What Is Content?
Content can include everything and anything your customers and clients consume on your website. Examples of content are
- Text
- Photos
- Infographics
- Video
- Audio
- Downloadables
- Tool
Content can include any kind of information which you choose to include on your website, but it’s more than that. Content also includes how you choose to present that information. The way in which you choose to present information can tell a customer or client just as much as the information itself. Because of this, your website’s tagging schemes and design also count as types of content.
What Is Content Management?
Now that we understand the basics of content, we can finally ask ourselves, “What is content management?” Content management is the method of taking your content and organizing it in such a way that it makes sense to your customers. The process of content management usually includes: Ideation – At some point, you have to think of what type of content your company will create. Ideation is the process of thinking through how you want your information to be presented. For example, would this information be most effectively conveyed in a blog post, video, or infographic? If it would be most effective as a video, what should that video look like? Creation – After you have an idea for what your content should look like, the next step is to create it. This includes a more detailed outline and the first draft of your content as well. Editing – Think of the editing process as part of your content workflow. Editing is giving everyone at the company who needs it, access to those first drafts of the content. It’s the process of deciding whether or not the content is conveying the intended message effectively and how to fix it if it’s not. Editing is a refining process that helps the content creators zero in on what needs to change before the content is ready to move on to the next step. Publishing – Once the content is ready, it’s time to publish it. Publishing is the process of putting it out there for the world to consume, but it also includes the where, when, and how. In most cases, it’s best to post content regularly so your customers and clients have a reason to keep coming back. But sometimes content needs to be pushed earlier or later for strategic reasons. Sometimes, content is not hosted on your site but someone else’s instead. The strategy behind your content is all part of publishing. Removal – Sometimes information becomes old and outdated. Company policies change. Product features improve. Laws about compliance get tweaked. There are many reasons why content may no longer be relevant. Because some content may become outdated, there needs to be a review process set into place which allows you to edit or remove content that is no longer accurate.
What Are The Types Of Content Management Systems
A content management system is usually a type of software package or web tool that allows you to manage the content you have on your website. It’s a tool that allows content management to happen in one place. Examples of CMSs include:
- WordPress
- Umbraco
- Drupal
- Joomla
- SharePoint
- Magento
There are many more CMS web programs out there, but those are some of the more popular ones. No matter which CMS your company uses, the point of it is to allow your employees to work together and create the content you and your company needs to attract, convert, and retain customers over time.
What’s The Difference Between Content Management And Document Management
Sometimes content management systems are confused with document management systems (DMS.) Although they are often used together, they are different. Whereas a CMS is used to share information with your customers and clients, a DMS is used to organize your client’s information when they share it with you. A DMS is used to handle file sharing, creation, manipulation, and storage. If your client is uploading documents to your website, the CMS may help them know what to do, but the DMS is what’s facilitating the uploading process. With a proper DMS, you can create workflows much like you can with a CMS. But instead of conveying information to your customer, you’re using the information they give you to complete a service or business transaction.
eFileCabinet Can Manage Your Documents
If you’re looking for a reliable DMS to complement your CMS or general workflow, eFileCabinet is the company for you. Our DMS can automatically populate the files and organization structure you need to save you time sorting your documents. It can also be taught to recognize different document types and file the information found on them. This allows you to focus on serving your customers and finding new ones. Lastly, it can create workflows that inform the appropriate people in your company that documents have been submitted. eFileCabinet is the reliable, trusted DMS that compliments your content management needs.