As someone who has spent years in the marketing sector, I understand the frustration of maintaining a smart, well-functioning website without relying on a development team, whether outsourced or internal. The constant need to update, refine, and build new pages for better engagement on a marketing website often feels overwhelming. However, with the advent of new website tools, it has never been easier to create a site that truly works for you and aligns with your digital marketing strategy.
Simplifying Website Management for Marketing Teams
When I build websites for clients, I operate under the principle of “even the summer intern could use this.” This isn’t to undermine the abilities of interns, but rather to highlight the importance of creating a content management system (CMS) so intuitive and user-friendly that someone with no prior experience can easily step in, create a stunning landing page, and ensure it’s perfectly on-brand and tailored to the specific campaign at hand.
The Rise of User-Friendly Web Development Platforms
What was once a dream is now a reality. Tools that offer this level of customisation have been around for some time. My personal favourite, Webflow, has been revolutionising the industry for almost a decade. These platforms are constantly evolving, adding more features that empower anyone to build stunning websites simply by filling in a form, making them indispensable tools in digital marketing.
Webflow’s CMS: A Game-Changer for Content Creation
Webflow’s CMS feature stands out as a powerful tool that allows users to harness the full potential of a database for virtually anything. Having worked extensively with WordPress and WooCommerce, I found Webflow’s approach to be a breath of fresh air. Traditionally, databases have been confined to managing product pages or articles. But with Webflow, this concept expands into new territories—FAQs, portfolio pieces, case studies, services, landing pages, testimonials and anything else that can be built from a templated page. This capability significantly speeds up content creation and editing for marketing teams, thereby boosting user engagement through effective content marketing.
Say Goodbye to Development Bottlenecks
Gone are the days of waiting and incurring costs for a development team to build a landing page for an upcoming campaign. No more relying on the one person in your team who knows how to edit HTML and CSS. Now, creating a landing page is as simple as filling in a form. Choose the content you want, select the necessary headers, decide if you need an image, a subtitle, or a specific navigation bar—it’s all done by ticking boxes and filling in fields. Then, with one click on ‘Publish,’ your landing page is live.
Leveraging APIs for Seamless Integration
The widespread use of APIs further enhances these capabilities, allowing you to integrate your existing tech stack seamlessly. One of my favourite tools that complements Webflow perfectly is Airtable, a cloud-based database software that enables you to perform incredible feats with your data. By leveraging its API, you can directly link Airtable to Webflow. This means that any changes made by your technical staff to their data are automatically reflected on your website, ensuring everything stays up to date without manual intervention.
Sounds Great, But What Does It Cost?
This all sounds great, of course, but for many, the first question that comes to mind is about cost. It’s true that the initial investment in these platforms can be somewhat higher compared to traditional website solutions. However, I strongly believe that the return on investment (ROI) is significantly greater.
Traditional websites often come with ongoing costs related to development, updates, and maintenance—especially if you rely heavily on a developer or a technical team. In contrast, platforms like Webflow offer a more cost-effective solution in the long run. By empowering your marketing team or digital marketing agency to handle updates and content creation in-house, you can save on development costs and reduce the time it takes to launch new campaigns or make changes to your site. This agility can lead to quicker response times, more effective campaigns, and ultimately, a higher ROI.
Conclusion: Take the Next Step in Website Management
The days of complex, developer-dependent marketing website management are behind us. With tools like Webflow and Airtable, marketing teams—whether a small in-house group or a fully-fledged digital marketing agency—can take control, streamline content creation, enhance content marketing, and reduce dependency on technical staff. If you’re ready to explore how these tools can revolutionise your website management process book a discovery call.