Content management

Content is king. This is one of the oldest sayings about the Internet that I can think of. Its longevity doubtless comes from its accuracy.

When you think about it, it makes perfect sense. Whatever people are doing when they use the web, they are looking for content, whether its something to entertain, something to educate or something to buy. Content is still king.

Managing your content effectively is, therefore, vital. Effective management means that you can manage it quickly and easily, but also cheaply. This means having a Content Management System (or CMS).

Content Management Systems

A few years ago (make that 10!) CMS was an expensive tool only available to those with deep pockets. Web agencies had a nice little earner updating content for their clients and the speed and costs of updating sites was the bug-bear of most website managers.

A CMS is now a standard tool. Any agency that cannot provide one that at least manages regular updating of content should be avoided. Increasingly sites are entirely managed by a CMS. The structure is defined and changed through a series of tools or wizards and the web manager has direct control over more and more of their site.

Of course this greater sophistication comes at a price, but it also delivers value. The key to choosing the right CMS is to understand the nature of the content on your site and match your requirement to the system. If you can, choose a system that is scaleable and which can offer more tools, as and when you need them.

Search engines

Most users find content through the major search engines. Of course you get repeat visitors, but how did they find you in the first place. This means that it is essential that your content can be seen by the search engines and that it is the sort of content that they like.

One of the things that they like is content that is updated regularly, which makes the ability to change your site when you want to very important. Another is that there are key aspects of a site's content that search engines rate as more important than others. If search engines are an important part of your marketing strategy, you should ensure that your CMS gives you editorial control of these, as well as the basic content.

Web 2.0 - what does it mean for you?

The digital world is all a buzz with Web 2.0. Blogs are now a standard part of the media landscape and You Tube, My Space and Flickr, all names that no-one had heard of a year ago, are household brands. These things are certainly Web 2.0 and have generated a huge amount of money already.

What this means for the average business, however, is up for debate. It does, however, give us a useful guide about the way that web content is moving. Users are not interested in reading what you want them to read. They will not sift through a brochureware site that talks about your business. They are looking for something that is useful. Something that adds value. Something that is current.

Without effective content management, any website will quickly become out of date, will lose its relevance and its value to visitors and will cease to deliver for its owners.