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E-Book
How to select the right Web
content management system
Whether websites are built to face customers or employees, solid Web
content management (WCM) can help organizations improve their
online capabilities. But building a WCM system that can manage
growing volumes of Web content in an effective manner is a challenge
for many companies. This eBook will present an overview of WCM
technology trends and offer expert advice on choosing the right WCM
tools for the job. In addition, it will illustrate how successful companies
get started on the WCM process, with deployment tips and project
management best practices.
Readers will get:
Advice on evaluating and selecting a Web content management
tool
Recommendations for considering open-source WCM software
platforms
Expert opinion on the steps to take in deploying Web content
management systems
Tips for developing a successful ongoing Web content management
strategy
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How to select the right Web content management system
E-Book
How to select the right Web content
management system
Table of Contents
Complex Web content management system choices demand careful
selection
Open source CMS technologies add Web content management options
Five essential steps to enable Web content management strategy success
Effective Web content management systems require well-tuned processes
Resources from Ektron
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How to select the right Web content management system
Complex Web content management system choices
demand careful selection
By Beth Stackpole, SearchContentManagement.com Contributor
With analysts estimating that there are dozens or potentially hundreds of Web content
management (WCM) products to choose from, one of the biggest deployment challenges is
simply sorting through the morass of product offerings to zero in on the platform that best
meets an organization’s business needs.
The expansive array of choices ups the ante when honing an effective selection process, but
the good news is there are some tried-and-true parameters that can help narrow the field
for Web content management system deployment.
One way is to decide on either an on-premises product or Software as a Service (SaaS)
technology. That choice will help target a specific set of vendors. Some companies can then
thin out the list based on specific language requirements or a need for robust globalization
capabilities. Others will gravitate to WCM options that are tuned in to their particular
industry segment and vendors that have substantial experience with a like set of customers.
―[The WCM market] is a bit broader than the more established enterprise applications
market because there are so many vendors, and when you mix in open source, it kind of
explodes,‖ said Darin Stewart, a research director at Gartner Inc. in Stamford, Conn.
Stewart said that when clients say they are ready to either purchase a content management
system (CMS) or replace one, the first question he asks is, What are you trying to
accomplish? ―That usually stops people cold,‖ he noted. ―The biggest hurdle in selecting a
platform is defining what the requirements are.‖
Understanding website complexity
Defining those requirements begins with asking the right questions. Those involved in the
selection process need to determine exactly what type of website suits the business need.
Will it be a basic informational presence or a more sophisticated interactive site with social
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How to select the right Web content management system
and multimedia capabilities? Will it deliver a multichannel customer experience? How often
will the site be changed, and who will make the changes? These and other questions must
be answered up front, according to Stewart and other analysts.
―Understand the complexity of the website you are trying to drive,‖ said Tony Byrne,
president of Real Story Group, an Olney, Md.-based analyst firm specializing in content
management technologies. ―There’s a whole set of things that drive complexity.‖ Basic
research should help narrow the field to a list of six to eight WCM options relatively quickly,
he said.
Real Story Group divides the WCM market into five tiers to help its clients target the right
vendors and technologies. Basic and middle-range products are best for companies looking
to do a simple website or blog without requiring any customization of the chosen Web
content management system, the firm advises. It says middle-range platforms (as opposed
to middle-range applications) are well suited to companies with the resources to customize
a CMS, while the upper-range and enterprise platforms are generally a match for larger
organizations with multiple brands and websites and sophisticated multichannel marketing
needs.
Consider a range, but don’t overshoot
Byrne said it’s wise to explore options one or two tiers above and below what you determine
fits your needs. ―It’s always surprising what makes a good match for people. It’s not as
scientific as we’d like to believe,‖ he said.
Having a solid request-for-proposal (RFP) process is another critical element while shopping
for a WCM system. Instead of sending a generic checklist of requirements to vendors, Byrne
said Real Story Group advises clients to develop business-related test cases so they can
better evaluate systems in head-to-head comparisons.
One of the more common mistakes companies make is listing unnecessary requirements,
Byrne and others said. That opens the door to being caught up with the latest and greatest
functionality even if it doesn’t correspond to a real business need.
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―They hear that they need a social strategy or need to support video and have more
personalization and content targeting. That’s all well and good, but you have to ask what
you’re hoping those features will lead to,‖ said Stephen Powers, a principal analyst with
Forrester Research Inc. in Cambridge, Mass. ―It’s like gorging yourself on a buffet – buying
a lot of features and then not using them.‖
Yet companies also need to be careful that they don’t shortchange their WCM needs and
choose a technology that quickly runs out of steam. ―Oftentimes, companies think too small
and do something inexpensively for a year,‖ said Powers, explaining that it can be both
expensive and resource-intensive to rip something out and start fresh with a new WCM
system. ―You’ve got to spec out your requirements for the short term, but consider your
long-term strategy as well,‖ he recommended.
About the Author: Beth Stackpole is a freelance writer who has been covering the
intersection of technology and business for 25-plus years for a variety of trade and business
publications and websites.
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Ektron simplifies the creation, management and delivery of digital experiences for global organizations that are looking to drive revenue growth
and improve customer satisfaction. Ektron software powers corporate websites, extranets, intranet portals and social communities. Ektron helps
companies deliver customer experiences to their audiences through all digital channels – including websites, mobile devices and social networks
– by using content to engage consumers, drive business outcomes and further revenue growth. Headquartered in Nashua, New Hampshire, with
offices in Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom, Ektron has thousands of worldwide customers including: Kodak, Las Vegas Sands, Microsoft,
NASDAQ and National Health Services UK.
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How to select the right Web content management system
Open source CMS technologies add Web content
management options
By Beth Stackpole, SearchContentManagement.com Contributor
The open source community for Web content management system technology is active and
ample, which means companies in the market for WCM platforms have plenty of options to
consider when compared to nearly any other category of enterprise software.
―There are tons of open source offerings in the space,‖ said Scott Liewehr, lead analyst in
the WCM practice at Outsell’s Gilbane Services, a Cambridge, Mass.-based research and
consulting firm specializing in content management technologies. ―In general, folks who
work on the Web tend to be more open to being open — that’s kind of what the Web is. It
just follows suit that the systems that manage Web content are readily shared.‖
As with any type of open source software, companies tend to gravitate to open source
content management system (CMS) technologies primarily because of cost issues, given
that many of the platforms are available under free licenses. The other major advantage of
the open source approach, for a CMS or any other type of software, is the rich community of
experts and deep portfolio of extensible code that are typically available, giving
organizations a wide variety of resources to draw on to support and evolve their websites.
Most experts agree that open source makes the most sense for companies that need
absolute transparency into their CMS code or have heavy-duty customization requirements.
On the other end of the spectrum, an open source CMS can also benefit users looking to find
a platform that fits their WCM needs right out of the box. This is especially true if the
organization doesn’t have the budget for a big up-front investment, according to Darin
Stewart, a research director at Gartner Inc. in Stamford, Conn.
Where an open-source CMS is unlikely to fit is in an established environment with many
integration requirements and limited IT resources. ―If you are a big Oracle shop and
everyone there knows Oracle, it doesn’t make sense to grab an open source product and try
to integrate it,‖ Stewart said. ―Rather, [it’s better to] get something that plays nicely with
your main system and that your resources can already support.‖
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How to select the right Web content management system
Evaluating the open source CMS tradeoffs
Many of the perceived advantages of open source technology can become disadvantages,
depending on the type of organization involved and the depth of its IT resources. For
example, companies in heavily regulated industries like finance and health care might
harbor concerns about the security of open source software. In addition, while the
community aspect of open source is likely its greatest asset, the vast libraries of extensible
code, customizations and templates really only benefit users with enough IT expertise to get
their hands dirty.
―It often comes down to how willing a company is to … deal with not-so-perfect software,‖
Liewehr said. ―The team needs to be willing to roll up its sleeves and work with the code to
address any shortcomings.‖
Compared with proprietary packaged applications that are directly supported by their
vendors, technical support often is less formal in the open source CMS world. For many
open source users, ―the support model is basically the kindness of strangers,‖ Stewart said.
―If you have a question or support issue, you throw it out to the community and hope you
get a good response.‖
Longevity of software projects is another consideration. Open source platforms sometimes
come and go, depending on the interest levels in their individual communities, so companies
need to be sure to align with an open source CMS option that has a strong and active
community that’s in it for the long run.
Finally, there’s the matter of cost. While open source software has been promoted as a less
expensive option to commercial applications, much of the cost savings associated with free
licenses disappears when you start to factor in support fees and staffing requirements. Many
organizations attracted by free open source code have found they have a skills gap
internally, and hiring people with the right expertise puts overall costs on par with using
traditional licensed software.
In fact, as many open source providers adopt more of a hybrid approach by offering small
license fees combined with tiered support programs, companies looking for WCM platforms
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How to select the right Web content management system
might not make price the primary consideration. Instead, they might evaluate the available
technologies according to functional differences as opposed to the specific tradeoffs
associated with open source or commercial licenses.
―We’re seeing less and less of a distinction between open source and commercial,‖ said
Tony Byrne, president of Real Story Group, an analyst firm that’s based in Olney, Md., and
focuses on content management technologies. ―The differences between them are starting
to evaporate. Many of the major open source projects are becoming more commercialized,
and vendors can’t argue that they are cheaper anymore.‖
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How to select the right Web content management system
Five essential steps to enable Web content
management strategy success
By Jonathan Gourlay, SearchContentManagement.com Site and News Editor
The most important step for any enterprise developing or overhauling its Web content
management strategy is to have a clear understanding of the project’s business aims,
according to industry experts.
―You have to think first about your business goals. What is it about the way you provide
customers access to your products, people and services you want to change,‖ said Melissa
Webster, program vice president for content and digital media technologies at Framingham,
Mass.-based market research firm IDC.
Understand your business strategy
―The first big issue people struggle with is that they approach it as a technology problem
and oftentimes don’t have a clear business strategy for why they are doing it in the first
place,‖ said Scott Liewehr, lead analyst in the Web content management (WCM) practice at
Outsell’s Gilbane Services in Cambridge, Mass. ―So many times the foundational building
blocks are not in place.‖
Companies can determine what the ultimate goal of a WCM strategy is by asking what they
want such a system to do. ―Is it about improving efficiencies [and] speed to market, or is it
about allowing you to effectively and efficiently engage with clientele?‖ Liewehr asked. ―It is
often very unclear, and people want to dig right into implementing new software. At the end
of the day, if you don’t have a good view of what you are trying to do holistically, you are
just going to spin.‖
Determine ownership of the Web content management strategy
Figuring out what part of or which individuals in the company own the WCM strategy is the
next step, Liewehr said. It’s an aspect that must be addressed prior to any kind of software
engagement.
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How to select the right Web content management system
―Who gets to make the decisions?‖ he asked. ―It’s really getting your arms around the
people aspect of it, the ownership of it.‖ This is especially true for small and medium-sized
businesses, where WCM ownership often comes down to one or two people. However,
making that determination is usually easier in such cases, he said, whereas figuring out the
ownership piece can be a struggle in larger enterprises.
Organizations can approach it like the wild, wild West, or they can determine control early
on.
It’s important to ask questions such as who owns a site and who is going to be in charge of
updating it early on, said Kathleen Reidy, a senior analyst at The 451 Group in New York. ―A
lot of times, the owners of the content are going to be driving the project,‖ she noted.
That might be the case in a global organization trying to maintain centralized control while
giving local offices some jurisdiction over certain site aspects. Or perhaps it’s a company
with many different brands, each with its own Web identity. In either case, establishing
rights to the content is a key step.
Establish procedures and guidelines
―There’s got to be some establishment of governance – policies around who can update [a
website], when you can update it and how logos can be used, that sort of thing,‖ Reidy said.
Whether the aim is to create standard boilerplate for legal information or figuring out how
language translations will occur, creating guidelines that all stakeholders understand is
critical.
―There obviously needs to be some structure in place for review and approval,‖ IDC’s
Webster said. And to take care of the inevitable disagreements, especially in a large
organization where Web strategy is handled by a team, designating a moderator is a good
idea.
―You have to establish an entity like a steering committee or an individual who decides or
judges any of the disputes that come up,‖ Liewehr said.
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How to select the right Web content management system
Enable stakeholders to push content
After establishing goals, ownership and the procedures for a Web content management
program, it’s essential to have systems for properly publishing and distributing content.
More and more, analysts say, it is becoming clear that stakeholders across the enterprise
need to be able to do that, and make changes, without involving IT.
―Being able to push content live in a very organized way‖ is central to an efficient WCM
strategy, Webster said. Whether it’s content creation, corrections, routine changes or the
ability to build a subsidiary site, tools are available so that most anyone can accomplish the
tasks.
However, internal WCM experts should still have control over the technical aspects of a
system. ―I would make sure there’s somebody addressing the system infrastructure who
knows more about it than I do,‖ Liewehr said.
Build a team to drive adoption
Finally, it is essential to appoint an individual or group to drive implementation of a WCM
strategy. This step is often skipped, and that can lead to delays or a less-thancomprehensive rollout.
―One thing that gets overlooked is the change management aspect of the whole thing,‖
Liewehr said. ―A communication plan is key to keep everyone updated on progress, what
the sticking points are and whether some promises can’t be kept.‖
It’s clear that a WCM strategy implementation should have high-level buy-in, Reidy said.
Such a project is going to require a budget and will involve change, and high-level support
will help enable that.
―While most organizations do understand how important the Web is as a channel, they don’t
know how that ties into the business reasons,‖ she said, ―so someone who can connect
those points is important.‖
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How to select the right Web content management system
More smart steps to take for a smooth WCM strategy implementation
There are other smart steps to establishing a Web content management strategy, said Scott
Liewehr, lead analyst in the WCM practice at Outsell’s Gilbane Services.
To ensure a smooth, efficient deployment of a WCM strategy, Liewehr said organizations
should do the following:
Understand the system's technical requirements with regard to its content model,
internal systems the WCM system must integrate with and whether there are aspects
that need customization. ―The content modeling process is something that, if not
paid attention to up-front, will definitely come back to bite you later,‖ Liewehr said.
Consider, for example, whether content will be published in English only. The content
model will determine how easily it can be translated to different languages in the
future.
How content is stored and at what level will also determine whether readers will be
able to extract just certain aspects that are of personal interest to them. It’s
important to think about such personalization early on in the process, Liewehr said.
Finally, plan for content migration. Currently existing content will populate the site
going forward, so it is key to have an understanding of content taxonomy. Then, in
preparation for the migration, an inventory of existing content is necessary, and a
clear plan for how it will be used needs to be hammered out.
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How to select the right Web content management system
Effective Web content management systems
require well-tuned processes
By Alan Joch, SearchContentManagement.com Contributor
Is it really necessary to put a lot of resources into the ongoing administration of Web
content management systems once they’re up and running? Just ask United Airlines, which
in September marked a rather dubious anniversary.
Three years ago, a story about the airline’s 2002 bankruptcy erroneously popped up on the
Web, and Wall Street investors assumed it was a new story. Within minutes, United’s share
price plunged from about $12 to $3. The stock later recovered, but the lesson was clear:
content management systems (CMS) require people, policies and processes to ensure that
content remains fresh and accurate long after deployment.
It doesn’t take a stock meltdown or another crisis to show that someone has a problem.
Clues might be conflicts about what new content gets posted and where. ―People are
constantly at the doorstep [of website managers], and of course everybody wants the
homepage,‖ said Scott Liewehr, lead analyst in the Web content management (WCM)
practice at Outsell’s Gilbane Services in Cambridge, Mass. ―Who do you give it to?‖
Bottlenecks that keep new content from being posted regularly or that fail to move old
items to the archives or trash bin are another indicator.
The solution is a finely tuned process for applying corporate policies and defining publishing
workflows to a Web CMS. Content management professionals point to five key elements to
make this happen.
Start early
Create a policy document of guiding principles that spells out who will be making final
decisions about content and where it will be allocated. ―When you have something in writing
early on you’ll avoid some of the harder conversations later on when it comes down to a
particular issue,‖ Liewehr said.
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How to select the right Web content management system
Find a sponsor
Organizations need someone with enough clout to set direction and mediate disagreements.
That could be a C-level executive, marketing vice president, line of business manager or
another senior person. ―This person should take responsibility for the project, not just sign
the checks,‖ said Amanda Shiga, content management lead at the consulting firm Nonlinear Creations Inc. in Toronto, Canada.
Form a WCM steering committee
A cross-departmental team consisting of the executive sponsor, IT and representatives from
all relevant business departments should meet early and often to create workflows for
content approvals, editing, scheduling, archiving and deleting information.
While steering committees are important for thinking through fundamental WCM rules,
Shiga warned that these groups sometimes create workflows that look good on paper but
end up being too complicated. ―People just don’t have the bandwidth for a five-step
approval process,‖ she said, explaining that bottlenecks will occur if a department head
must approve and then pass along content to an organization’s president for a final review.
―I caution people to keep processes as simple as possible.‖
Keep content fresh
Fresh content is one of the keys to a successful Web presence. ―If no one owns content, it’s
going to go out of date,‖ said Seth Earley, CEO of Earley & Associates, an information
management consulting company based in Stow, Mass. But owners can’t be expected to
take on that responsibility without resources such as clear criteria established by the WCM
steering committee about how often content should be reviewed and what happens to old
information, he added.
Of course, a steady stream of new content doesn’t always flow from business groups. One
way to keep it flowing is to link the creation of new content with publishing processes.
Include a checkbox so that when someone creates something new, it is identified as
something to post on the website, Earley said.
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How to select the right Web content management system
Analyze feedback
Defining policies and workflows are fine, but organizations also need a way to measure
success. First, determine the key indicators for meeting the site’s main objectives: Is it
driving additional revenues, generating sales leads, improving customer service? Then use
traffic analytics tools to key in on these areas. ―Organizations can benefit from becoming
wiser about analytics,‖ Liewehr said. The same data can help direct content owners in
shaping and updating content, he added.
WCM consultants said it’s best to have all these pieces in place before system deployment.
However, all is not lost for organizations that rush into launching websites. Retrofitting is
possible; it just might mean some additional work.
―If you’ve already got something that’s kind of out of control, I would say it is all the more
reason to get these teams [and processes] in place,‖ Shiga said. ―There’s still a strong
argument for auditing the current processes and [looking for] a quick win to put a little
more processing structure in place.‖
About the Author: Alan Joch is a New Hampshire-based freelance writer who specializes in
enterprise applications and cloud computing.
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Resources from Ektron
Ektron: Connect Content to Revenue
Ektron Resource Center
Ektron Community Hub
About Ektron
Ektron simplifies the creation, management and delivery of digital experiences for global
organizations that are looking to drive revenue growth and improve customer satisfaction.
Ektron software powers corporate websites, extranets, intranet portals and social
communities. Ektron helps companies deliver customer experiences to their audiences
through all digital channels – including websites, mobile devices and social networks – by
using content to engage consumers, drive business outcomes and further revenue growth.
Headquartered in Nashua, New Hampshire, with offices in Australia, Canada and the United
Kingdom, Ektron has thousands of worldwide customers including: Kodak, Las Vegas
Sands, Microsoft, NASDAQ and National Health Services UK. For more information, please
visit www.ektron.com, www.ektron.co.uk or www.ektron.com.au.
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