Content management systems give control of a web site back to the site owner, allowing pages to be added/edited without requiring a web designer or calling on any web expertise. Traditionally, adding new content, or updating existing content, usually involved sending the words and pictures over to a web designer and then waiting for the new page to be constructed, approved and then published. Inevitably this can take several days — sometimes weeks, and any change costs money. The result is that it just becomes "too much trouble" to update pages, so that a web site gradually falls further and further out of date, and the site owner loses enthusiasm for referring customers to the site because it shows the wrong content.

Sites powered by content management systems automatically create pages, only requiring the site owner to paste in the required copy and upload pictures — the site does all the rest. So changes can be made instantly and sites can be kept topical and synchronised with marketing programmes and product launches etc.