About Spark CMS

All CouncilConnect websites are powered by our very own Spark CMS, Content Managed Simply! The CMS has been custom built by our web developers based on feedback from our clients, ensuring an easy to use platform that's been designed in consultation with the end user in mind.

Over 500 websites have been deployed using Spark CMS to date. Over 100 of these sites are dedicated to local government authorities in Western Australia.

User-friendly and innovative is what makes Spark CMS so unique, but there’s also more…

The inbuilt workflow engine handles all your content updates and allows administrators to track updates across the entire website. By forcing content to be approved prior to being published, the workflow engine saves any incorrect information being published and ensures the proper approval process is followed.

Your administrators will have the freedom to create and edit templates via HTML and CSS with the template manager. The template manager gives you complete control on the website templates.

Content channel widgets allow your administrators to edit content within a website template that isn’t part of the normal content area such as the header/side/footer of a website.

When you become a CouncilConnect subscriber, not only will you benefit from exclusive pricing and support, but also the automatic upgrades to Spark CMS. To ensure the CMS offers the most modern user experience and workflow efficiencies, we constantly put the CMS under review to see how we can advance the platform. It’s part of our ongoing commitment to the CouncilConnect initiative.

Interested in a live demonstration of Spark CMS? Contact us for a demonstration today!

Contact us now





Base Spark CMS Features

Every new CouncilConnect website receives the following modules and features.

Administration Security

Create, edit and delete website user logins direct from the Administration Security module. Website administrators can be granted global administration rights or access only to the modules relevant to their role.
Cascading Menu

The Cascading Menu gives you complete control over your website's menu structure using a simple tree-view sitemap.

Administrators can edit menu text, drag and drop menu items to update sort order, and temporarily disable menu items if required. When creating or editing a menu item, administrators can choose from an automatically-generated list of links to CMS content throughout the website or enter their own external URL.
Design Template Manager

The Design Template Manager provides advanced website users with experience in HTML, JavaScript and CSS control over the design of your website.
Document Centre

House all your official documents in one central location with the Document Centre. This searchable module acts as an online filing system, giving administrators the ability to create as many categories as needed to organise important data and documents.
Page Centre

Browse existing and build new webpages within this feature-packed and easy to use What-You-See-Is-What-You-Get page content editor. The Page Centre provides all the formatting tools needed to style and build web page content, including pre-made heading styles, typography options, font colours, font sizes, tables, lists, hyperlinks and the ability to upload and insert images and videos.
Search and Indexing

The Search and Indexing functionality is built on Elasticsearch's innovative technology to transform the way users find content on your website. The search feature offers advanced website content indexing and search result accuracy, as well as faster search results for your users. Search results can be filtered to display web page content or document content only, helping your users find what they're looking for faster.
Social Media Optimisation

Want to share content from your website on Facebook or Twitter? The Social Media Optimisation functionality gives administrators the ability to determine which information is displayed when website links are shared via these social platforms.
Support Register

Needing help? CouncilConnect subscribers can request assistance from the Market Creations Agency website support team from within the Spark CMS Support Register.
Website Accessibility Controls

By enabling Website Accessibility Controls, you help ensure the information on your website is accessible to those with visual impairments.
Web Forms

Capture the information and insights you need with the Web Forms module. With  customisable question fields, the web forms module can be used to capture everything from general enquiries to questionnaire and survey data within the Spark CMS.
Website URL Manager

The Website URL Manager allows you to determine the URL on a webpage. Create custom URLs or set up redirects so your users are always finding the most up to date information.
Workflow

The Workflow audit log provides a list of all content changes that have been made within the CMS, detailing who made the change and when. Website administrators also have the ability to recover previous versions of content.