To accomplish this, it must be easy for content providers to regularly make changes, whether a change involves adding new content or updating existing material. It also should be possible to ensure that materials are displayed only when they are current, and removed when they become out-of-date. |
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Establishing the accuracy of all posted content requires that it be approved at multiple levels within the organization. However, for timely content delivery, the approval process should be easy to implement. |
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Finally, personalizing content to match the needs, interests, and language of the individual browsing the site can significantly increase site usability and the number of repeat visits. |
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| To address these requirements, look for a Web content management solution that offers: |
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 Efficient, self-service authoring for non-technical content providers |
Content authors should be able to quickly create materials using standard desktop applications, as well as image, video, and other types of media files. After materials have been developed, content providers should be able post them to the Web using pre-built design templates that provide the proper formatting and corporate branding elements. Creating new content, or revising existing materials, should not require the involvement of scarce technical resources. Non-technical content authors should be empowered to keep content up-to-date and be able to directly post content to either a staging environment or a live Web site. |
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| Support for worldwide content authoring |
Browser-based authoring permits contributors to work from any location. This also simplifies support logistics since a Web authoring client eliminates the need to install and maintain software in remote locations. Global marketing requires a multi-lingual site. That requires support for all major languages. Time zone synchronization ensures that content is presented at the right time, regardless of the author's location |
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| Automated scheduling for both content publishing and archiving |
Calendaring should allow content providers to determine when content is presented on the site and when it is removed. Automating this process ensures that date-sensitive information is available only while relevant. And no one in the organization has to remember when to post or eliminate site content. |
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| An integrated workflow process to automate content approval |
Routing of materials for approval should follow a predictable process. Non-automated processes are subject to human error, resulting in the omission of essential reviewers. Often when such a mistake is discovered, several employees must take time to remove and replace the erroneously posted material. More importantly, the posting of inaccurate Web content can impact the organization's credibility or even its income. |
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A component architecture that separates content from the presentation format and dynamic serving of content |
Personalization of Web content requires that content and presentation are not intertwined. That way the same information can be served up in various formats, depending upon the site user. s needs and interests. This capability, coupled with a page serving model that builds pages on-the-fly as they are requested, provides the foundation for delivering personalized content tailored to the user' s interests and/or browsing device. |
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| Version archiving and an audit trail to provide a record of site changes |
Time and effort can be saved if authors can refer back to a previous version of a Web page. Cutting and pasting copy from an earlier version can speed the creative process . or quickly correct an error. it's also helpful for the Webmaster to be able to determine who has made which changes on the site. It might be necessary to perform a full site audit for legal reasons. A Web content management system with archiving capabilities can facilitate timely satisfaction of such requirements. |
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