Can I design a site in Webflow with placeholder copy that clients can edit in while the site is still in development, and then revert back to static elements once all content is finalized and publish it as a normal website without incurring CMS costs?
Yes, you can design a site in Webflow with placeholder copy that clients can edit while the site is still in development. This can be done using the Webflow CMS (Content Management System) feature.
In Webflow, you can create dynamic CMS collections where you can store and manage content. When designing the site, you can use collection fields to specify which elements should be dynamic (editable by clients) and which ones should be static. You can use text fields within the CMS collections to store the placeholder copy.
To allow clients to edit the content, you can provide them with a login to the Webflow Editor. In the Editor, they will be able to access the CMS collections and modify the placeholder copy.
Once the content is finalized and you are ready to publish the site as a normal website without incurring CMS costs, you can detach the dynamic elements from the CMS collections. This will convert them into static elements without any dynamic capabilities. Detaching the elements removes their connection to the CMS, allowing you to publish the site without CMS hosting costs.
To detach CMS elements, you can go to the Collections panel in the Webflow Designer and select the elements you want to convert to static. From the Settings tab, click on "Detach from collection" option.
It's important to note that once elements are detached, they will no longer be editable from the Webflow Editor. Therefore, it's recommended to detach the elements only when you are certain that the content is finalized and no further edits are needed.
By utilizing the CMS feature in this way, you can design a site with editable placeholder copy for clients during development, and then revert back to static elements before publishing the final version of the website, thus avoiding ongoing CMS costs.