How to Choose a CMS That Helps Financial Institutions Grow: A Systems Comparison

What Requirements Should Your Website's CMS Meet in Financial Industry?

Choosing a CMS in the financial industry is a strategic decision that requires a deep understanding of both business goals and technical demands. Several key challenges must be considered when making this choice.

Regulatory requirements require financial institutions to maintain stability and performance regardless of traffic volume. These include rigorous accessibility standards (such as WCAG) and compliance with cybersecurity and operational resilience regulations, such as DORA (Digital Operational Resilience Act).

At the same time, a CMS must work smoothly and stably with other systems to ensure business continuity and the highest quality of service to customers. However, this is not just about connecting to mainstream software. Many financial institutions use custom-made or less common systems designed to meet the industry’s specific regulatory needs.

The decision to choose a CMS must also take into account for the capabilities of internal teams — including IT, but also content editors who will manage and publish content through the platform.

What are the Consequences of Choosing the Wrong CMS for Finance?

Selecting the right content management system is an investment that directly impacts marketing effectiveness, customer acquisition, and the ability to gain a competitive advantage in the market. 

A CMS that doesn’t align with the needs of a financial institution can make it difficult to build intuitive, visually appealing websites, slow down the creation of customer-specific offers, and limit personalization and responsiveness. In the worst-case scenario, it can negatively affect the company’s brand image and customer trust in its services.

Currently available CMS for financial industry

There are two main types of CMS solutions on the market: open-source and licensed. Each has its advantages, but also limitations that must be carefully considered before making a decision.

Open-Source CMS

Open-source CMS platforms are popular due to their lack of licensing fees and high flexibility. The software itself is free, and the source code can be fully customized to meet the specific needs of financial institutions and to integrate with other systems. The large pool of developers and content editors familiar with these platforms make it easier to recruit and onboard new team members. An active community continuously develops plugins, templates, and tools that accelerate platform growth.

However, while the software may be free, the implementation and maintenance costs can be significant, especially for large institutions that require custom solutions not available as ready-made plugins. Using widely known CMS platforms comes with increased cybersecurity risks, as popular solutions are more likely to be targeted by hackers.

Licensed CMS

Licensed CMS platforms are ready-made, comprehensive solutions designed for large organizations. They offer advanced tools for content management, analytics, personalization, and integration. Enterprise CMS platforms are offered by global providers, but adapting them to the financial sector in Poland often requires extra effort. That’s why local implementation and support partners, who understand national regulations and have experience working with Polish banks are crucial. They enable faster incident response and better alignment with market and legal changes.

Banks need proven, reliable solutions that are already tested and in daily use by financial institutions. One such solution is e-point CMS, which offers ready-made functionalities for individual services, without the need to design them from scratch — for example, credit calculators or charts for quotes.

Experience and ongoing collaboration with companies in the financial sector also means that new features and technologies are immediately adapted to industry-specific requirements — without the need for modification to meet expectations or comply with local regulations.

As a result, while the initial cost of a licensed CMS may be higher than an open-source solution, it often pays off in the long run, when adapting the CMS to the needs of the institution and further maintaining the entire system.

Open-Source CMS or Licensed CMS?

The right choice depends on the specific needs of the financial institution, such as IT resource availability, security requirements, and the budget for implementation and maintenance. Regardless of the option selected, the decision should be a part of a long-term digital growth strategy.

Are you looking for more insights into content management solutions?

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