan to make regular updates, like blog content or product updates.

Pros

Easy to collaborate across teams. Multiple users can log in to make changes.
Pre-built templates make it easy to quickly select a generic design if the goal is to get your site live as soon as possible.
Quickly add new pages and basic elements, like photos, videos, and content, with the click of a button.
A wide array of plugins are available that make your site more friendly and useable.
SEO plugins help you appeal to search engine algorithms.

Cons

While most CMS platforms start off free, high-quality plugins and themes can quickly add up.
If you truly want to hone in on your branding and promote it through your site, some technical knowledge of HTML is critical.
There is a learning curve associated with CMS platforms, and no two are alike. If you decide to switch, you’ll need to relearn the interface.
Updates often have to be manually deployed by someone who understands how to run them.
Often much slower-loading than static HTML pages.

HTML Pros and Cons

For custom-branded landing pages or campaign platforms that won’t change often, you can’t beat the huge range of style options that an HTML site offers.

Pros

Virtually limitless options for features and design.
Extremely snappy loading, which is cited as one of the most important features for visitors.
There is a low barrier to entry for learning basic HTML.
No costs are associated with writing HTML code. Because it’s the default online language, users won’t need software to get started.

Cons

Even minor text changes require coding knowledge.
It’s easy to miss errors, leading to “broken code.”
Writing HTML code is time-consuming. Even static pages take much longer to build with HTML than they would on a CMS.
Decreased security features, as there are none built-in like there is with CMS platforms.
The code can change, which means older elements have to be rewritten.

So, Which Do I Choose?

The final call of how a client wants their site built entirely depends on the capabilities of the web developer they hire. In general, though, modern sites are run through a CMS because they’re easier to edit, manage, and maintain.

That doesn’t mean that HTML doesn’t serve a purpose. In addition to being the building block of all pages online, there is no end to the design and personalization options available.

Whatever you need, know that NATIV3 has you covered. We understand the ins and outs of website building, whether you want a static, from-scratch HTML landing page or a dynamic, full-featured CMS website.

Let us know what your site goals are, and we’ll get started building exactly what you need.