Software as a Service Solution (SaaS) CMS platform pros & cons
SaaS solutions are a paradigm shift from the normal website CMS platforms, like in the CRM industry where Salesforce disrupted the traditional CRM vendors, SaaS is starting to become more prevalent.
SaaS CMS pros
Here are some of the pros of SaaS CMS platforms:
1. Feature Rich
SaaS platforms are developed once and used by everyone in the community, this means they are designed to be easy to use and have lots of features to help drive your online business.
2. No maintenance/upkeep
All the maintenance work – fixing bugs, maintaining infrastructure – is taken care of by the CMS provider.
3. Regular updates
SaaS solutions upgrade their platforms continuously, making sure you’re always up to date with the latest features.
4. No installation
All installation work is taken care of by the CMS provider. All the applications are pre-built and working in production. You can sign-up, pay the monthly fee, and start using the CMS right away.
5. Pay-as-you-go model
SaaS solutions typically offer monthly payment plans. Instead of paying a big upfront licensing fee, you pay for each month that you use the CMS. This brings down costs substantially.
6. Security
Since the CMS is installed away from the premises, you can take advantage of established processes and infrastructure to reduce security risks. Any decent SaaS solution would also have strong backups and a recovery process in case of security concerns.
7. Scalability
Since SaaS solutions are usually hosted in the cloud, they can scale with your demand. A sudden burst of viral traffic wouldn’t take your site down.
8. Service Level Agreements
Most SaaS CMS vendors will offer a minimum uptime promise, backup and redundancy plans.
SaaS CMS Cons
Here are some of the cons of SaaS CMS platforms
1. Customization
SaaS CMS platforms aren’t development platforms so you can’t dramatically change how the core application works to suit your needs.
2. Support
Since the CMS vendor is responsible for all installation and maintenance, you are essentially dependent on a third party for your support. If the support isn’t good, you can’t jump in and fix things yourself.
3. Security
Again, with a Saas CMS, you give away your security to a third party. For most businesses, this shouldn’t be an issue, but if you deal with sensitive data, this loss of control over security can be a concern.