Seven questions to ask yourself when selecting the best CMS for your news organization
Learn the key considerations for choosing a top-tier digital partner, from seamless integration and peak traffic handling to trusted partnerships and extensive customization options.
Discover the key factors to think about when choosing the best CMS for your newspaper or broadcast news organization.
Choosing a Content Management System (CMS) partner is one of the most crucial decisions for any news organization, whether you're running a bustling newspaper or a dynamic broadcast station. The right CMS can streamline your operations, enhance your digital presence, and ensure that you deliver timely, engaging content to your audience. But with so many options out there, how do you choose? Here are seven key factors to consider when selecting the best CMS for your news organization.
Is the CMS purpose-built for news sites?
One of the first things to look for in a CMS is whether it's specifically designed for news websites. General-purpose CMS platforms will often require extensive customization to meet the unique needs of newsrooms, which can be both time-consuming and costly.
A content management solution built from the ground up for news organizations will incorporate critical capabilities like editorial workflows, multimedia integration, advertising support, and audience development right out of the box.
Is it a fully-integrated solution?
A news organization's requirements extend far beyond content management. You need a partner that integrates everything from audience development and digital advertising to video management and analytics into a single, seamless solution. This integration allows you to take control of your entire digital operation from one platform, enhancing efficiency and reducing overhead.
A fully-integrated solution helps streamline your workflows, slash costs, and reduce vendor creep.
Is the platform scalable and reliable?
Peak traffic periods are a given for news websites—whether it's breaking news, election results, or any other major event. Your CMS must handle these spikes without compromising performance.
Look for a provider equipped with high-availability data centers that deliver +99.99% uptime and limitless scalability. This ensures your site remains accessible and performs optimally, even during the most critical moments.
Is it a partner you can trust?
The longevity and reliability of the digital partners you work with are paramount. Start-ups can be appealing, but will they be around a year from now? And open-source solutions might seem cost-effective until you're left managing and customizing them with limited IT resources—free software can be extremely expensive in the long run.
Choosing an established industry partner with a longstanding commitment to supporting news organizations means you can trust them to be there when you need them, providing stability and peace of mind.
Do they offer comprehensive support?
Support is more than just a helpdesk email address; it's about having a robust system in place to assist you at every step. Look for a CMS partner that offers 24/7 customer support, a comprehensive help center and ticketing system, training resources, and detailed documentation. This level of support ensures that your team can quickly resolve issues, stay updated with the latest features, and continuously optimize your use of the CMS to grow revenue and boost efficiency.
Are they serious about security?
Security is a cornerstone of any robust digital operation. Ensure that your CMS partner provides advanced security measures to protect your data. Implementing stringent protocols to safeguard your information is crucial for any news organization, ensuring that your sensitive content and reader data remain secure at all times.
Will the platform grow with you?
Every news organization has unique needs, so flexibility and customization options are crucial. Look for a CMS that allows you to create a user experience that aligns with your brand and meets the unique demands of your newsroom. The best CMS partner will empower you with a complete ecosystem of fully-integrated solutions, in addition to core CMS capabilities. These can include:
Audience development: Tools to grow and engage your readership.
Digital advertising: Comprehensive ad management solutions to maximize revenue.
Video management: Easy integration, distribution, and monetization of video content.
Data & analytics: In-depth reporting to track performance and make data-driven decisions.
Digital publishing: Robust tools for creating and distributing print/digital editions.
When you select the right digital partner, all of these solutions will work together seamlessly, supporting every aspect of your digital strategy.
Takeaway: The best CMS for news organizations
Choosing the best CMS for news is a critical decision for any news organization. The right digital partner can help streamline your operations, enhance your digital presence, and ensure that you deliver timely, engaging content to your audience. BLOX Digital offers solutions that are purpose-built for news organizations, providing a fully-integrated system with scalability, reliability, and comprehensive support. Our longstanding commitment to supporting news organizations means you can trust us to be there whenever you need, providing stability and peace of mind.
Maximize revenue and streamline your multimedia content production with the media industry's leading digital platform.
Ready to transform your newsroom with a CMS built for the future of news? BLOX Digital's full stack of integrated digital solutions can help you achieve your goals and ensure your organization is ready for whatever comes next:
Streamline your operations: Simplify your workflows and reduce redundancies, empowering your team to focus on creating quality content.
Expand your reach: Advanced audience development and multimedia content distribution capabilities ensure that your audience keeps growing—and that you’re engaging them on all devices and platforms.
Add new revenue streams: Increase advertising and reader revenue through advanced managed programmatic and innovative dynamic paywall solutions.
Enhance your digital presence: Publish breaking news and tell stories that captivate your readers with rich multimedia experiences.
Augment your UX: Deliver a seamless and engaging user experience, making it easy for visitors to navigate your site and interact with your organization on all platforms.
Grow without limits: BLOX Digital’s solutions are backed by a world-class, +99.99%-uptime infrastructure to guarantee minimal downtime and fast load times, ensuring your site remains accessible and responsive around the clock.
Get help when you need it: Our dedicated client services team, easy Help Center, comprehensive documentation site, and innovative BLOX University are here to make sure you have the training and support you need, and that issues—though rare—are addressed efficiently.
By considering these factors, you'll be well-equipped to choose a partner—like BLOX Digital—that not only meets your current needs but also supports your organization's growth and future success.
Ready to take the next step? Contact us today to learn more about how BLOX Digital can transform your newsroom.
