content management

E-com

the means and methods of managing the textual and graphical content of a Web site. For large sites with thousands of pages and many interchangeable words and images, it pays to invest in a content management application system that facilitates the creation and organization of Web content. Some content management systems also offer caching (where a server stores frequently requested information) and analysis of site traffic.

     Recent years have seen a vast growth in the quantity of content produced by organizations, particularly in digital form. In 2001, it was estimated that there were over 550 billion documents on Internet, intranet, and extranet websites—making professional content management vital. Without it, it becomes almost impossible for a user to find the information they are looking for.

     However, excellent content management is expensive, and organizations need to establish a solid business case in order to justify it. The initial point for consideration is that content is not a low-level commodity that merely needs to be stored—it is a critical resource, and its value lies in it being read. So an understanding of who will read it is essential. Decisions need to be taken over what languages the material needs to be published in, and in what media (Web or e-mail, for example). The form of the content—text, audio, video—is also important, as is the sensitivity of the material and the consequent security required.

     Simply storing content is data management, but content management should have publication as its main focus, with the intention of informing or entertaining readers. There is a big difference in approach between the two.