Improving Web Content Management
By Mark Bolgiano
The following article was
published in Association Management's Tech Tool Kit, March 2003.
"Why is it such a big deal to put information on our
website?
"
One association executive after another voices the same
sentiment as they talk about the frustrations of trying to expand usage
of their websites.
For many associations, the difficulty of posting information
results in under-use of the website. It's expensive to convert information
to Web formats, so only a subset of the appropriate information is made
available. The process is time-consuming, so the site can't be used for
time-sensitive communication. The result is that the association misses
opportunities to communicate with and better serve members.
Solve website management problems
Content management software is designed to solve these problems,
eliminating the headaches involved in creating and publishing information
on your website.
Empower your staff. One of the reasons changes
to your site must be made by your Web team is that they are the only
ones who know HTML. Content management software allows people who are
not technical to create and update Web pages. For example, when the
events manager wants to update information about an upcoming meeting,
she can copy the details directly from Word into a form in her browser,
and the Web pages are changed automatically.
Ensure standard formatting. Another reason
everything is funneled through your Webmaster is to ensure that
your website has a consistent look and feel throughout. Content
management software enforces your site's rules for image placement,
text formatting, and navigation. You can give people permission to
update the information for which they are responsible, without
worrying that they will change things they are not supposed to change.
Increase flexibility. With content management
software, your website becomes simpler to modify. Your publications
director can add new books or directories easily, your Webmaster can
change the logo or images throughout your site in minutes, and your
Web initiatives can be implemented faster and more cost-effectively.
Personalize visits. You can personalize the
information visitors see on your site, greeting members by name and
showing them relevant information based on their preferences or past
behavior. So a member who bought a book on a certain topic can be
greeted with the news that there will be a seminar on the same subject
in a city near her. She won't miss out on information that is important
to her, and you will increase nondues revenue.
Enhance the site with member contributions
Having the ability to safely delegate responsibility for the information
on your site lets you vastly increase the quantity and variety of
information you can offer.
Members can contribute content—press releases,
product information, articles, white papers, or whatever else you
want—making your site a much richer source of information.
Members can also contribute via online community
platforms, Web forums, interest group discussions, and online newsletters.
Your site becomes more valuable as a networking tool.
The result is a powerful competitive advantage—one
that benefits the association every day by making information available faster.
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