Don't Doubt Your Web Site – Manage It with Content Management Systems

Like many companies, you probably spent more money, time, and energy to develop and maintain your Web site than you ever imagined. Many organizations are looking at their web-related expenses and still waiting for a return on thier investment.

Over the past few years, the web began to fulfill its promise: it stopped being about having a Web site and became about using one. Yet many Web sites suffer from static content and hard to find, outdated, or inaccurate information.

Businesses are encouraged to consider these questions in evaluating their sites:

>Does it take more than a few hours to post time–sensitive information to your web site (i.e., press releases, price changes, etc.)?

>Are your business managers disenchanted with what's involved in keeping their content current?

>Is your site the size, scope, and success of your business?

>Do you feel uncomfortable referring prospects to your site for the most recent company information?

>Is it easier to create new print collateral than to make site changes?

If you can answer "yes" to any of these questions, you should consider a Content Management System (CMS). A CMS is a program or set of applications designed to allow information managers to control the sections of the Web site that are appropriate for their level of responsibility and knowledge. Generally, these systems do not require programming knowledge and can be managed through simple web forms.

When considering a CMS, consider these factors:

Security

>How many individual users will need to modify their own content?

>Do these users need access only to certain portions of the site?

>Do these users require approval from management?

Content

>What sections of the site require frequent maintenance?

>What sections can remain relatively static?

>Does content need to be secured or made non-printable?

Budget

>What do you hope to gain by improving the quality and timeliness of your web content - save money, make money, or both?

>How much are you spending on internal and external resources to manage your web site content now?

>What have you budgeted to maintain your site over the next year? three years? five years?

There are many options for implementing a CMS, each with its own advantages. The solutions fall within three general classes:

Application-based CMS solutions: involve purchasing a pre-built system to manage Web content and then either installing it or paying a professional services organization to retrofit the software to your site. These solutions vary dramatically in cost, quality, and features. The primary advantage is that these feature-rich applications have been implemented and tested by many customers and you do not have to pay to "build out" all of the functions you need. However, you should expect to make (read: pay for) modifications to your existing site to make it compatible with the software.

ASP (Application Service Provider) CMS solutions: purchased for a monthly subscription fee. Many ASP systems are as feature-rich as their application-based cousins and costs are considerably cheaper (at the onset). On the other hand, they allow for less customization to the individual business or Web site. Again, you must be prepared to retrofit your site or process to utilize this type of system.

Custom CMS solutions: involve building out custom code specifically for your content management needs. Tools can be built to suit your site for only the features you require. As a result, these solutions tend to be the most cost-effective. In fact, because of their success compared to attempted out-of-the-box implementations, the number of "home-grown" custom solutions - today, roughly one-third of all deployed CMS solutions - is expected by Jupiter Research to double by 2004. Of course, if you need all of your content and work-flow managed, a pre-built system may prove to be the more effective approach. With a partner that understands your objectives and budget, custom CMS solutions can give you everything you need and nothing you don't, maximizing the efficiency of your investment and your site.

The solution that's right for your company is based on many factors. Be sure to explore all of your options before making a decision. And, please, don't blame your Web site for not meeting your expectations. Manage it to be the asset it can be.

For more information on ATX and Content Management, visit www.atx.com or e-mail Scott at skinka@atx.com.

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