Customizing your CMS can help you create a more efficient and effective website. By making the process of managing your content and data easier, you can spend more time focusing on the things that matter — like creating compelling content and converting leads.

However, before you start customizing your CMS, you should have a clear understanding of what you need and want out of your website. This will help you make informed decisions about what to change and what to leave alone.

In this post, we’ll look at how to customize your CMS and provide some tips to help you get started.

1. Use a CMS That Allows You to Customize

Not all CMSs are created equal. Some, like WordPress, are open-source and allow you to customize your website to your heart’s content. Others, like Wix, are more limited in the types of customizations you can make.

Before you start customizing your CMS, make sure it’s the right one for your business. If you’re undergoing eCommerce migration, choosing a CMS that supports flexibility and integration is crucial to maintaining a seamless transition.

2. Install Custom Plugins

One of the best things about CMS platforms is that they offer a variety of plugins that can be added to your website to increase its functionality.

You can find plugins for everything from SEO to social media integration to security. Using plugins allows you to add new features to your website without having to create them from scratch.

Many CMS platforms offer a marketplace where you can browse and download plugins. You can also find plugins on third-party websites.

In addition to using existing plugins, you can also have custom plugins created for your website. This allows you to add features that are unique to your business.

When you’re deciding which plugins to use, make sure to consider how they will affect your website’s performance. Too many plugins can slow down your website, so it’s important to be selective.

3. Create a Dashboard With the Information You Need

A dashboard is a great way to see all of your website’s information in one place. You can add widgets to your dashboard to display information such as the number of visitors to your site, the most popular pages, the number of leads you’ve generated, and more.

You can also create multiple dashboards for different team members or different aspects of your business. For example, you could have a sales dashboard that shows the number of leads generated, the number of leads closed, and the total revenue generated. You could also have a marketing dashboard that shows the number of visitors to your site, the number of leads generated, and the number of customers acquired.

4. Add Custom Fields to Your CMS

Most CMS platforms come with a set of default fields that you can use to add content to your website. But what if you need to add a field that’s not included in the default set?

For example, let’s say you have a real estate website and you want to add a field for the number of bedrooms in a property. This is not a default field in most CMS platforms, but you can easily add it as a custom field.

Custom fields allow you to add new types of content to your website and organize it in a way that makes sense for your business. This can be a huge time-saver for your team and can help you avoid creating a cluttered or confusing website.

5. Make the Most of Your CMS’s Taxonomy

A taxonomy is a way of organizing content. For example, you might have a taxonomy for your blog that includes categories like “How To,” “Case Studies,” and “News.”

When you use a taxonomy, you can filter your content by category and display it in different areas of your website. This is a great way to keep your content organized and make sure it gets seen by the right people.

You can also use taxonomies to organize other types of content in your CMS, like products and services. This is a great way to make sure that your website visitors can easily find what they’re looking for.

6. Use Shortcodes

Shortcodes are a feature in WordPress that allows you to add complex content, like a contact form or a gallery, to your website without having to write the code for it.

Instead, you can use a simple shortcode to add the content to your page.

If you find yourself using the same pieces of content over and over again, you can create your own shortcodes to make your life even easier.

7. Set Up Custom Post Types

In most CMSs, you can create custom post types to organize the different types of content you want to publish. This is especially useful for blogs and websites that publish a lot of content on a regular basis. It can also help you create a cleaner, more organized look and feel for your website.

For example, if you have an e-commerce website, you might want to create custom post types for your products, blog posts, and landing pages. This will allow you to organize your content and create a more user-friendly experience for your customers.

8. Create a Custom Theme

One of the most popular ways to customize a CMS is by creating a custom theme. A theme is a collection of files that control the look and feel of your website, including the layout, fonts, colors, and more.

Most CMS platforms come with a variety of pre-built themes you can choose from, but if you want to stand out and create a truly unique website, you should consider creating a custom theme.

If you don’t have the time or resources to build a theme from scratch, you can also hire a web designer to create a custom theme for you. There are also many third-party theme marketplaces where you can purchase pre-built themes and customize them to fit your needs.

9. Use a Page Builder Plugin

Page builders are plugins that allow you to create custom page layouts without having to write code. This is a great way to speed up the design process and create a consistent look and feel for your website.

Page builders come with a variety of pre-made modules, such as text, images, videos, sliders, and more. You can simply drag and drop these modules onto your page to create a custom layout. You can also add your own custom modules to the page builder.

Some popular page builders include Elementor, Beaver Builder, and Divi. Check to see if your CMS has a built-in page builder or if there are any page builder plugins that are compatible with your CMS.

10. Consider a Headless CMS

Many businesses are now turning to headless CMS platforms, which allow you to publish content to any channel or device via an API.

This means you can create content once, and then repurpose it across multiple platforms, such as websites, mobile apps, and even IoT devices.

With a headless CMS, you can create custom content models and organize your content in any way you see fit. You also have complete control over the design and layout of your website, and you can easily make changes without having to worry about breaking anything.

Headless CMS platforms are a great option for businesses that need to publish content across multiple channels and devices. They can also help you save time and improve efficiency by allowing you to create and manage your content in one place.

11. Use a CMS for Content and a Separate System for eCommerce

If you have an online store, it’s a good idea to use a separate system for your eCommerce needs.

This is because eCommerce sites require a lot of additional features and functionality that a standard CMS may not be able to provide.

For example, you may need to set up a shopping cart, a payment gateway, inventory management tools, and more.

By using a separate system for your eCommerce needs, you can ensure that your site has all the features and functionality it needs to run smoothly.

Conclusion

All in all, WordPress is a highly flexible content management system that can be customized to fit your needs. It allows you to add custom code for design and functionality, and even provides plugins to help you customize your website even further.