2013 is looking like it will be the smallest volume of client website content updates we’ve ever done. Of course, we could have said that in 2012, and in 2011, etc.
And that’s just fine with us.
More and more sites are built with content management systems (CMS) that allow the client to directly update their site. I cannot remember the last time we built a site that didn’t include one, it has been years. With a bit of training of the customer, and the proper interest by the customer, the reason for the majority of updates that we used to do in the five years of this century and the last few years of last century is gone.
There are still updates we do from time to time for clients that have a CMS, but these become more like special requests rather than the standard flow of work – tricky items, or what are actually design or layout issues, that are treated as updates. And that’s fine, but the continuing swing away from regular website updates allows for development into more interesting technology application areas and away from what was generally a text conversion process.
Unless you truly have a static site – one with almost no changes from year to year – it makes sense to incorporate a CMS in your site for purposes of both functionality (so you can make the content change when you are ready to make the change) and cost (paying for design labor once rather than update labor over and over again). When the time comes to design or redesign your web site – a CMS most likely should be part of your plan.
If you’re curious about industry trends and statistics about the various CMS options, you can find interesting reports here and here.