Managing large websites estates can be a daunting task for businesses, especially those operating across multiple regions, brands, or services.
Website eco-systems rarely come into existence fully formed and perfectly integrated. They develop and grow over time as the company expands its operations, acquires other business, and launches new products and services.
If you were to map them out, many would look like the digital equivalent of Frankenstein’s monster; a vast array of newer, legacy (and obsolete) solutions, different CMS systems and integrated platforms, with varying standards of design, UX and content governance. Add to that the operational and reputational risks associated with security, scalability, and efficiency, and it can all get very time consuming and expensive to maintain.
Whether as a result of organisational restructures, company rebrands, or the now common issue of technological obsolescence, we’re seeing increasing numbers of clients facing up to the prospect of renewing and consolidating their website eco-systems.
This is where multisite solutions offer an ideal way to streamline the management of website eco-systems, providing more centralised control of the core brand identity, design, UX and technology infrastructure, while still allowing decentralised management of site-specific content and assets.
Let’s take a look at some of the key benefits of multisite website solutions:
1. Centralised managementThe ability to manage all your websites from a single platform. Instead of juggling different CMS systems for each individual site, a multisite setup centralises everything, allowing for more efficient day-to-day management. This can include content management, security updates, and user management, simplifying processes for platform administrators.
For example, if a company needs to update a standard policy across multiple websites, the change can be made once and pushed across the entire eco-system. This eliminates the need to apply the change on each site separately.
2. Consistent identity and user experienceWhere companies have created new websites with specific purposes in mind (regional comms, products and services, or job seekers etc.), there can be a wide variation in design and UX standards. A multisite solution helps companies consistently apply brand guidelines, ensuring uniformity in design, UX and functionality of common elements and features.
3. Shared templates and modules to be deployed across all sites
This ensures that, while each site can still retain its unique content and features, core branding elements such as logos, fonts, colours and content formats remain consistent. This is particularly beneficial for companies operating in many markets but wanting to project a single identity.
4. Scalability and cost-effectiveness
When a new website is required, it can be created quickly and cost-effectively, reusing any of the existing brand, content and functional assets, while only needing to create elements to are specific to the new site. This vastly reduces the time and cost to launch new campaign, brand or regional websites.
Hosting is also centralised, helping companies to reduce costs and maintain consistent performance standards across all sites.
5. Maintenance and security centralisation
Security patches, plugin or platform updates can be applied across the entire network simultaneously. This makes it easier to perform regular maintenance tasks and address any vulnerabilities quickly, reducing workload on IT teams and making it easier to maintain compliance with industry standards, such as GDPR.
6. Streamlined analytics and reporting
Companies can manage analytics and reporting for all websites in one place. This enables companies to monitor KPIs and user behaviour across the entire eco-system, simplifying analysis and enabling better decision-making.
We’ve recently completed multi-site solutions for SERB Pharmaceuticals and Hubexo.
If you're facing any of these challenges and would like to learn how we can assist with your digital solutions, please get in touch.